YourDressage
September 2018
A United States Dressage Federation Publication
Dedicated judges from the first five years of the US Dressage Finals presented by AdequanÂŽ
Welcome to Your Wonderful World of Dressage YourDressage is compiled by the United States Dressage Federation, written by participants from throughout the dressage community. The articles in this publication are submitted by people like you to share and be shared by all. Experience their stories as they navigate through the wonderful world of dressage and become friends with your dressage community. It’s YourDressage, be part of it! If you would like to submit your story see the last page of this publication.
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What to See Inside Departments my time to ride: Ageless Pursuit Dawn Metzger tells us to never give up on pursuing your dream. YOUNG & INSPIRED: The Journey Matters More Than The Destination McKayla Hohmann found out that attending NAYC was more important than the competition's final outcome. covering ground: Fabulous Weekend at a Super Clinic Carol Bulmer writes about the USDF National Education Initiative Ride-A-Test Super Clinic put on by Central Florida Dressage. Heard ARound the Arena: Festival of Champions The dressage world's attention was on the Festival of Champions held August 21-26 at the Lamplight Equestrian Center. GMO SPOTLIGHT: Classical Attraction Dressage Society, Inc. (CADS) Take a look at this group member organization. USDF flashback: Sally Swift A renowned dressage instructor, who was ahead of her time, founded the concept of Centered Riding.
Cover story The Finals' First Five Years, Part II - The Judges
Jennifer Keeler takes a retrospective look at the first five years of the US Dressage Finals presented by AdequanÂŽ. In this second of three parts she talks with three judges who have watched the development of the Finals. Cover photo by SusanJStickle.com September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
my time to ride
Ageless Pursuit Reprinted from the April 2018 USDF Connection magazine. By Dawn Metzger
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n 2013, dressage trainer Pati Pierucci relocated from Virginia to my barn in Texas. She saw my now 16-year-old Andalusian, Corrado M, and said: “You know, you can do Grand Prix with this horse.” I replied: “Prove it!” Pati did: Last year, I earned my USDF gold medal—a goal that had seemed so impossible, I’d never even considered it. I’d like to share some of the key things I learned along the way. I had wanted to do all of Corrado’s training myself, and consequently I’d failed to make the most of the instruction I’d received. I’d been in the phase of learning known as unconscious incompetence: I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Dawn and her gold-medal partner, Corrado M, with some of their swag
I have to go to the barn each day with a plan. The plan may change, but I think ahead to what I hope to accomplish. Find a trainer who is happy to work with the horse you have. Verify the trainer's credentials. At the end of a lesson, you should be able to say what you worked on, how you did, and what you will do tomorrow. Good trainers are positive. They do not hesitate to tell you when you are screwing up, but they are quick to praise even a small improvement. Mental coaching can be helpful. My coach helps me to stay positive and grounded. Thanks to her, I now keep a training journal. After every ride, I write down three things I liked (some are pretty small!) and three things I would like to improve. Another rider’s success does not diminish you. Comparison is your enemy. One coach put it succinctly: “Compare and despair.”
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
my time to ride
At any level in dressage, fitness is important. It took some time for me to realize how fit, and how important. An independent seat comes from a core that is strong enough to keep your torso in place without stiffness or support from the reins. As a not-so-young person, I loosen up before riding by doing sun salutations and other stretches. I have weights and an exercise ball at home and use them a couple of times a week. After many years of struggling with an arthritic hip, I finally had it replaced last year. If you need to have this done, do not wait. The difference in my riding was immediately noticeable, but I am still dealing with residual crookedness from having protected the bad hip for so long. Horses do not stay awake at night plotting how to make things difficult. Some problems are caused by physical issues or by the rider. My horse went a thousand times better when I got
a new saddle. For the most part, he does exactly what I tell him, even if it’s not what I think I am telling him. If there is an issue, look first to yourself. Talk to your horse and praise him while you ride. He needs to know when he has done what you want, or has gotten closer to what you want. Reward any effort on his part to try. Do not give up. It took me three years to earn the Grand Prix scores for my gold medal, but I finally did it! You do not need to be a natural rider. I certainly am not. Nor do you need a certain kind of horse. What you need is the willingness to do the work—and it is a lot of work. You have to make the dream your own, visualize the journey and the reward, pursue it with humility, and have persistence and a love of learning. You will learn loads about riding, but you will also learn about yourself and develop an even deeper relationship with your horse.
