USEA Convention Program

25 Gretchen Butts Gretchen Butts has a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Nursing, as well as a Master of Arts in Management/Human Resources and spent 25 years as an Adult/Internal Medicine Nurse Practitioner while gaining her vast experience in eventing. Gretchen's equestrian experience is broad – she is an eventing competitor through the international five-star level, event organizer at Waredaca since 1979, three- and four- star FEI Technical Delegate and Eventing Judge, USEF Eventing "S" Technical Delegate and Eventing Judge, FEI Level 2 Steward, past member of the USEA Board of Governors and Vice President of Education, Chief Jump Judge for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, International Technical Official at the 2008 Olympic Games, Assistant Technical Delegate for the 2010 World Equestrian Games, contributing author to Eventing USA, and past educational consultant to the Association. Gretchen is also a USEA Level III ICP certified instructor and sits on several key U.S. Equestrian Federation and U.S. Eventing Association committees. In her spare time, she is a long-distance runner and avid sailor with husband, Robert, on the Chesapeake. They have two daughters. Steph is a USEA ICP Level II instructor and graduate 'A' Pony Clubber with experience through the four-star level, a part of the Waredaca staff and business team, and co-owner of the Waredaca Brewing Company. Her younger sister, Devon, is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy currently practicing in Asheville, North Carolina. Diarm Byrne Diarm Byrne is the Managing Director of equestrian data analytics company, EquiRatings. Previously a commercial lawyer in one of Ireland's largest firms, he made it his mission to bring data driven thinking to equestrian sports. EquiRatings is now used by national federations all over the world and multiple Olympic programs. Diarm is responsible for the strategy and operations at EquiRatings and has won a number of national awards in Ireland for the growth of the business. He lives in Dublin with his wife Denise. Mary Coldren Mary Coldren grew up with horses and had her first pony at age four. Her parents operated a boarding and lesson facility that catered to all disciplines. Mary grew up primarily showing in western equitation, but was exposed to every style of riding, including a season of showing a saddle seat horse for an injured rider. She obtained a degree in Equine Breeding and Business Management from Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. It was there that she became addicted to eventing while working for Judy Thayer and living at the Radnor Hunt Club. That was in 1984, and she has been involved with eventing ever since as a competitor, volunteer, organizer, treasurer, entry secretary, and licensed official, holding an "R" TD license. Currently she is the Director of Plantation Field Equestrian Events in Unionville, Pennsylvania which each year hosts three USEA recognized events and three starter horse trials, in addition to a CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S, and CCI4*-S in September. In 2016 Mary was also secretary for 14 events in Area II including Fair Hill International, the Surefire Farm Horse Trials, the Maryland Horse Trials at Loch Moy, the Virginia Horse Trials, and the Radnor Hunt Horse Trials. She also travels to Aiken, South Carolina in the winter to help with the Sporting Days Farm Horse Trials. In the past, she has also worked as chief scorer, including at the Central American Games in Puerto Rico. She stopped riding in 1996 after being diagnosed with MS, but wanted to stay involved with her "eventing family" so made a career working administratively. In some capacity or another, from April through October, she is at an event 23 of the 29 weekends. Once dubbed by The Chronicle of the Horse as the "unofficial queen of ride- time scheduling, she's the cheerful wizard behind the curtain at many East Coast events, making sure each rider has a workable time schedule and the day goes smoothly."

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