The Annual Meeting/Conference Needs You! Who, Me?  

You know you should come to the AVA Annual Meeting and Conference if....

You're a "Newbie": For those of you new to the vaulting world, we have many great sessions for you! If you are new to vaulting and are planning to come to the Annual Meeting, please let us know (email VP Membership Sheri Benjamin at sheri@benjaminsci.com and put "New to Vaulting" in the subject line), and we'll pair you with a more experienced vaulting parent or coach during our event; this person will help you navigate the "vaulting thing" faster and more efficiently.

You're an "Experienced Wrangler" (we would never say "Old Hat"!): For those of you who've been in the vaulting universe forever, please give us the benefit of your real-world experience. We need your ideas, based on your many years of experience, and we need your continued support!

You're a "Former": We highly encourage our alumni (former vaulters, parents of former vaulters, former coaches, former judges) to join us at this important event, and would love your input on how to continue to grow vaulting! And, alumni, isn't this a GREAT time to start your own vaulting club, or at least help encourage the founding of a new vaulting club in your geographical area, as well?

You're a Vaulter: This meeting is all about the future, and as a vaulter, you play a huge part in that! Starting on Friday afternoon, and over the entire weekend, we're featuring more than a dozen special sessions FVO-For Vaulters Only! These sessions range from a special Thru the Eyes of the Judges program For Vaulters Only, to a showmanship sessions, competition prep sessions and much, much more! Reigning Women's World Vaulting Champion Megan Benjamin, from the Mt. Eden Vaulting Club, will be on hand to teach an afternoon of private and semi-private clinics, and renouned clinician Samantha Smith will teach two days of compulsories clinics as well!

You're a Coach: Coaches are encourage to join in the many sessions that affect you and what you do, including the special Coaches' Meeting, where the discussion will center around giving and getting mentoring, a Thru the Eyes of the Judges For Coaches Only, a special session on Training the Vaulting Horse, an intriguing session on Making Vaulting a Profitable Venture, and Nancy Stevens Brown's fantastic session on Using Digital Photography as a Coaching Tool.

You're a Judge: Judges, and potential judges, are invited to share their unique expertise as we talk about rule changes, horses, horse scores and other competition-related subjects.

You're a Longeur: Without our longeurs, we wouldn't have vaulting. (BTW, did you know that Lasse Kristensen, Megan Benjamin's longeur at the 2006 World Equestrian Games, also received his own WEG gold medal at the event?) If you are a longeur, whether highly experienced or new to the sport, this year's AVA Annual Meeting includes intriguing sessions for you, including one on Training the Vaulting Horse.

You Own a Horse: If you are a horse owner, or are thinking of becoming a vaulting horse owner, our horse-focused session will help you create a better and even more productive relationship with your vaulting horse.

You're "Just a Parent": As if that wasn't the most important job of all! Whether you're relatively new to the sport, or have been around since the dawn of vaulting time, you are highly encouraged to attend the AVA Annual Meeting's many sessions to understand more about where our sport is going, how it will affect you and your vaulter, and how you can help us grow this wonderful equestrian event! No experience is necessary, and remember, we all started off as vaulting "newbies" sometime or other. Special sessions for parents include a unique Thru the Eyes of the Judges For Parents Only program, and a fun and informative (and only slightly tongue-in-cheek) session focusing on How to be a Great Vaulting Parent!

Register now!