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September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
YOUNG & INSPIRED
The Journey Matters More Than the Destination By McKayla Hohmann
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’ll raise my hand to let you know that I am the rider that came in last in our team test the very first day. I am okay with that…disappointed, but okay with it. I wasn’t the rider Coogan needed me to be in those minutes and we made costly mistakes we generally never make – like missing our changes. But while I was disappointed in my performance at the 2018 Adequan®/FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) presented by Gotham North, I was still amazed at the fact that I was there and the experience is an important stepping stone. The journey wasn’t easy, and was one that started well before I signed the declaration of intent. Just four years ago, I was on a little rescue pony taking my first steps into the ring at Training Level. My dream of NAYC started that very summer. I was competing at Pony Club Nationals, which were held at the Kentucky Horse Park. At the same time, the park
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
YOUNG & INSPIRED
was also hosting NAYC (NAJYRC as it was called then). My friends and I vowed that, the next time, we would be competing on ‘that side of the park’. Just four and a half years after my first dressage lesson, there I was, competing at NAYC. I didn’t get here on my own, and every time I think about our journey I am completely humbled by the generosity others have shown, and grateful for every opportunity I have been given. Every one of those opportunities came first disguised as a whole lot of hard work. One of the biggest reasons I was able to get here was because of Pony Club - not because of my riding, not because I had the ability to buy a fancy horse, but because of the intense expectations of horsemanship and barn management that it instills upon its members. It was that base of knowledge and high level of expectations, combined with my willingness to work, that gave me something to trade in exchange for my education in the saddle. I was thirteen years old and suddenly felt like I had years of September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
YOUNG & INSPIRED
catch up. I petitioned my parents to let me homeschool so I could arrange a working student position with Jenny Foss, at Ivory Hills Stable. I could live onsite with her and work in exchange for daily lessons. For some crazy reason, my parents let me. Jenny took a chance on me, opening her home and her barn to me for the next two years. I was blessed to have her as my mentor. She coached me to many championships during our time together and helped to develop me into the rider I am today. Living onsite allowed me to learn how to manage a barn from sun up to sun down, in a professional manner, and how to interact with many clients. Under her instruction, I was able to ride many different types of horses, from starting babies under saddle to schoolmasters. I was able to gain experience showing and traveled to many of the larger venues, with more competitions. In order to offset my show costs, I was the kid in the tent.
I literally lived in a tent in the parking areas at the shows because the cost of a hotel was just too much to add in for my family. Since I was staying on site anyway, I decided to put my nighttimes to work and started a night check business at the shows. Every two hours, on those that signed up, I go around topping water and throwing hay in the middle of the night, then feeding and watering again at 5am. Then, I would start my braiding list before getting ready for my own showing. In addition to being a fulltime working student with Ivory Hills, I also worked weekly at Bronken Creek Performance Horse Retirement in Colfax, WI, a job I begged for when I turned twelve and kept until I moved just last year, at sixteen. Any other free days I had, I volunteered and rode the horses at our local equine rescue, Pony Tales Refuge & Rehab, so they could hopefully find new partners. When Jenny focused more on breeding and raising young hors-
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
YOUNG & INSPIRED
es, I was at a point where I wanted to continue to move up the levels. I had goals, but I had no clue how to get from A to Z. So, I reached out to Lendon Gray, after learning about the Dressage4Kids program and specifically Lendon’s WIT program. The sheer joy and fear that I felt, the moment I learned Lendon had accepted me to the WIT program, I will never forget. WIT is an intense, threemonth training program, both in and out of the saddle, held in Wellington, FL, during the winter season. With financial generosity arranged through Lendon Gray, Renee Isler, and our local horse community, led by Sharlyn Fellenz, I was able to attend. For the first time, I moved away from the place I called home to live with a host family I had never met. The Roda family graciously took me in and supplied me with more than a room and food. They became a part of my family and we will always remain close. I was fifteen, and suddenly my eyes were opened to all these September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
