Merri Melde, The Equestrian Vagabond, received the Charlie Barieau Photography Excellence Award at this year’s AERC (American Endurance Ride Conference) Convention in Reno, Nevada.
In the early years of Endurance riding, one photographer tirelessly chronicled Endurance rides all over the West. Charlie Barieau was a brilliant photographer who inspired many others, and many of his historical photos have become famous and cherished over the decades. The award named in his honor is annually presented to Endurance ride photographers who carry on Barieau’s legacy of excellence in photography and in mentoring new photographers to keep this tradition going.
“I am truly honored, and was totally shocked, to receive this award from AERC,” Melde said. “I am privileged to be a part of a group of most excellent fellow Endurance photographers who all strive to get the best pictures of all riders and their equine partners out on the trails.
“I am particularly blessed (and biased) to be out shooting mostly in the West, where having some of the most gorgeous scenery as backdrop is half the challenge of composing a good photo.”
Melde’s Endurance ride photography has taken her around the world while working for http://www.endurance.net/, but the Western U.S. holds a special place in her heart. Regularly shooting Endurance rides in Idaho, Oregon, Colorado, California, and Utah, she strives to find those perfect locations that showcase and tell stories of the particular rides she shoots.
“Merri is a fixture both on the Endurance trails and taking photos,” said Troy Smith, AERC’s Endurance News magazine editor. “When we want to find a cover photo that captures more than just a beautiful landscape, we can turn to Merri Melde. She has a knack for capturing riders and horses at their best, and also has the advantage of shooting some of the most spectacular ride sites in the U.S.”
To see Melde’s photography, visit http://www.theequestrianvagabond.com/ .
Media Contact:
Merri Melde
theequestrianvagabond@gmail.com