Melissa Ribley, DVM, is a Director at Large for AERC and the Co-Chair of the AERC Veterinary Committee.

AERC regional director and long-time member of AERC will present the regional awards, bringing the nine AERC regions together for a fun and engaging celebration of AERC's regional award recipients.

General Session, membership meeting where AERC members can ask questions and receive feedback from directors on the AERC Board. 

Diane Connolly shares information about the 2026 AERC National Championship Ride, a premiere event that will be hosted at Orkney Springs, Virginia, by rhe Old Dominion organization on June 11 (50 mile ride) and June 13 (100 mile ride) this year.

Equine farrier and endurance rider Maria Muzzio offers her insights during this quick take on the balanced hoof.

Join Angie for an entertaining, quick take on the fun side of endurance!

Hal V. Hall has competed in endurance for more than 50 years. His equestrian endurance achievements include 33 Tevis Cup finishes, 3 Tevis Cup wins, 3 Haggin Cup awards, and international competitions in Australia, Germany, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates. He was inducted into the American Endurance Ride Conference Hall of Fame in March 2000.

Hal authored an interpretive guide to the 100 miles of trail over the Sierra Nevada between Olympic Valley and Auburn, California, titled The Western States Trail Guide. He also co-authored Tevis: The Places We Ride, States: The Places We Run, and Myth-Busting the Myth: The Grosh Brothers’ Grasp on an Unforgiving History, and served as Executive Producer of the documentary They Crossed the Mountains: The History of the Western States Trail.

He served as President and is Governor Emeritus of the Western States Trail Foundation, and he is currently President of the Placer County Historical Foundation, as well as a member of the Western States Trail Museum Board of Directors. Hal is an active member of the History Expeditions team, whose mission is discovering the tales and trails of the American West. For further details, visit http://www.historyexp.org

Fit to Ride at Every Age

Tami Rougeau is a Reno, Nevada-based equestrian, ride manager, and AERC officer whose life reflects dedication, service, and a deep love for the trail. She serves as the Sanctioning Director for AERC’s West Region, where she helps guide strategy, events, and rider outreach. In addition, she owns and operates Three R’s Ranch, a hub for equine activity, horsemanship, and community engagement in the Reno area.

Tami dedicated 30 years to the United States Air Force, where she built a distinguished career as a Trauma, Critical Care, and Flight Nurse. Her work in aeromedical evacuation and emergency medicine placed her in some of the most demanding environments imaginable, experiences that developed her leadership, calm under pressure, and logistical expertise.

Tami is known for her attention to detail, her focus on safety and preparation, and her dedication to ensuring that both horses and riders have the best possible experience. Whether she’s managing a ride, overseeing regional operations, or mentoring new participants, Tami’s leadership reflects the discipline and compassion that have guided her throughout her life. A respected figure in both the military and equestrian communities, Tami Rougeau exemplifies resilience, service, and integrity. Through her work she continues to inspire others building community, promoting horsemanship, and honoring the values of hard work and dedication that have shaped her journey.

Fit to Ride at Every Age

Victoria Mexcur is a licensed mental health therapist, equestrian coach, and athlete. She is the owner of Tread Deep Counseling PLLC and Rivers & Hills Wellness. She’s been in private practice including equines on her farm for five years and a therapist for over ten years. She specializes in trauma, performance anxiety, and increasing nervous system regulation. She recently opened Rivers & Hills Wellness to support equestrians and their equine partners reach a more collaborative relationship in all of their events.

She enjoys endurance riding with her current partner Bellagio “B” and is bringing up her new one Southern Comfort V “SoCo.” She also enjoys doing triathlons and going on spontaneous adventures!

Dr. Sykes, a veterinarian with over 28 years of clinical experience, specializes in large animal internal medicine and focuses on high-performance horses in racetrack and sport settings. He conducts clinical research on equine gastrointestinal diseases, particularly Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) and is the lead author of the EGUS Consensus Statement, a document used as the reference document by vets around the world. Dr. Sykes frequently lectures at international conferences, advises companies on equine product development and commercialization, and was ranked among the top 2% (2023) and 1% (2024) of researchers worldwide by Stanford University.

Lara, a passionate distance rider, has been around horses throughout her adult life. She began her journey in Competitive Trail as a junior rider in the Upper Midwest. After college, she moved to the Foothills of North Carolina with her husband, Tim, whom she introduced to distance riding. Together, they have been competing in endurance and distance riding for over two decades.

Professionally, Lara serves as an Agriculture Extension Agent with NC State and Gaston County Cooperative Extension, bringing 20 years of experience working with horse owners. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and a Master’s in Non-Ruminant Nutrition from Michigan State University. She is also a Certified Hay Sampler through the National Forage Testing Association. Her expertise and personal interests lie in equine nutrition, pasture management, and equine parasitology.

Dr. Lani Newcomb graduated with a B.S. in Biology in 1982 from Oberlin College and obtained her D.V.M. from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1986. She is also licensed to practice veterinary medicine and equine dentistry in Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia, and has special interests in acupuncture and chiropractics, having trained in 2008 at the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in San Diego, California. She enjoys foxhunting and endurance riding, but her most current claim to fame and favorite past time is running a very successful chicken farm. She competed in her first 100-mile endurance ride in the 1970s at the Old Dominion. Dr. Newcomb has competed in many national championship endurance rides and ride & ties, and recently began participating in competitive driving events. She has a total of 11,175 miles with 13 one-day 100s (endurance) and 3,142 official all-time miles (ride and tie).

Jane M. Manfredi, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVS-LA, DACVSMR (Equine), PG Dip is the Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine and an Associate Professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary College (Prince Edward Island, Canada), did an internship at Mississippi State University, and spent time in a private mixed large animal private practice and at two Chicago racetracks before completing a large animal surgical residency at the University of Minnesota. She completed a PhD at Michigan State in Comparative Medicine and Integrative Biology and became boarded in equine sports medicine and rehabilitation before joining the faculty. Her research interests include the intersection of endocrine disorders and osteoarthritis, sports medicine and rehabilitation of the performance horse, and rider/horse/tack interactions. She has a passion for teaching and has been awarded the MSU Teacher Scholar Award as well as being named an Academy of Veterinary Educators Distinguished Expert and is an FEI level dressage rider.

Kim Minarich is the host and moderator of the AERC virtual convention.  She is a passionate, accomplished endurance rider currently competing with her two BLM Mustangs. Kim is the creator and podcast host of "At The Hold: A Podcast for Endurance Riders", launched in early 2025, where she brings the endurance community together through engaging interviews with riders and lively recaps of major AERC events.