Loxahatchee, FL-March 16, 2010 – Olympian Lauren Hough will be a member of the show jumping team competing for Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center (VTRC) during the Great Charity Challenge. The event is scheduled for Saturday, March 20, 2010, and will be held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center during the Winter Equestrian Festival. Based on the success of the team VTRC will receive between $8,000 and $150,000.
Hough is an international grand prix rider who has represented the United States during the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2003 Pan American Games. She has also been a member of the Samsung Super League on numerous occasions, beginning in 2004. Most recently Hough and her top mount, Quick Study, qualified for the long list following the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games Selection Trials.
“I have always been very supportive of the program at Vinceremos,” noted Hough. “I think it’s a wonderful charity, and I am thrilled that I can represent them during this event.”
Prior to the Great Charity Challenge, VTRC will be hosing a tailgate party in the parking lot off Southshore Blvd. across from the Saddle Shops. VTRC will provide hamburgers, hot dogs and chips, and guests are encouraged to bring drinks and sides to share. The tailgate party will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the Great Charity Challenge, which begins at 6:30 p.m.
During the Great Charity Challenge 24 jumping teams consisting of a professional rider, an amateur rider and a junior rider, will each represent a charity as they compete in an exciting jumping relay. This event will also feature activities for the kids such as Key West Street Performers, a bounce houses, face painters, pony rides and lives music.
To support the VTRC team please purchase tickets online at equestriansport.com or contact the VTRC office at 561-792-9900. Tickets are currently $20, and if VTRC sells the most tickets it will automatically be chosen to participate next year. If purchasing tickets online, please be sure to check the box that benefits Vinceremos, which will guarantee seats in their cheering section.
The VTRC is a nonprofit organization based in Loxahatchee, FL, that provides recreational and therapeutic riding instruction to people of all ages with varying developmental, physical, and psychological disabilities. The organization, founded in 1982, assists more than 350 adults and children every year, helping them gain a sense of accomplishment, greater independence, and a higher quality of life. The VTRC has received a “Premier Accreditation” rating from the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).
For more information on the Vinceremos Therapeutic Equestrian Center, please visit www.vinceremos.com.
