USEA Convention Program

24 program. Several of his students have represented Area I as team members, as well as having been team and individual medalists at the NAJYRC. He continues to serve as a team selector and clinician for the program. In 2013 John was the recipient of the USEA's Cornerstone Award. Having retired from public school teaching after 38 years, John now has the opportunity to work full time with clients and their horses. John and his wife Alice own and operate Arbrook Farm in North Ferrisburgh, Vermont. Bec Braitling Bec Braitling is a USEA ICP Level IV certified instructor and has coached the Area VI Young Riders and NAYC Eventing Team in 2017, 2018, and 2019. She has ridden through the five-star level in Australia before moving to the United States and is currently based out of Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California where she competes a string of horses for Arnell Sporthorses and teaches clinics. Sarah Broussard Sarah Broussard lives at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana and is the organizer of The Event at Rebecca Farm. She also serves as show manager for numerous local hunter/jumper shows held at Rebecca Farm throughout the summer. Sarah's mother, Becky Broussard, introduced her to eventing on the island of Jamaica when she was a small child. When the family moved to Montana, Sarah continued to compete under the guidance of Area VII's Cindy Burge. Sarah competed through the Intermediate level and represented Area VII at the North American Young Rider Championships. As a busy mother of two children, Sarah now enjoys competing mostly at the Novice and Training levels. She is the Chair of the USEA Safety and Equine Welfare Committee and a member of the USEA Classic Three-Day Task Force. Matt Brown High performance rider Matt Brown has been studying martial arts for over 25 years and has used the principles and techniques he has learned in the dojo to help develop himself while in the tack. He has found that the partner training learned from the martial arts easily translates into working with his four-legged partners. Rob Burk In December of 2015, Rob Burk took over as the Chief Executive Officer of the United States Eventing Association. Prior to his appointment as CEO, he served as the Chief Operating Officer and Senior Director of Programs for the USEA. Rob draws much of his experience from previous roles as an Executive Director and Senior Adviser within the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and as the Executive Director of a Governor-appointed statewide equine industry advisory board and stable inspection/licensing program within the Maryland Department of Agriculture. He has provided advice and guidance to four Secretaries of Agriculture and two Governors. Rob has evented throughout his life with notable success as a Young Rider in California. He graduated from Otterbein University with a Bachelor of Science in Pre-Veterinary Medicine/ Pre-Graduate Equine Studies and earned a Master of Science from Virginia Tech. Rob, a graduate 'H-A' Pony Clubber, attributes his successes to his upbringing through Pony Club and his trainers and mentors based in California, Ohio, Maryland, and Ireland as well as his family. Rob is married to Dr. Amy O. Burk, an Associate Professor in charge of the University of Maryland Equine Studies program, and they have two daughters.

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