This year’s clinician at the 2017 AGM weekend is Dr. Meg Sleeper, DVM.
With over 12,000 AERC miles, and having ridden in 76 AERC 100-mile rides (with 66 completions), 50-year-old Meg Sleeper of Frenchtown, New Jersey, is not only a seasoned endurance rider, but also a top class international competitor. Meg competed in her first competitive trail ride in 1980. Since that time, she has completed over 14,000 miles of competitive and endurance rides and competed in 7 countries. She has been on the USA endurance squad for four world championships and has competed nearly entirely on home bred and trained horses.
“It’s a really special bond you get with the horse that’s different than any other,” Meg says about riding endurance. “One of the things I love about endurance is it’s not just about just going as fast as you can… It’s about actually figuring out the trail and the weather environment and everything that you get that particular day, and then making your best effort for those hurdles you have that day.”
Meg and her husband Dave Augustin have been breeding their own horses for close to 25 years; Shyrocco Troilus was the first home bred Meg competed on in a World Endurance Championship. He’s 22 now: “We don’t sell many; they do kind of become family members,” Meg says. It’s a testament to her riding experience, and her profession as a veterinary cardiologist, that she’s had long careers with her home-bred horses, even at the highest level of competition.
Highlights:
2010 AERC National Championship Rides:
100-mile ride – 3rd with Syrocco Reveille
55-mile ride – 16th with Syrocco Cadence
2010 On the USA endurance squad short list (with 2 of her horses) for the WEG in Lexington, KY; competed on the US team with Syrocco Harmony
2009 Arabian Horse Association National Competitive Trail Ride (Oklahoma, USA) Grand Champion
2008 World endurance championship (Terrenganu, Malaysia); USA team
2007 Pan American Endurance Championship (Pinamar, Argentina) – 11th place
2007 Zone team challenge (Montana, USA) – team gold medal, 1st place, Best condition award
2006 World endurance championship (Aachen, Germany); 22nd place Argentinian national championship ride – 6th place
2005 Pan American Endurance Championship (Maryland, USA) – USA East team
2004 World Endurance Championship (Dubai, UAE); USA team
2004 President’s Cup (Abu Dhabi, UAE); USA team
2003 Pan American Endurance Championship (Washington, USA) – USA East team
2003 Worlds Most Preferred Endurance Ride (Dubai, UAE); 16th place
2002 Worlds Most Preferred Endurance Ride (Dubai, UAE); 32nd place
2002 World endurance championship (Jerez, Spain); alternate
2001 Pan American Endurance Championship (Vermont, USA) gold medal team; individual 7th place
1997 Race of Champions (Pennsylvania, USA) gold medal team; individual 20th place
