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The Grooms Award, Ltd., Continues to Recognize Grooms’ Contributions to the Sport

Foxborough, MA — October 25, 2022 — The Grooms Award, Ltd., recently returned to the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA, the horse show at which it began recognizing and rewarding professional grooms for their contribution to the sport.

The nonprofit 501(c)3 charitable organization presented gifts and prizes to the grooms of the horses that competed in two featured classes – the $30,000 Alltech/Lifeforce 1.30m Grand Prix and the horse show’s culminating event, the $100,000 Grand Prix de Penn National presented by Forrester Farm Equipment.

Ireland’s Christian Coyle rode to victory for the second consecutive year in the $30,000 Alltech/Lifeforce 1.30m Grand Prix, riding his and Helen Litt’s 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Locato Van Het Kapelhof. Sharing in their victory for the class and overall 1.30m Jumper Championship was Locato’s groom, Angel Galiardo.
Angel Galiardo received an assortment of gifts from The Grooms Award, Ltd., for his care of Locato Van Het Kapelhof, Christian Coyle’s winning mount in the $30,000 Alltech/Lifeforce 1.30m Grand Prix.
Last on course for the $100,000 Grand Prix de Penn National presented by Forrester Farm Equipment, five-time U.S. Olympian McLain Ward piloted Robin Parsky’s 9-year-old Oldenburg mare First Lady to top honors. Helping to celebrate the mare’s successful first time competing indoors was her groom, Alexandra Jungkvist.
Each of the winning grooms was presented with an embroidered Grooms Award/EquiFit backpack filled with gifts including Shapley’s grooming products, a Haygain tack room pillow and finishing towel, Boy-O-Boy Bridleworks keychain, Tate’s cookies courtesy of Jimmy Herring, $100 cash in a custom Grooms Award pouch, and hats from Haygain and The Grooms Award, Ltd.
Created to recognize the workers “behind the scenes,” the Grooms Award was established in honor of Moira Caffarey (who unexpectedly passed away in 1997) and later George Hennessy (transporter for the USET). Friends of Moira donated a trophy for the first-ever grooms’ award at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg where individuals and companies donated prizes to be given to the winning groom. As donations increased each year, it was decided that each of the Grand Prix grooms deserved a “Thank You” for their efforts and professionalism.