Frank Madden Named Finalist by U.S. Olympic Committee for Annual Coaching Award
Equestrian News Release

Colts Neck, NJ – April 5, 2007 – The United States Olympic Committee has announced Frank Madden of Beacon Hill Show Stables as a finalist for the 2006 Annual Coaching Awards. The U.S. Olympic and Pan American sports organizations selected their 2006 Coaches of the Year as part of the USOC Coach of the Year Recognition Program, and Madden was selected by a panel of former coaches and officials as a finalist for the Developmental Coach of the Year Award.

Madden is known to the equestrian industry as one of the most successful and dedicated trainers of young and developing show jumping talent in the United States. Madden, along with his wife Stacia, has trained several of the most promising junior equestrian and jumper riders, many of whom demonstrate the potential to represent the United States in international and championship competition.

“I was shocked when I first heard about being a finalist for the award,” expressed Madden. “Sally Ike called me from the USEF, and at first I wasn’t sure what she was talking about. I was pretty surprised after she explained it to me. I feel honored,” he said. “Just to be in the final five is more than I ever could have expected. Anything that happens from here would just be icing on the cake.”

Along with his dedication to coaching, Madden also serves on several national committees. He is on the Board of Directors for the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament and runs a charity event, the Beacon Hill Equestrian Grand Prix, at their farm in Colts Neck, New Jersey. He also donates his time by judging horse shows, offering clinics and seeking sponsorships for the sport.

Students at Beacon Hill have a vast history of substantial wins at some of the nation’s most challenging and well-respected competitions. Beacon Hill’s Brianne Goutal is the only rider to ever win all four major equation finals. A number of other Beacon Hill students have also received top ribbons in the prestigious equitation finals.

Madden’s highlights from 2006 include coaching several of USEF’s most promising young riders, including Goutal, who earned a team gold at the Nations’ Cup competition in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was named a USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year. In the North American Young Rider Championships, Madden’s students took the team gold and individual silver medals. Madden’s list of accomplishments grows by the day as Beacon Hill riders continue to triumph at shows nationwide.

As a coach of riders who have the potential to join the USET Developing Riders Tour, Madden feels it is important to teach young riders how to prepare for the higher levels of equestrian competition.

“I think the Developing Riders Tour is really the future of our sport,” he stated. “With all of the kids we work with, we are trying to head them in a direction where they have the fundamentals to make it to the Olympics. I think we have a big obligation in this sport, not only to match our riders with the proper mounts and give them good instruction, but to create shows that are vehicles for young riders to get their feet wet at the international competition level.”

Other finalists for the Developmental Coach of the Year Award include John Hynes of Ann Arbor, MI, for USA Hockey, Mark Mitchell and Peter Johansson of Wellesley, MA, for U.S. Figure Skating, Jhonny Prado of Coral Springs, FL for USA Judo, and Bill Rose of Mission Viejo, CA for USA Swimming. Other finalists were also nominated for National, Volunteer and Paralympic Coach of the Year honors, as well as the “Doc” Counsilman Science Award.

For more information on Frank Madden and Beacon Hill Show Stables, please visit http://www.beaconhillstables.com

For more information on the Annual Coaching Awards, please contact the USOC Media and Public Relations Division at (719) 866-4529 or visit the USOC’s media specific website at http://www.usocpressbox.org.


Photo Credit: Frank Madden. Photo © 2007 Christine Lane.