To close out a year of milestones, Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, N.Y.) was awarded the Robert P. Strub Trophy as the 2014 USEF Equestrian of the Year at the USEF Pegasus Awards Dinner. In the process the jumping superstar again made history as the first athlete to ever earn the coveted title four times.
The 2005, 2006, and 2013 Equestrian of the Year extended her legacy in 2014 with a remarkable campaign that saw her collect victories throughout North America and Europe. Her season began with multiple top placings at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival before claiming her third American Invitational title in Miami and a win in the Gran Premio Veracruz at CSIO4* Coapexpan. In May, Madden suffered a broken collarbone that forced her out of the saddle, but the steely veteran returned on remarkable form, helping the U.S. to Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup victories at CSIO5*s Hickstead and Dublin.
In addition to producing a double-clear in Hickstead’s Nation Cup, she made history two days later as the first women to ever win the The Longines King George V Gold Cup. Madden closed out the summer by anchoring the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team to Team Bronze at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, where she also added Individual Bronze to her medal haul. Her season concluded with strong performances jumping at indoors, including scoring a remarkable win in the CP World Cup Qualifier at the National Horse Show.
Source: USEF
Nine equestrians were recognized for their competitive achievements in 2014 and honored with the following trophies:
Becky Grand Hart Trophy – Diane Kastama
Norman K. Dunn Trophy – Howard Peet
C.J. “June” Cronan Trophy – Mary Gaylord McLean and Jacques Van Niekerk
Barbara Worth Oakford Trophy – Bruce Griffin
Bill Robison Trophy – Gareth Selwood
Vaughan Smith Trophy – Larry Hoffman
William C. Steinkraus Trophy – Beezie Madden
Emerson Burr Trophy – Liza Boyd