Equine Scholars Have Eventful Experience at Rolex
Freshman Heather Johnston, an Equine Scholar from Fox Point, WI, and
recently-declared Communications major, was offered the opportunity of a
lifetime during the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.
Organizers contacted Georgetown College’s Equine Scholars Program about having an intern cover the international event for their website the last weekend in April. And Heather, an avid three-day eventer herself, leaped at the chance to jump-start a possible future career.
On the Tuesday prior to the event, Johnston walked the cross-country course with Olympic bronze-medalist Kerry Milliken – also a ‘87 Rolex winner. Milliken provided insight regarding the complexities of the course and where horses and riders might get tripped up—literally. On Wednesday, Johnston reported on the official kick-off of the event—the trot-up, where veterinarians decide which horses are ready for the highest level of competition.
Fortunately for Heather, Jeannie Putney – our interim ESP director – was also working Rolex and was able to assist her on a more journalistic approach. “She told me to be more original and to pay attention to sights and sounds, and my surroundings – not just focus on what is going on,” Heather said of Putney, a former National Marketing Manager at with the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
Not only was this year the 30th anniversary of Rolex, it was also an Olympic-qualifying event for the U.S. riders. Some unfortunate falls on the cross-country course, by both horses and riders, gave Johnston a taste of the highs and lows of covering an event at this level. Two horses were euthanized during this year’s event adding to the complexity and sensitivity of her duties as a reporter.
Johnston had full press credentials and reported alongside journalists from many countries, covering riders from the U.S., Canada, Australia and Great Britain. By Sunday evening, the completion of the event, the organizers had invited Johnston back to cover the event again next year.
The Equine Scholars were actually all over Rolex Kentucky -- volunteering with the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation VIP Tent, the Rolex Bank, Kentucky Horse Park Event Management, and at the Georgetown College ESP booth. Their responsibilities ranged from greeting guests, checking VIP badges, chauffeuring visitors in golf carts, transporting money, showing spectators to their seats, and answering questions about Georgetown College and the Equine Scholars Program.
This is the third year in a row the Equine Scholars have volunteered at Rolex,
and their efforts pay off all year-round. In addition to recruiting
prospective students, our students did some significant networking with alumni
and other horse enthusiasts, as Stacy Durham (a sophomore from Hawaii) found out
first-hand.
While driving a golf cart for KHP Foundation guests, Stacy had some wonderful
inter-action with a writer for Business Lexington. The impressed article
contacted the College and we understand an article about the Equine Scholars
Program is forthcoming in that publication.
Equine Scholars can expect more of that as well as many, many invitations to
serve at such events as Rolex – as we already have for next year.
Do you know of a prospective student interested in pairing their liberal arts degree with their interests in the horse world? Please encourage them to contact and visit the Equine Scholars Program!
Interested students can stay overnight in the dorms with current Equine
Scholars, attend a class, and even join us for an ESP field trip or event in
addition to visiting with the Admissions/Financial Aid department and touring
campus. Applications for this program are due by February 1 of the
senior year of high school, so please visit soon! We look forward to meeting our
future Equine Scholars!
Interested? Contact Cecilia
Koch, Program Coordinator, at 502-863-8121.