Emily Barnes Memorial Non Pro Western Pleasure Raises $7890 For St Jude Children’s Research Hospital

22 riders participated Emily Barnes Memorial Non Pro Western Pleasure this year at the PQHA Mid Summer Madness, and what’s even more exciting than the results– the rest of the activity that was linked to this wonderful event.

 

Final show results of the 2023 Emily Barnes Memorial Non Pro Western Pleasure

1^st:  Kelly Goldinger and Home Made Cookie $1200

2^nd:  Alexandria Hults and HP Good Investment $700

3^rd:  Beth Lepping and Best Made Machine $500

4^th:  Pamela Jones and Chasing Batterflies $400

5^th:  Tiffany Pattison and Nothin Too It $325

6^th:  tie Tammy Conroy and RV Is Always Lazy $250

7^th:  tie The Whos Who and Michelle Monteith $250

8^th:  No Doubt I’m Chill and Samuel David Latta $200

9^th:  Earn an Invitation and Addison Gray $175

10^th:  I’ve Been Mooned and Sarah Rosciti $150

11^th:  Only The Best Chocolate and Madison Staub $75

An added $100 went to the highest placing Novice Amateur and Novice Youth:

Novice Amateur- Alexandria Tanner

Novice Youth – Samuel Latta

 

The event is named for Emily Barnes, a client of Donnie Recchiuti’s, who passed away in December of 2020 when she was only 35 years old; this was after a long battle with metastatic breast cancer. Every year, organizers including Donnie Recchiuti and Michelle Sipiorski, work with exhibitors and with Emily’s parents, George and Mindy Barnes, to raise money for a cause they knew Emily would love: St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

In 2021 they started the class and raised over $4200 to donate to St. Jude.  “In 2022, we doubled that with a total of $8402!!” says Michelle.

Michelle explains that doing this each year is a labor of love; Emily and her parents were customers of Donnie’s, and they still have horses for her parents.  “They never really had a memorial for Emily when she died because it happened during COVID; having this class keeps her memory alive.”

This year, the total raised was a whopping $10,105, with $4225 paid out, and riders paying back $2100 in winnings.  This resulted in $7,890 total raised for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, explains Michelle.

In addition, breedings were donated by Sarah Rosciti and Kelsey Tumey to raise funds, and during the show, Jim Lamoreau raised $850 facilitating a corn hole tournament.

Jim collected $5 and gave each participant a chance to toss 3 sacks into the ringer – if 3 tosses were made, the person’s name went onto the board for the championship round at 7 PM Saturday.

The winner of the championship took home $200, the rest of the money was donated back to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  “Kenny Lakins won the corn hole tournament!” says Michelle.  “We know all the money goes to the kids and the families that stay at St Jude, that makes a huge difference to them. We couldn’t ask for better friends and people in the horse show community.  Thank you again to everyone who made this possible this year.”

To learn more about The Emily Barnes Memorial, follow their page on Facebook!