On July 14, the 3-Day Eventing community lost one of its stars when Karen Stives passed away at her home in Dover, Massachusetts after a long battle with cancer. She will be remembered for her love for horses, dedication, equestrian achievements and for her generous legacy, which has already harvested positive results in international eventing.

Stives competed internationally for 20 years and will be remembered as one of the USA's most decorated equestrians, earning such accolades as the U.S. Combined Training Association (now U.S. Eventing Association) Rider of the Year in 1981, 1987, 1988 as well as Leading Lady Rider in 1981.

In 1984, riding as anchor for the U.S. 3-Day team on Ben Arthur at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Stives became the first of two women to earn individual Olympic 3-Day Eventing medals when she won the silver (Ginny Holgate Leng Elliott (GBR) took the bronze). In fact, Stives missed besting Mark Todd (NZL) for individual gold by one rail in a stellar performance that contributed greatly to the U.S. winning team gold. That same year, she was honored as the Mercedes-Benz Horsewoman of the year and presented the prestigious Wofford Cup.

Even before Stives retired in 1990 from an active career of national and international competitions, spanning 20-some years, she started to give back to the sport and discipline that she loved with a passion. She remained extremely involved with the USET Foundation for two decades, serving as a Trustee from 1989 to 2002 and as a member of the National Advisory Committee from 2003 to her passing. She became an FEI Judge and, for many years, served as chair of the USET 3-Day Selection Committee.

In July 25, 2014 at Salamander Resort, the USET Foundation held a reception, attended by about 150 people, to pay tribute to Gold Medal Club members celebrating anniversaries of 10, 15, 20 and 25 years and to honor Stives, a 20-year member, for her donation of one-million dollars, which established the Karen E. Stives Endowment Fund for High Performance Eventing. Her generous gift would support an annual grant for a High Performance Activity, intended to have a direct impact on the United States' ability to win medals at CCIO competitions.

After the Gold Medal Club was introduced and honored, the attention turned to Stives. Jim Wolf, who spent more than 20 years with USEF from Director of Eventing to Director of Sports Programs, introduced her. "No one rider has given as much back to the sport as Karen Stives and as a rider donor I think she's really setting a tone," he said. "Selector, donor, rider, volunteer, judge – she has done all those things for the love of the sport, for the people and the horses."

When Stives addressed the assembly, she spoke softly with great passion about learning to connect with an independent personality that does not speak our language, how it requires patience, listening, understanding and compromise. She gave special thanks to Ben Arthur who taught her the most.

"My wish is to assist our riders to compete at the very highest level and to encourage them, as Jim also said, to give back to the sport in any way that they are able," said Stives. "If everyone gave something back — I don't mean necessarily money, whatever your thing is — so that every sport creates an multitude of learning opportunities."

Less than one year later, Stives' wish and her generous endowment fund came to a most appropriate fulfillment on the very day of her passing. Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) and Lauren Kieffer (Middleburg, Va.), the two riders who had received the 2015 Karen E. Stives grants, led the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team to the team bronze medal at the Aachen CICO3* — a huge, prestigious and hotly contested international event that attracts the world's best.

Dutton and Fernhill Cubalawn, Kieffer and Veronica, Colleen Rutledge (Frederick, Md.) and Covert Rights, and Lynn Symansky (Middleburg) and Donner put forth solid efforts as a team to record a final score of 192.90, thus earning the bronze medal. As if in greater tribute to Stives, Dutton and Kieffer also finished best of the Americans, respectively in 12th on 46.4 and 15th on 52.0.

Symansky and Donner received the Land Rover USEF Competition Grant. Rutledge was a late addition when the U.S. team received a fourth invitation, which meant that the Americans would have the advantage of a drop score. Rutledge and Covert Rights landed in Germany with the help of a Jacqueline B. Mars Competition Grant through the USET Foundation.

Germany took home the gold medal on 120.5, with New Zealand claiming the silver with a score of 126.80. Great Britain had originally finished in third, but the Ground Jury requested a review of the cross-country video footage of Holly Woodhead (GBR) and DHI Lupison at fence 20B. When the pair was eliminated for missing a flag at the fence, the U.S. team moved from fourth to third.

It was a great way to bid fond adieu to Stives and celebrate her life and legacy.

Please contact the USET Foundation if you are interested in contributing to the Karen E. Stives Endowment Fund for Eventing.