YOUNG & INSPIRED
amazing possibilities I never knew were available. In three months at WIT, I took in what is equivalent to years in any other program. Without programs like the Grass Root clinics, D4K, and WIT, extremely talented youth, with the intense desire to learn, might otherwise never be ‘found’ and never have the chance to be developed. Without Lendon and WIT, I know I would not have attended NAYC this year because those contacts are what allowed me to venture out further. At the end of WIT, I was hungry and I needed more. I needed to continue. I returned home to Wisconsin, but it felt bleak. I had lost my planned show mount, due to ongoing lameness issues, and was spending the season taking babies down centerline for their first show experiences. It was fine, but I was interested in continuing to move up the levels, which is hard to do when you are horseless. I also didn’t want to just sit and wait for the next opportunity to present itself. Again, I reached out to Lendon and let her know I was September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
YOUNG & INSPIRED
interested in a working student position with a bigger trainer, who would help me continue to grow and learn with upper level horses available. Lendon told me I should contact a trainer by the name of Liz Austin, of Liz Austin Dressage, in Vermont. I think my first call went something like this: “Hi Liz. Uumm... my name is McKayla, and I am interested in your working student position. I just turned sixteen, and I would be moving across the country on my own, so I would need housing. And I don’t have my license yet. But I’ll do anything you need.” For some crazy reason, she said yes to that. My parents supported my decision to pack up and move across the country, yet again, to live with someone I had never met. I was terrified and yet so excited, so I knew I was doing the right thing. This past year, my first year with Liz, has been amazing. It was never in the plan to try to qualify for NAYC. However, Maureen Sullivan, owner of
Coogan and a client of Liz’s, had unfortunately broken her leg. She very graciously contacted Liz and offered to send him to me, in Wellington, during the winter season to ride. He arrived just six months before NAYC and needed to be conditioned up after having a summer of leisure. I didn’t know much about Coogan, but I have learned to always take the ride offered – every horse I have been on has taught me something. Always take the opportunity as it presents itself. We were in Wellington, and had earned our bronze medal competing in only two shows at the end of the season, and Liz and Maureen had this crazy idea- why not try for NAYC? Since we got along so well, I declared and penciled in my three qualifiers (there were four but we had to drop one) and I called my mom. My family and local community rallied together allowing me to have the finances to attend NAYC. While Liz and I worked hard in the ring, my mom hosted a sell-
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
YOUNG & INSPIRED
USDF Store tunity crapshoot” and that’s the truth. Regardless of how any of us got here, anything can happen to anyone of us, at any moment, and we are just being scored by what occurs in those few minutes. Being at NAYC is more than just placings. It’s the amazingly close friendships and relationships built with your regional team. I am hoping to continue those friendships and visit them in the coming future. At the end of it all, I am lucky and privileged because I am returning home to Liz Austin Dressage. I am leaving NAYC more driven and inspired then when I left, and I am returning with a happy and sound horse. I am thinking of all those little girls back home, and around the country, riding perhaps a 20-year-old Morgan, wearing a boys Easter suit coat off the clearance rack, and mitten clips to hold their jodpurs down over Walmart look alike English boots. Those girls who perhaps come from non-horse backgrounds or lack money or access to trainers,
who are cantering around their local circuit, with no clue if they are on the correct lead, but have dreams of going to the Olympics. I want to tell those girls to never stop believing. Don’t ever stop working for it. Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help. Take every ride offered and every opportunity that comes up. Your journey might look different, there might be more curves and bumps in the road, but your journey will also be amazing. I am now looking forward to working on my silver medal this coming season, a return to NAYC, and I will continue to trust in hard work and have faith that my ride will come.
