University of Vermont Dressage Team Coach Bonnie Timmerman Wins New Saddle From Custom Saddlery

Bonnie Timmerman, coach of the University of Vermont Dressage Team, not only won the IDA National Coach of the Year Award, but she also won a new Steffen Advantage Custom saddle from Custom Saddlery, makers of handcrafted custom-fit dressage, jumping and event saddles.
Photo courtesy of Bonnie Timmerman

Morristown, VT  - Bonnie Timmerman, the coach of the University of Vermont Dressage Team, had a lot to celebrate during the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) Nationals at Centenary College in New Jersey. Timmerman not only won the IDA National Coach of the Year Award, but she also won a new Steffen Advantage Custom saddle from Custom Saddlery, makers of handcrafted custom-fit dressage, jumping and event saddles. Timmerman, who has been coaching the UVM Dressage Team for eight years, was thrilled to win both the award and the saddle. “What is so wonderful about receiving this award is that I was nominated by my team as well as other coaches and team members. They were so kind in the letters that were sent in to nominate me,” Timmerman said. “I am also very excited about winning a saddle from Custom Saddlery. The Steffen Advantage Saddle is well known for being a great saddle.”

Timmerman said it was especially rewarding to be recognized for doing something that she enjoys so much. “Coaching is a two way street. It's important to be able to communicate well with people as well as horses. It's a very exciting challenge to discover a person's learning style and determine the best way to help them become the best rider they can be,” she said. “My goals are to keep coaching the UVM Dressage Team and I look forward to making our program the best it can be. I hope to make it possible for more people to enjoy the art of dressage and to be able to compete regardless of their finances.”

Cary Wallace, President and Master Saddle Fitter at Custom Saddlery, congratulated Timmerman on winning the Coach of the Year title and a new saddle. “We are very happy to recognize Bonnie and to present her with a new saddle. She is really making an impact on the lives of so many riders and that is certainly worth celebrating,” he said.

The Advantage Custom saddle was designed to Steffen Peters specifications and its single flap eliminates weight and bulk, giving the rider a tremendous feel of the horse. The saddle features a comfortable narrow twist for a smooth ride during the sitting trot, as well as an all-over soft, supple buffalo leather that gives the rider an instant broken-in feeling with molded knee pads for greater position and closer contact.

Custom Saddlery is well known in the dressage world and they are endorsed by a host of dressage superstars. “Dressage riders who ride in our saddles include not only Steffen Peters but Tina Konyot, Heather Blitz, Kathleen Raine, Lauren Sammis, Caroline Roffman, Endel Ots and David Wightman just to name a few,” Wallace said. As an official sponsor of the United States Dressage Federation, Custom Saddlery is a strong supporter of the equestrian community and advocates of proper saddle fit, for both horse and rider. “If you have a question about saddle fit, please contact us or find us at a show and we will be glad to help,” Wallace said.

For more information on Custom Saddlery, visit their website at www.mysaddle.com.