Nancy Later Dressage Horses and Training

Nancy Later and Ariel Matisse Awarded Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's 2011 Equestrian of the Year

Local Equestrians Raise Over $80,000 For LLS

Originally Published in Town-Crier Online
Wellingtobn FL

Mary Ann Grant with winners Ariel Matisse and Nancy Later.

On Feb. 10, Honorary Chair Dr. Melissa Singer, Event Chair Mary Ann Grant and an outstanding event committee welcomed guests to Grant Farms for cocktails, dinner, a silent auction and the announcement of the 2011 Equestrian of the Year, a program which benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).

This year's event was held in memory of Susan Sexton, who lost her battle with leukemia on Nov. 11, 2009. Attending the event were Sexton's daughters and friends. Guests heard the daughters' emotional story of losing their mother, who was greatly respected among her peers and was still growing in her artistic abilities when leukemia took her life.

After hearing Sexton's story, guests were introduced to the Honored Hero, Blake Naumann, an 11-year-old boy in remission from acute lymphocytic leukemia. Blake's father David Naumann spoke of the challenges faced when a child has cancer, both for the child and the family. Since fishing is one of Blake's favorite hobbies, he was presented with a new fishing rod and other fishing accessories by Timmy Dutta.

Contestants for the 2011 Equestrian of the Year honor were Jessica Baum and Caroline Roffman, Nick Dello Joio, Francesca Nicolletti, Sandra and Sarah Gillespie, Nancy Later and Ariel Matisse. All candidates did an excellent job raising funds to support the LLS mission.

The winning team was Later and Matisse, who earned the 2011 Equestrian of the Year title by working tirelessly to raise more than $22,000. Later and Matisse were presented with Catena watches for their outstanding efforts and achievement. Later is a top dressage professional who runs her own stable, trains, teaches and competes in Grand Prix dressage.

Matisse, Later's student, is an up-and-coming talented young dressage rider. This year's runner-up, Nick Dello Joio, was presented an illustration by Rollin McGrail for his outstanding first-time effort raising more than $5,300. Dello Joio competes in Grand Prix jumping.

Sponsors for this year's event included Anita Fialkow in honor of Eileen Smith and Catena. A special thank-you is extended to Dave and Tuny Page in honor of Edie Jane Eaton, Karin Flint, Lauren Walfish, Janet Richardson Pearson, the Walfish family, Nan Sexton, Christie's Bakery, Ken Rose Catering, Susie Dutta, Susan Rubin and Drew Golding.

All proceeds from the 2011 Equestrian of the Year will benefit the LLS's mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services.

For more information, visit www.lls.org. For more about the society's Equestrian of the Year program, call the Palm Beach area chapter at (888) 478-8550 or Mary Ann Grant at (561) 301-5817.

For information about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, go to www.leukemia-lymphoma.org or call 1-888-478-8550.