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Equestrian of the Year  - Click to enlarge

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 6, 2018
www.nj.gov/agriculture
PO Box 330
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0330

Contact:
Jeff Wolfe
P: (609) 633-2954
C: (609) 433-1785
E: jeff.wolfe@ag.nj.gov                       

(TRENTON) – Maddie Crisp, a 17-year-old Hackettstown High School senior from Great Meadows in Warren County, was named the 2018 New Jersey Equestrian of the Year by the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board on January 28 at the annual New Jersey Breeders’ Luncheon in Eastampton.  She represented 4-H of New Jersey.

As Equestrian of the Year Crisp will attend functions hosted by the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board and represent the Board at functions.

“The Equestrian of the Year is a wonderful way to highlight the equine industry in New Jersey and encourage young people to remain or become involved with horses in our state,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher. “Maddie will represent the Garden State proudly and be a model for children interested in equine activities.”

Maddie began riding competitively in 2008. She was the New Jersey 4-H Equestrian of the Year in 2017 and also was the Appaloosa Horse Club World Champion in the Youth Ranch Horse Trail Class in 2017 at competition held in Texas. She has also been a member of the New Jersey National 4-H Round-Up Horse judging team, a member of the Warren County Equine Science team since 2015, a member of the Stablemates 4-H Club since 2008, where she served as president. Maddie was the Appaloosa Youth Worlds Speech Contest winner in the prepared and impromptu categories in 2017 as well.

“Being involved with horses and the competitions has meant so much to me,” Crisp said. “I have been able to meet people from all over and while that has helped me learn and understand others better, it has also allowed me to learn more about myself. I just love working with horses. Along with learning life lessons like the responsibility of taking care of others, they are just beautiful animals to work with.”

Maddie has also been involved in her school and community. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Math National Honor Society and is the Student Council Vice-President. She is also a member of the Warren County Teen Council and has regularly helped with 4-H roadside cleanups in Warren County since 2008. Also, Maddie traveled to the Foroige Leadership for Life Conference in Ireland in 2017, has participated in the Afghan School Project with her church, where she became pen pals with girls from a school in Afghanistan, and helped organize a benefit basketball game with proceeds going to help a local youth with a terminal illness.

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