Spence News
Lillie K. ’15 Named USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year
Congratulations to Grade 11 student Lillie K. who was honored with the Ruth O’Keefe Meredith Memorial Trophy by the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
Lillie K. ’15 received the prestigious Ruth O’Keefe Meredith Memorial Trophy in January at the Pegasus Awards gala in Lexington, Kentucky. Read more from The Chronicle of the Horse (below) and hear reflections from Lillie in this video.
At just 17, Lillie Keenan is already epitomizing the dedication, skill, poise and sportsmanship that are required to reach the top of equestrian sport. A junior at the Spence School in New York, Keenan actively participates in hunter, jumper and equitation classes. For her talent, integrity, and contributions to the equestrian world, Keenan will be awarded the Ruth O’Keefe Meredith Memorial Trophy as the 2013 Junior Equestrian of the Year.
With her unprecedented success over the last 12 months, Keenan now stands among the most decorated junior riders in history. In the hunter ranks, she was named the grand junior hunter champion at the Devon Horse Show (Pa.), in addition to earning reserve champion honors at the U.S. Junior Hunter National Championships—East.
Keenan also made a splash in the jumping ranks, winning many of the most coveted titles offered annually in the United States. In July, she earned team and individual gold medals at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (Ky.) before capturing team silver and individual gold at the Randolph College/USEF Junior Jumper Championships (Pa.). She also earned her first Grand Prix victory in June by topping the $125,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix (N.Y.).
Keenan showcased her exemplary riding style throughout the year by claiming the Shalanno Style of Riding Award at the Devon Horse Show and the William C. Steinkraus Style of Riding Award at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. She closed out her 2013 campaign by topping the fields in the Pessoa/US Hunter Seat Medal Finals and the ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay National Finals, adding two of the most prestigious equitation titles to her resume.
In addition to excelling on the field of play, she also shines in the classroom, maintaining an A average while taking a full course load which includes calculus, biology, Spanish V, English, and art history. Keenan, whose most meaningful victory to date came in the 2011 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals (Ky.), also gives back to the sport she loves as a member of the USHJA Equitation Task Force and by helping other riders who also train out of Heritage Farm.
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A K-12 independent school in New York City, The Spence School prepares a diverse community of girls and young women for the demands of academic excellence and responsible citizenship.
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© 2025 Spence School
212-289-5940
© 2025 Spence School