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everything garage sale, with items donated from our rural community, a Facebook auction with used horse tack donations, and put in overtime to get me here financially. We got there, and that in itself is still a bit surreal to me. Four and a half years ago, I was taking my first dressage lesson, and here I was with the top one percent of Junior/Young Riders in North America, with plans to make everyone who worked so hard to get me here proud. Unfortunately, my plans did not go according to plan. Instead, the first day we were dead last, but it’s okay because at the end of the day, that ride doesn’t define me as a rider. It doesn’t define Coogan and his amazing abilities. It is not predictive for where I am going. Even some Olympians didn’t place well at NAYC. Our next ride was absolutely great, for where Coogan and I are in our partnership right now. One thing my mom always tells me before a competition is, “Just remember it’s an equal oppor-
Check out our podcast 480 to hear from other young rider medalists Callie Jones and Anna Weniger at usdf.podbean.com.
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September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
Covering Ground
Fabulous Weekend at a Super Clinic By Carol Bulmer
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he membership of the United States Dressage Federation asked for affordable, educational events catering to grassroots, amateur dressage riders. The USDF responded with its National Education Initiative (NEI). To assist with the affordable part of the directive, all USDF NEI events are eligible to apply for NEI grants. Attracted by this fantastic opportunity, Central Florida Dressage jumped into action and hosted their first NEI event the weekend of June 30-July 1, at Grand Oaks Resort in Weirsdale, Florida. The event became even more affordable through a grant from The Dressage Foundation’s Violet Hopkins Fund. The USDF NEI Ride-A-Test Super Clinic with Sue Mandas and Sandra Hotz was paired with a lecture series, of general horse health topics, that ran concurrently throughout the weekend, Three of the demonstration riders: Holly Greene, Dana Fitch, and Lynn Bunnell
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
Covering Ground
in the Bridge Room of Grand Oaks Resort. Grand Oaks’ covered arena protected participants from the typical hot and stormy Florida summer weather. Ringside, fans and cold water kept everyone from melting. Florida dressage riders are a tough lot that took the heat and humidity in stride. The full slate of riders, with a wait list, kept the Mandas and Hotz busy both days, with horses ranging from Introductory to Grand Prix. The riders included two junior riders, thirteen adult amateurs, and five professional riders. Friday afternoon was move-in day. The barn area hummed with activity, camaraderie, and good cheer, while participants unloaded horses and set up their stalls for the weekend. Some riders were already familiar with this upscale resort that boasts wide grass bridle paths, under the canopy of huge live oak trees. The many sweeping open areas, the large arenas, and the specialty obstacles Clinican Sandra Hotz
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
Covering Ground
speak of Grand Oaks’ heritage as a driving and carriage facility. Ten cottages, with adjacent stalls, dot the 400-acre resort. Riders, who had just met each other in the barn, chatted together as they rode to the warm up and covered arena. After the horses were bedded down for the night, some participants enjoyed the gourmet food and libations at The Bistro, just steps away from where their horses were munching down their dinner. How fun is that? Saturday morning it was down to the serious business of dressage training and how to improve your test. Mandas and Hotz shared the covered arena with side-by-side dressage arenas; the same setup used in the recognized dressage shows held at Grand Oaks Resort. Participants wore headsets, in order to hear instructions without the interference from the lesson next door. The VIP auditors were able to sit behind the clinicians, in order Clinican Sue Mandas listens to Liz Cornell on Aria SE
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
Covering Ground S AV E T H E D AT E !
to hear the instructions. From time to time, Mandas or Hotz would ask for questions and interact with the auditors. Auditors suggested that in future clinics a PA speaker, paired with the clinician, be used, in order for the auditors to hear more easily what is said. Here is a sampling of helpful comments from Mandas and Hotz: “More power and less speed” “You are sitting too stiff and that is blocking his back.” “Allow her to come over her back first then ask for more power.” “She loses her balance when you tip forward in the saddle.” “The three loop serpentine in the test done properly shows the judge that you can bend and balance your horse.”
“The judge will be looking for a more supple topline.”
