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Cheryl Van Deusen and Avery Betz-Conway Win 2023 US Equestrian Endurance Awards

by US Equestrian Communications Dept. | Dec 15, 2023, 9:00 AM

Cheryl Van Deusen and JG General
Cheryl Van Deusen and JG General. ©Liz Gregg/FEI

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian congratulates the winners of the year-end awards for endurance. As the top-ranked senior endurance athlete, Cheryl Van Deusen (New Smyrna Beach, Fla.) will receive the Maggy Price Endurance Excellence Award. Avery Betz-Conway (Kingsland, Ga.) will receive the Brunges Junior/Young Rider Trophy as the top U.S. junior or young rider endurance athlete.

With this year’s win, Van Deusen has now won the Maggy Price Award seven consecutive years. She competed in 12 FEI endurance rides on seven different horses in 2023, including as a member of the U.S. team for the FEI Endurance World Championships in Butheeb, United Arab Emirates, held in February of 2023 and the FEI Endurance Pan American Championships in Llay Llay, Chile. With her own 2012 Arabian gelding, JG General, Van Deusen had wins at the Scenic Spruce Creek Spring Fling CEI1* and Broxton Bridge Fall Rides CEI3*.

Avery Betz-Conway and RAF Istanbul
Avery Betz-Conway and RAS Istanbul. ©Claire Sapet

Betz-Conway is also a repeat winner, having won the Brunges Trophy in 2022. In 2023, she represented the U.S. at the FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Riders and Juniors in Castelsagrat, France, finishing 18th place out of a field of 70 starters. In between international finishes in Europe, Betz-Conway had five wins out of five FEI rides at U.S.-based competitions. With her 2014 Arabian gelding Djets Mojo, she earned wins at Broxton Bridge Ride in the Low Country CEIYJ2*, McCulley Farms FEI CEIYJ2*, Broxton Bridge: Night Riders CEIYJ2*, and Broxton Bridge: Fall Rides CEIYJ2*. She rode RR Soldier, Stephen Rojek’s 2012 Arabian gelding, to a win at JD’s Carolina CEIYJ2*.

The Maggy Price Endurance Excellence Award is generously sponsored by Gold Medal Farm and Larry and Valerie Kanavy in memory of Maggy Price. Price was the 1992 FEI Endurance World Championship silver medalist and was instrumental in developing international endurance in the U.S. The Brunjes Junior/Young Rider Trophy is awarded in memory of Kathy Brunjes, a successful endurance athlete and active supporter of the junior/young rider program.

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