Kaile Silvert 2007 Awards Winner

NEWS RELEASE

RE: 12 Year old Valparaiso Girl Sweeps 2007 Equestrian Titles

Local sidesaddle equestrienne, Kaile Silvert, age 12, returned Sunday from Kittaning, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh, where the International Side Saddle Organizations's Annual Awards Banquet was held. Wile there, Kaile was awarded the organization's Champion High Point Junior Rider title for the second year running. Her horse, 12 year old DW Genius Comet, won the Arabian Breed Sidesaddle Horse Championship for the fourth year running. In addition, the elegant young duo captured the overall Championship title in English Activities, and Reserve Championships in both English Equitation and Costume. The International Side Saddle Organization (ISSO) is one of the world's oldest formal groups devoted to the promotion and preservation of the fine art of riding aside.

Founded in 2006, the United Sidesaddle Society is the newest such association devoted to the sport. Its objectives include the promotion of sidesaddle as a modern riding method and to push the limits of what can be accomplished sidesaddle. They have also established an awards program. Kaile won the USS Competitive Sidesaddle Rider Word Champion title as well as the USS Competitive Sidesaddle Junior Rider World Championship. Her horse, nicknamed "Comet" won the title of USS Competitive Sidesaddle Equine World Champion, and USS Competitive Sidesaddle Arabian Breed World Champion.

Kaile, the daughter of orthodontist Michael Silvert and his wife, Debra, has been riding sidesaddle exclusively since the age of 6. A Torah-observant Jews, the Silverts observe religious laws of modest dress. "She'd look pretty silly trying to straddle a horse in a skirt," says her mom. A student of Jennifer (Olivarri) and Calvin Turner, Kaile competes both locally in open horse shows and 4-H, and in Class "A" and Regional shows of the Arabian Horse Association, almost always against astride riders, often much older and more experienced. Locally, show is a member of the Asaad Arabian Horse Association, winning the 2007 Champion High Point Junior Rider trophy over the astride riders. Comet won Reserve Championships in both Arabian Hunt Horse and Open Show Horse divisions.

Not to be outdone by his owner, Kaile's horse, DW Genius Comet, competed in the Region 13 Arabian Horse Association's Sport Horse Championships, bringing home his first regional Top 5 title for Sport Horse Under Saddle with trainer Jennifer Turner as his rider. Comet has trained with Turner's StageCoach Training (formerly Jens' Horse Training) in several disciplines since he was only 4 years ole, but 2007 was his first season showing the Sport Horse discipline. Turner's StageCoach Training is located at 26 US Highway 6 in Valparaiso.

Where can this amazing twosome go next? Kaile plans to continue working Comet as her "Hunt Seat, Not to Jump". Hunt Seat Pleasure', and "Hunt Seat Equitation horse. She has three more years to compete in the 13 and under divisions at the Arabian Nationals , as her birthday falls after the December 1 deadline. She's not sure she'll continue to jump Comet, however, as is done in the Hunter Hack discipline, due to a chip fracture which required surgery in September and sidelined him until just recently. "I just LOVE jumping, " she says, "so I might be looking for another mount that's willing to carry a sidesaddle to jump. I love Comet too much to take a chance on hurting him, so I won't jump him, unless we're sure he's sound for it." This season, Kaile and Comet will once again compete on the local open and Arabian Class "A" circuits, as well as at the Hoosier Ladies Aside All-Sidesaddle show in June and in 4-H at the Porter County Fair in July. After a month away at camp in August, Kaile will begin preparing for a trip to New Jersey where she and Comet will take coaching with some of the foremost world experts in sidesaddle as well as compete in an All-Sidesaddle Show at the United Stated Equestrian Team (USET) Headquarters in Gladstone. The annual weekend is sponsored by the Liberty Side Saddle Network. In the not-too-distant future, Kaile would like to try fox hunting, if Comet can do the jumps, and looks forward to competing at Arabian Nationals whenever their trainers deem them ready.

Sidesaddles are not a thing of the past, but very much the center of interest of thousands of equestriennes throughout the world, and especially so for one Valparaiso girl and her equine best friend.

Contact
ISSO
P.O. Box 161
Stevensville, MD
21666-0161
USA
Phone 918 685-0072
FAX 410 643-1497