Inside USDF

A Legacy of Excellence

For the daughter of a prominent supporter of US sport-horse breeding, carrying on her late mother’s efforts means upholding her standards with pride

By Barbara Cadwell, USDF Administrative Council At-Large Director

For me, pursuing excellence in US dressage and sport-horse breeding has been a family affair.

I continue to operate the small breeding operation, Annie B Farm, that my mother, Anne Barlow Ramsay, established. As you may know, she passed away in May 2021 at the age of 96 (read her obituary in the September/October 2021 issue of USDF Connection).

My mother was born in England. A lifelong horse lover, she stopped riding during secondary school and during her time in medical school in London. After she moved to the US, she became a naturalized citizen as soon as possible. Therefore, when she returned to riding when I was in high school, supporting American-bred horses became a high priority for her. She became active in the USDF, serving as a GMO delegate and as a member of the Historical Recognition Committee. Working with The Dressage Foundation, she created the Anne Barlow Ramsay Fund, which provides training grants for talented US riders and American-bred horses.

I am proud that the USDF has created many programs to support sporthorse education and competition. The USDF Sport Horse Development Forum was designed as a bridge between dressage sport-horse breeding (DSHB) competition and the under-saddle performance ranks. Faculty members evaluate and work with young horses and their riders/trainers, giving guidance and feedback. Although no inperson forum is currently scheduled because of COVID restrictions, the USDF has created an online video portal to facilitate continuing education and outreach: For $25, a USDF member ($50 for nonmembers) may submit a video of a three- or four-yearold horse for evaluation and feedback by a member of the faculty.

The next USDF Youth/Young Adult Dressage Sport Horse Breeding Seminar will be held as soon as pandemic-related restrictions permit. This program is for aspiring sport-horse breeders and handlers aged 14 to 27. It highlights the various breeding, training, and sales operations of dressagefocused farms throughout the country.

Plans are under way for the next USDF Sport Horse Seminar. This twoday program educates breeders, riders, trainers, and potential owners about the qualities to look for in a sport horse and how to rate them. The seminar serves as a prerequisite for becoming a USEF-licensed DSHB judge.

The online USDF Education Library (find it on the USDF website under Education) contains multiple short courses of interest to breeders, including breeding basics, foal basics, and sport-horse conformation and judging. New courses are added frequently. And USDF Connection regularly showcases breeders and breeding operations throughout the country, which is a great way to learn about US-bred horses.

For those interested in DSHB competition, the USDF Breeders Championship Series offers breeders and owners the opportunity to showcase their youngsters and to vie for championship titles in nine series finals held in locations around the country. Scores earned in these competitions count toward USDF Breeder of Distinction awards and may also count toward USDF year-end awards.

Several prestigious categories of USDF awards recognize excellence in DSHB and young-horse competition. USDF’s year-end awards program includes Dressage Sport Horse Breeding Horse of the Year, Materiale Horse of the Year, Dressage and DSHB Breeder of the Year, USEF Four-Year-Old, and FEI Five- and Six-Year-Old. Within USDF’s All-Breeds Awards program, several participating organizations offer annual awards in various younghorse and DSHB categories to eligible horses. For complete awards listings and requirements, see the USDF Member Guide.

To help US breeders to further their sport-horse educations, The Dressage Foundation offers grants to help defray the costs of attending sport-horse seminars and other educational events, both in the US and abroad. Learn more at dressagefoundation.org.

There are many opportunities for breeders and sport-horse enthusiasts to increase their training, education, and exposure through the USDF and The Dressage Foundation. Take advantage of them!