All event participants were invited to attend the special Saturday night lecture, Sport Horse Conformation and Functionality, presented by Sue Mandas. The hour and a half time slot was shorter than her usual three-day seminar format, but Mandas gave a succinct overview into the key points. Mandas pointed out that certain conformational faults are less severe and did not limit the horse’s functioning, as much as other faults. Who knew that certain stallions with a thick throatlatch could unexpectedly collect as easily as stallions with a more refined throatlatch? Mandas recounted interesting stories that helped highlight the importance of good conformation for your sport. The lecture series showcased local experts in saddle fit (Sharon Cooper), nutrition (Dr. Vineyard), pasture management (Dr. Shuffit and Dr. Wallau), equine dentistry (Dr. Wolf), anhidrosis (Dr. Brooks), horse vision (Dr. Pid-
herney), shoeing (Ken Jimenez), and acupuncture (Dr. Pasteur). Central Florida is home to the University of Florida, the College of Central Florida, and Ocala has many respected equine clinics and private equine veterinary practices. Each one of the presenters gave their time and energy to make this an outstanding educational event. Here are some insights into these fascinating topics. “Your saddle may fit the horse well but if you sit badly you will still have problems.” “Owners often over-estimate how hard their horse is working and over-feed the horse.” “Mow to control weeds.” “Techniques in tooth extraction have improved tremendously and are easier on the horse now.”
November 28-December 1 Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek Salt Lake City, UT
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“The hind leg needs to be quicker off the ground.”
“Allow the horse to come out to the hand.”
2018 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention
To learn more about the USDF National Education Initiative listen to podcast #483 at usdf.podbean.com
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
“Anhidrosis has a genetic correlation.” “Horses can see blue and green (and variations) but do not have cones to see red.” “Look at the angle of the pastern and coffin bones. Those angles need to match for the horse to stay sound.” “Acupuncture and holistic therapies should be integrated with conventional veterinary treatments for improved outcomes.” The lecture attendee numbers were modest, but the participants were very engaged and attentive. Evaluation surveys showed that attendees would like another seminar on horse health topics. Some evaluations suggested offering the lectures on another weekend, separate from the riding clinic. Much to the pleasure of the board members of Central Florida Dressage, participant event evaluations were overwhelmingly positive and encouraged Chelsey Miller on Waling M
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
Sue Mandas instructs Carli Hall on Wonder Boy
Gina Durfee on Dionysius
Super clinic auditors
One of several lectures that was offered during the clinic
another event like the USDF NEI Ride-a-Test Super Clinic 2018. More than one board member was stopped by an attendee and thanked for putting on the event.
We, as organizers of the event, felt our efforts were appreciated. Even more, when your participants and your volunteers are so enthusiastic and helpful, it makes
the entire event a special weekend to remember. The board of Central Florida Dressage (CFD) wishes to extend their gratitude towards The Dres-
sage Foundation and the USDF National Education Initiative for their crucial financial support of CFD’s centerpiece educational event.
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
The Finals' First Five Years Part II - The Judges by Jennifer Keeler
Judge Jayne Ayers (red jacket) proudly stands in an award presentation photo.
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
As we look towards this year’s US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®, it’s hard to believe how quickly the years have flown by! So to celebrate, YourDressage is reaching out to competitors, officials and volunteers to share their experiences and favorite memories from the first five years of this unique event.
