Beezie Madden Honored With 2013 Whitney Stone Cup

The United States Equestrian Team Foundation has announced that reigning Show Jumping World Cup Champion Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, NY, is the recipient of the 2013 Whitney Stone Cup. The award is presented annually to an active competitor who displays consistent excellence in international competition and high standards of sportsmanlike conduct while serving as an ambassador for the United States and equestrian sport. This marks the third year that Madden has received the prestigious honor after an incredible year that included her victory at the 2013 FEI Show Jumping World Cup Finals aboard Abigail Wexner's Simon in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Beezie Madden and Simon

Madden was presented with the award during the USET Foundation Gala on January 24th, in Wellington, Florida. “It's always an honor to win this award and be an ambassador for the sport,” she stated. “This year has been amazing, and winning the World Cup was a huge accomplishment. All of the horses contributed, with Simon at World Cup and Cortes winning a qualifier at WEF last year and helping the teams qualify at the Nations Cups. It has been a huge team effort.”

The 2013 World Cup Finals were a dream came true for Madden, a staple on the U.S. Show Jumping Team, who has won countless grand prix honors and competed all over the world. She and her talented mount Simon took home a title that had eluded her previously: World Cup Finals Champion. A brilliant clear round gave them an early lead and helped them get to the nail-biting jump-off, where Madden and Simon managed to best the reigning Olympic champions with a brilliant round and take home the coveted title.

The success did not stop there though, as Madden went on to win the $60,000 Great-West Life Cup 1.50m, the $35,000 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup 1.45m, and the $33,000 1.50m AON Cup at Spruce Meadows to earn the Spruce Meadows North American Leading Rider Award. She concluded the year with a victory in the Longines Grand Prix of Chantilly aboard Cortes 'C', as well as helping the United States win the Furusiyya Nations Cup Final Consolation Round by completing a clear jump-off round with Simon.

“I was happy with all of my horses and their progress over the year,” noted Madden “We were able to finish the year early and give them a nice break, so I think they are going to be fresh and ready to go for this year. Simon and I have grown to know each other better and have been more consistent. I am really thinking Cortes had an equally good year with his Nations Cup performances and his win at Chantilly and Wellington.”

Madden added, “That is probably what I am most satisfied with this year, because I've always believed in that horse. He's a little more sensitive than he looks, and he just needed more time. This year he got to where jumping clear rounds over big courses was what he did.”

Madden will continue to compete in 2014 and hopes to return to the Show Jumping World Finals to defend her winning title, as well as representing the United States during the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.

“The Foundation has been great help to me and the U.S. Team,” concluded Madden. “They fund our entire trip to WEG, and we owe a lot to them and the Foundation's contributors. WEG is the most important goal this year, and I think both horses will be ready.”

Whitney Stone Cup Winners

The Whitney Stone Cup is awarded in honor of the late Whitney Stone, who served as President and Chairman of the Board of the United States Equestrian Team from 1953 to 1973. Mr. Stone was instrumental in the creation of a civilian equestrian team when the Army retired from competitive horse sports after 1948. Previous Whitney Stone Cup winners are:

1980 – Michael Matz
1981 – James C. Wofford
1982 – Norman Dello Joio
1983 – Melanie Smith (Taylor)
1984 – Carole Grant
1985 – Joe Fargis
1986 – Conrad Homfeld
1987 – Katie Monahan Prudent
1988 – Bruce O. Davidson
1989 – Gregory A. Best
1990 – William Long
1991 – Hap Hansen
1992 – Lana DuPont Wright
1993 – Carol Lavell
1994 – J. Michael Plumb
1995 – Robert Dover
1996 – Anne Kursinski
1997 – Leslie Burr Howard
1998 – David O'Connor
1999 – Valerie Kanavy
2000 – Karen O'Connor
2001 – Tucker Johnson
2002 – Guenter Seidel
2003 – Peter Wylde
2004 – Debbie McDonald
2005 – Chris Kappler
2006 – Elizabeth (Beezie) Madden
2007 – Elizabeth (Beezie) Madden
2008 – Miranda (Randy) Caldwell
2009 – Steffen Peters
2010 – McLain Ward
2011 – Tucker S. Johnson
2012 – Christine McCrea
2013 – Rich Fellers