Denny Emerson

Emerson grew up in Massachusetts and began riding around the age of nine at the Stoneleigh-Burnham School in Greenfield, Massachusetts, where his father was headmaster. Emerson began competing in gymkhanas in 1954, at the age of 12. He began eventing in 1961 at the age of 20. His first event was a preliminary three-day at GMHA. In 1965 Emerson moved up to the Intermediate Level on his first event horse Lighting Magic, and by 1971 he had moved up to the Advanced Level on Cat. Emerson and Cat competed in their first advanced three-day at Dunham, Quebec. In 1972, Emerson was named the United States Eventing Association's Rider of the Year. That same year Emerson and Viktor Dakin won the National Three Day Event Championships at Radnor. Emerson won the National Three Day Event Championship again in 1979 at Chesterland riding York. York was then named USEA's 1979 "Horse of the Year". In 1982 Emerson placed fourth at the US National Three Day Event at Chesterland, riding Farnley Rob Roy. In 1992, Emerson won the Bromont CCI** event. Emerson competed at his final advanced three day at Groton House Farm in South Hamilton, Massachusetts in 1999 at the age of 58. His advanced career lasted 29 seasons. In 2004 Emerson earned a Tevis Cup buckle for completing the 50th Anniversary of the Western States Trail Ride, a 100-mile endurance race. and competed in dressage and jumper shows. In 2011 Emerson completed his 50th consecutive season as an entry in the Preliminary or Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) CCI* level. That same year, however, Emerson broke his C1 vertebrae after falling during the cross country phase of an event at the Stoneleigh-Burnham School Horse Trials in late July. Emerson made a full recovery and, as of 2015, continues to regularly school horses and compete in both jumper and dressage shows. Emerson served as USEA president from 1982-1984 and again from 1991-1992. He also served as the United States Equestrian Team's Vice President of Eventing for seven years, and was a member of the United States Eventing Association's Executive Committee, and the Chairman of the Breeder's Committee of the American Horse Show Association (AHSA). Dorothy Trapp, the 1994 Individual World Championship silver medalist; David O'Brien, the 1996 winner of Bromont; and Nancy Bliss, a team bronze medalist at the 1982 World Championships. The Adult Camp program expanded since its start, with programs being run throughout the year at both farm locations. ==Personal life==

Emerson and his wife, May, live on and run Tamarack Hill Farms in Strafford, Vermont and Southern Pines, North Carolina. They have owned the Vermont property since 1969. They have two sons, Rett and Jamie, and one granddaughter, Abigail. ==Honors and awards==

• 1972 USEA's Rider of the Year • 1999 Equestrian Land Conservation Resource Anson Taylor Leadership Award • Named "One of the 50 most influential horsemen of the Twentieth Century" by The Chronicle of the Horse in 2000 • 2006 USEA Hall of Fame Inductee 2022—Named as one of the 100 greatest Dartmouth College athletes of all time. ==Writing==

Emerson has been a regular contributor to The Chronicle of the Horses "Between Round's" column since its inception in 1989. Priscilla Endicott's Taking Up the Reins; Donna Snyder-Smith's The All Around Horse and Rider; and the United States Combined Training Association's (USCTA) Book of Eventing. Burghley – The Three Day Event; Lexington, 1978; and Kentucky, Three Day Event. In 2011 Emerson published his first book, How Good Riders Get Good, through Trafalgar Square Farm Books. The book centers on stories of 23 of the world's top riders from different equestrian disciplines and sports – including dressage, reining, driving, show jumping, endurance, hunter/jumper, and eventing – and how those included overcame significant challenges and setbacks to reach the top. ==Breeding==

Since the early 1970s the Emersons have kept stallions for stud. Their first was Core Buff, purchased in 1970. Some of their former and current stallions include Forfeit, Right of Light, O'Hara, Epic Win, Wintry Oak, Loyal Pal, Goliad, Not Surprised, Prussian Blue, Silver Comet, Reputed Testamony, Aberjack and Formula One. ==References==