Downeast Medal Finals

July 2018
Downeast Medal Finals
September 14-16th, 2018 This will be the 10th annual Downeast Medal Finals! Visit our website for more information about Downeast. We welcome all questions, suggestions, and sponsorship: please email Ginger at galbert@maine.rr.com .

Closing date for entries: September 1, 2018
Closing date for late qualifiers/last day to qualify: September 10, 2018

DMF is excited to announce we will have 2 judges for the Derbies
and all of the Medal classes!

Letter from the President
** NEW FOR DMF 2018 **

We are excited and very proud to announce that we will have a digital Leaderboard in the ring for DMF 2018!
This is the same leaderboard/scoreboard that is used at many other medal finals in New England. The board displays names of horse and rider as well as the score from each jumping round. The addition of the board enables our two judges to enter their score for each round, and final scores to be automatically tabulated. Because this is a new element in the ring, we will have it set up in its location for warm-ups on Thursday to help horses and riders acclimate. Please plan your warm up times accordingly.

Also new for 2018:

**MIPR $1,000 18" Hunter Derby**
**Alumni Class**

We welcome back the American National/Farm Family 2'3" $1,000 Hunter Derby, the Mason Dixon $1,000 Hunter Derby and the Meadow View Farm Walk/Trot Short Stirrup $250 scholarship .

Exhibitor favorites Team Challenge, Pro/Am, Horsemanship Challenge, the complimentary Exhibitors' Party, and Shain's of Maine Ice Cream Social are back this year as well. Please be sure to join us as we celebrate 10 years at Downeast Medal Finals!

Downeast Spotlight - Liselle Batt, DMF Show Farrier
Liselle Batt is a full-time farrier providing balanced shoeing and trimming service for all breeds and disciplines of horses in western and central Maine. This year will be her fourth year serving as show farrier for Downeast Medal Finals. An avid horse-owner herself, Liselle's goal is to provide to her clients the kind of farrier service she has always sought for her own horses- knowledgeable, open-minded, courteous, and patient. 

Liselle graduated in 2012 from Mission Farrier School in Washington State and is certified through the American Association of Professional Farriers. She served as past secretary for Maine Farriers Association and remains an active member. She holds a B.S. in Geology and English from James Madison University and a Ph.D. in Geology from University of Idaho. Liselle and her husband, Austin, own Butterfield Farm, a 130 acre horse farm in western Maine. In her free time, Liselle enjoys riding her QH mare Brazen and chasing the goats out of her garden.

If a background in science and education has taught Liselle anything about shoeing horses, it is that the equine hoof is a marvel of nature- complex and beautifully designed- and that a sound horse is the result of a team effort between farrier, horse owner, trainer, and veterinarian. To that end, Liselle encourages riders to learn about their role in maintaining healthy hooves, and to ask questions about the science of farriery. The horsemanship practicum at DMF teaches this philosophy of becoming an educated rider; participating youth riders showcase their knowledge of horsemanship, riding, veterinary and farrier care in an exciting multi-day competition. Past participants have been asked in the practicum exam to demonstrate how to poultice and wrap a foot, or to name the bones in the foot using an actual cadaver hoof model. Liselle looks forward again this year to devising new hoof care challenges for the kids.

Like most farriers, Liselle is fascinated by the anatomy and function of horse hooves, and the art of metal-work, and welcomes anyone to stop in to see her at the farrier booth for a demonstration of making horse head hoof picks, or to ask any questions they can think of about farrier science. She wishes everyone in the 2018 DMF a safe and successful show weekend.
Upcoming Shows with Downeast Qualifying Classes
Want to see your show listed here? Fill out our  Downeast Classes Form !

July 3-8 NHHJA Summer Festival ,  Fieldstone, Halifax, MA
July 8 MeHJA Summer Classic ,  Hollis, ME
July 14 Touchstone Farm ,  Temple, NH
July 15 Cornerstone Farm ,  Haverhill, MA
July 15 Lucky Clover ,  Sanford, ME
July 15 Seahorse Stables ,  Belfast, ME
July 22 CK Equestrian ,  Scarborough, ME
July 22 Stonewall Stables ,  Nobleboro, ME
July 28 Touchstone Farm ,  Temple, NH
July 29 Lupine Farm Summer Show ,  Vassalboro, ME
Aug. 4 NHHJA Show Series III ,  Tack Shack, Fremont, NH
Aug. 5 Kane Kountry Farm ,  Scarborough, ME
Aug. 5 NEJA Hunter/Eq & Medals II ,  Otisfield, ME
Aug. 11 Stonewall Stables ,  Nobleboro, ME
Aug. 16 Back Bay ,  Ipswich, MA
Aug. 18 NHHJA Show Series IV ,  Tack Shack, Fremont, NH
Aug. 19 CK Equestrian ,  Scarborough, ME
Aug. 19 Cornerstone Farm ,  Haverhill, MA
Aug. 19 Lucky Clover ,  Sanford, ME
Aug. 26 Acton Fair ,  Acton, ME
Aug. 26 NSHA ,  Senator Bell, Chester, NH
Aug. 31 NEJA at Windsor Fair ,  Windsor, ME
Thank you so much to our incredible sponsors who help make this show possible.
Become a Downeast Medal Finals Sponsor:
All levels accepted and appreciated! 
Visit   our website   for more information.
For more information, to list your show with Downeast qualifying classes, to be featured as a Downeast spotlight rider, or to become a sponsor, please email Ginger at   ginger@downeastmedalfinals.com .

Thank you to Spotted Vision Photography and Riitta Fortier for providing us with many wonderful photographs from 2017 Downeast Medal Finals.