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his month we spoke with three judges who have watched the development of the Finals from the best seats in the house: right next to the arena. Jayne Ayers of Dousman, WI. (FEI 4* and USEF “S”) remembers coming to the very first Finals in 2013. Since then, she has attended every edition either as an official or to coach competitors. “I was very excited to see this wonderful event, which was so long in the planning, actually come to fruition,” said Ayers. “The first time such large and complicated events are run, there seem to be inevitable glitches. But Mike Osinski and Sandy Hotz
that first Finals ran amazingly smoothly and seemed to be fun for all involved.” “I had no idea what to expect and was just happy to be invited,” agreed judge Mike Osinski of Lacey, WA. (FEI 4* and USEF “S”). “I had been to the Kentucky Horse Park before so I knew it was a good venue, but to be honest the reality ended up being way beyond my expectations. What an incredible atmosphere, unlike anything that the average competitor might ever get to experience otherwise. It ranks right up there with what you’d see at the big shows in Europe.” Also officiating at the inaugural Finals was Sandra Hotz
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
of Erie, CO. (FEI 4* and USEF “S”), and since that first year she’s noticed several interesting trends. “I’ve now judged the Finals four times since its inception, and have definitely noticed not only an increase in the popularity of the show, but also an increase in the quality of horses, especially in the lower levels. I also noticed that the quality of the overall rides has increased, making it was easy to award higher scores,” Hotz noted. Both Ayers and Osinski agreed with Hotz’ assessment. “It’s a little difficult for me to compare because I have judged different levels each time I have officiated, but my general impression is that especially the lower level hoses get better every year – there are so many amazing animals, nicely ridden, shown by both amateurs and professionals,” said Ayers. “I certainly think the quality of the riding is getting better Sandra Hotz with Allyn Mann, Director Luipold Animal Health
and better,” Osinski added. “To be honest, a few of the rides that first year were maybe not quite up to what one would expect for a national championship, but at the same time I had to applaud everyone who ventured out into new territory for that first Finals. Since then, the standard has just gotten higher and higher. You see the top amateur riders from all over the country, as well as upand-coming professionals. It’s a great place for everyone to shine.” Since 2013, Osinski has returned to the Finals in 2014, 2016, and 2017, and each time has found the event to be a special experience. “They roll out the red carpet at the Finals,” he explained. “It’s special for us as judges to get together with our colleagues. There’s a large panel of officials there, we get to challenge ourselves with our scores and comments, and then we collaborate and discuss what we’ve seen. It’s actually a great learning experience for us, and I think we all look forward to an opportunity
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
to go back.” Hotz agreed, noting that from the judge’s box she sees firsthand how magical the Finals experience is for competitors. “I think it being a head-to-head competition makes it feel more important. Riders get to compete directly with one another under the same judge panel, which makes it really exciting. Also the instant scoring makes it more exciting for both riders and spectators.” But the wonders of modern technology embraced at the Finals also contributed to one of Osisnki’s most memorable moments there. “We were at the very first Finals judging an Intermediate 2 championship in an outside ring, and it was quite cold,” he remembered. “Of course it’s all electronic scoring at the Finals, so we sit down and start typing away and all of a sudden, about 10 movements in, the screen just goes blank. I think ‘oh dear God’ and we quickly switch to the backup paper copies, but of course there’s panic because we
had no memory of all the scores we’d already given. But thankfully we got the call from the office that the computer had in fact recorded and saved the first 10 scores, so everything worked out.” Hotz was officiating in the Alltech Arena in 2016 when a power outage made headlines – and memories. “It was the last class of the day and all of sudden, in the middle of a rider’s test, the power went out and the arena went completely dark,” Hotz described. “After a few seconds, the emergency power came on, but the arena was only partially lit, so it was like judging at dusk! The class wasn’t even half over, and our panel had to judge the rest of the class that way. Some of the computers were going out, so we had to go to paper tests as backup. It was quite stressful having to give technical and artistic marks when we could barely see the horses, especially the darkcolored ones! Amazingly, our panel did really well, and in the
end we had the horses placed in the correct order. What a relief that was, and certainly something none of us will ever forget.” Interested in making memories at the 2018 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®, being held November 8-11 at the Kentucky Horse Park? Sign up on the US Dressage Finals website HERE. Join us!
