In Swedesboro, N.J., March 2-5, members of the American Vaulting Association worked to plan for this year’s vaulting events, including the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, as well as for the organization’s part in the 2010 FEI World Championships in Kentucky. Vaulters will be gearing up for supporting the U.S. Equestrian Federation at this premiere event.

The preparation for Aachen has included high performance camps and financial aid to get the best American vaulters prepared for and to international competition.

U.S. Equestrian Federation Director of High Performance for Vaulting, Sara Ike, observed that the Kentucky event in 2010 will be a great occasion for vaulters.

“I don’t know how to put into words how huge an opportunity this is. The format of the Games is seven World Championships within two weeks. Fifty nations will be represented. It’s the first time it’s outside Europe and the first time it’s ever held at one venue. The numbers of projected spectators–it’s estimated 300,000 to half a million spectators. The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event historically even on a rainy day of cross-country gets 50,000 in a heartbeat.”

Ike made suggestions regarding membership by citing a report by the American Horse Council on the economic impact of the horse industry. Her points were to pay attention to the states where the horse industry has a stronghold and develop programs similar to the Arabian and Saddlebred organizations, which have “amazing youth sports programs.”

On the grassroots level, certification for recreational vaulting instructors through the Certified Horsemanship Association was discussed. Clinic/workshops for certification will be conducted over two or three days for recreational vaulting coach certification. Higher level certification tests are in progress.

Vaulting for the handicapped was raised to yet a new level as well. Jan Garrod, of Mt. Eden Vaulting Club in northern California, said that, “because of the relationship of the USEF with the U.S. Olympic Committee, they have another division called Para Olympics, and it’s equestrian. The Para Equestrian and the standing committee with USEF, of which I’m a member, designs rules to bring the disabled equestrians into this Olympic venue. Vaulting is at the beginning, and we are designing rules [for vaulting].”

Noel Martonovich, vice president of education, from Golden Gate Vaulters in Colorado, conducted a virtual tour of Fort Robinson State Park, Nebraska, site of the AVA vaulting camp in June. This historical site will host intense clinics with Nancy Stevens Brown, three-time World Champion Christoph Lensing, and Robin Bowman, physical therapist and exercise specialist.

Bucierka Comes Full Circle
Vaulting is definitely about circles, and this year’s AVA Mentor of the Year, Chris Appel Bucierka of Virginia, has definitely come full circle. Brown applauded Bucierka’s contribution to the sport, noting all the vaulters she has helped at the beginning of their careers and her contribution to spreading the word about vaulting with her articles for The Chronicle of the Horse.

A montage of photos displayed her commitment with images from TV appearances, the competitions she managed, her horse Topaz who received the Cosequin Horse of the Year Award, as well as photos of her composite teams and 4-H programs.

Merry Cole, of Albuquerque Vaulters (N.M.), started one of the first clubs in Virginia more than 25 years ago and now coaches a team from Albuquerque, N.M.

“We never know what will draw us into something so unusual, take over our life,” she said. “Our children vault, then perhaps lose interest going on to other things, leaving us with the equipment, the livestock and the passion. There are some that don’t follow this scenario. Chris is one of those people–she has demonstrated over the years that she certainly has the passion.”

Brown said, “The test of any mentor is to teach the art of mentoring, because when you are doing it, you really are casting a pebble out into the lake and those ripples go away. They may not actually come back to the shore so that you can see them, but you are affecting life after life.”

Bucierka received a beautiful etched vase created by Jeannie Beattie of Lompoc Vaulters in southern California, to honor her contribution to vaulting.

“I don’t think I’ll ever retire,” said Bucierka. “There isn’t anything in my life that brings me so much joy! Just to watch these kids just grow and blossom.”

Lifetime Achievement
Marianne Rose, of Mt. Eden Vaulting Club in northern Caifornia, has contributed to so many levels of the sport. She received only the second Lifetime Achievement Award presented.

“I do what I enjoy, which is coaching kids,” she said.

Craig Coburn, AVA R-rated judge and national office manager, was quick to enlarge on Rose’s contribution. He mentioned major competitions such as national and regional championships, CVIs, and selection trials in which she’d been instrumental, as well as the time she’d spent on the Board of Directors and as editor of Vaulting World, the AVA bimonthly newsletter/magazine.

“I talk to her almost every day. She’s not shy about giving her opinion. [The help] just goes on and on, and when I’m having a crazy day–a stack of memberships, the phones are ringing and e-mails are flying out–I’ll talk to Marianne and it’s just, ‘Craig, what can I do for you; I’ll do what ever you need,’ and she really means it.”

Eric Jewett, who has been the official photographer at nationals and the sport’s webmaster, recalled meeting Marianne in 1993. “At the time, I was just another new parent, awed by this lovely sport but pretty ignorant. Marianne has always been very patient, explaining what was going on. [She] was always my first source of information and was a co-conspirator in the development of the first AVA website,” he said.

The “new parent” part is probably true for the thousands of children who started with her Saturday drop-in vaults and have gone on to the Mt. Eden Vaulting Club’s roster of fine vaulters, including national champions.