May 25, 2023
To the membership and families of Area VII,
The Area VII Council is aware that the owners of Lincoln Creek are involved in a legal matter that affects our community. On May 17, 2023 Pat Mahoney allegedly confessed to sexually assaulting a child under the age of 12. The case is being processed by Lewis County Superior Court; please respect Lynn Mahoney’s privacy during the investigation and court proceedings. It is vitally important that we ensure the safety of all members of our community. Therefore, the organizing team of the Young Rider Benefit Horse Trials is currently looking for an alternative venue to host their Horse Trials scheduled for August 2023. Please stay tuned for more information about the location change, which we will provide as soon as possible.
This situation has been shared with SafeSport. The Area VII council and the U.S. Eventing Association take matters of sexual abuse and misconduct extremely seriously. The U.S. Center for SafeSport is a major partner in our efforts to combat abuse. Please visit the USEF website for more information about SafeSport. According to RAINN, “Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. And every 9 minutes, that victim is a child” (https://www.rainn.org/). RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline and has many resources available if you or someone you know has been the victim of abuse please visit: Sexual Assault Hotline & Help Center
Luigi Meneghelli
Area VII Chair