Millerton’s Proper up for sportsmanship award

SALISBURY — Salisbury Trust Wealth Advisory Services, a division of Salisbury Bank, has chosen four finalists in its second annual sportsmanship award contest. The contest, which was inaugurated last summer, is open to horse and rider pairs of all ages and skill levels (beginner novice, novice or training). A committee at Salisbury Trust selected the finalists, who the bank will sponsor to compete at three events: •Riga Meadow Horse Trials, Sunday, July 15•Town Hill Horse Trials, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 1 and 2•Kent School Horse Trials, Sunday, Oct. 7Each participant’s scores will be tallied throughout the sponsored events and the horse and rider with the lowest average score will receive the Salisbury Trust Sportsmanship Award.Sarah Proper and Hypnotiq “Braeden,” of Millerton, was among the four finalists.Proper has ridden for 20 years, but they were decades marked by bad luck and struggle. Her first horse, which she bought in college, died of severe colic a year later. Her next horse was big-hearted but slow-gaited. Then came Jack, a “dream horse,” out of her price range. Jack helped pull Proper through the grief of her grandmother’s death, and she was able to buy him with an inheritance. Unfortunately, as Proper’s own life presented challenges, Jack became increasingly unsound as well. Proper considered giving up. Then she was introduced to Braedon, a swaybacked yearling from a good bloodline. Once again, she fell for the underdog horse, and with determination and hard work, brought him along until a freak accident broke her confidence. It took several years to work through the pain and fear but last summer Proper and Braeden started competing together, taking two ribbons at their first outing. While there are still challenges, Proper says, “Knowing that I’m the one responsible for my horse getting to this point brings me great pride.”