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United States Dressage Federation Offical page Click here to go to the 2017 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® Recap and Results
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• 2017 US Dressage Finals Results • Social Media Highlights • Regions Cup • Prepetual Trophies • High Score Breed Awards • 2017 Media Coverage
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September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
Heard around the arena
What interesting or fun thing have you heard lately? Send it to us using #aroundthearena
The dressage world's attention was on the Festival of Champions held August 21-26 at the Lamplight Equestrian Center
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
Heard around the arena
What interesting or fun thing have you heard lately? Send it to us using #aroundthearena
The dressage world's attention was on the Festival of Champions held August 21-26 at the Lamplight Equestrian Center
September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
GMO SPOTLIGHT
Tell us about your GMO. #GMOSpotlight
Classical Attraction Dressage Society, Inc. (CADS) Group Member Organizations (GMOs) are the foundation of USDF and integral in bringing dressage and dressage education to the masses. Stay connected with your local dressage community and support dressage at the local level by joining a GMO in your area today!
USDF GMO Established: 1994 Locality: Region 2, Ohio Website: http://cadsdressage.org/ How many members does your GMO have annually, on average? 100 members Tell us about your GMO. Classical Attraction Dressage Society (CADS), has a unique place in the equine community. We are really proud of being able to provide a helping hand to those just starting out on the dressage journey. We love having riders and horses, of all training levels, come and learn with us. We have made a point of encouraging students from 4H and Pony Club, and those riders who are just starting their long held dreams of riding and competing in dressage. Trainers who want to give their young horses a positive experience in the show ring also come and show with us. We still have a large number of past presidents active in the club, as well as members who have been showing with us for over 20 years. One of our recent changes has been hosting a PINK show, once a season. It started as a crazy idea in the warm-up arena, when most of the riders had pink shirts on. The numbers show that one in eight women will deal with breast cancer in their lives. As most of our riders are women, we knew a large number of them would either deal
with, or have dealt with, the disease. Within two months, we held our first PINK show. Each rider was allowed to dress themselves, and their horse, in as much pink as they wanted. By making a donation, they could show like this all day! One of the other events taking place that day was a basket raffle. All the funds raised from the raffle and dressing in pink went to the Stephanie Spielman Patients Assistance fund, at the James Cancer Center at Ohio State University. Does your GMO offer unique classes or activities that cater to youth, adult amateurs, or professionals? If so, please provide a brief description. Our group was started to encourage both youth and adult amateur riders in the area. We still carry this on today. We make sure to hold shows, so that our 4H riders will be able to get the scores they need to compete with other riders from across the state, at our state fair. We have also started a youth scholarship program. The youth need to declare for the program before the first show. The criteria for the award are to shadow both a scribe and a trainer, for an hour each. The trainer has to be one other than their own. They need to participate in half of our shows, work eight volunteer hours, and September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
YOUR CONNECTION TO DRESSAGE then write a paper on their experience. They will then be interviewed by the scholarship committee. There will be three winners who will receive a $300 scholarship, one from each age group; 10-12, 13-15, 16-18. What type of educational events does your GMO offer? We have offered clinics to work on rider biomechanics. We also hold ride-a-test clinics before the start of the show season. With the new tests coming in 2019, we are planning an afternoon watching the videos and discussing the changes in the tests. What type of “fun” events does your GMO offer? With the start of our new venture at Brecksville Stables, we have plans to hold afternoon trail rides with a pot luck meal after the ride. We also plan on having open riding during the winter, for those who don't have an indoor arena. We're also looking into having game days during the winter, both with and without horses!
Additional Comments On August 1, 2018, CADS entered into a new partnership with the Cleveland Metro Parks, to give new life and purpose to Brecksville Stables, in the Brecksville Reservation. The stables have been part of the Emerald Necklace of Cleveland. This park system runs from the east side to the west side of Cleveland, and includes hiking, biking, and picnic areas, as well as equestrian trails. By starting this project, we can continue to hold equine events that will be open to the public, and introduce riding to people who may never have been around horses. When the announcement of this venture was put out to the public, the response was overwhelming. Riders are thrilled that the rich history will continue, and that the facility will encourage and nurture all ages of riders and all styles of riding. We look forward to being involved in this next chapter of a well-loved local riding spot.
EDUCATION • COMPETITION • ACHIEVEMENT
© John Borys Photography
© John Borys Photography
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Visit www.usdf.org for a list of GMOs in your area.
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USDF FLASHBACK
Sally Swift Reprinted from the October 2016 USDF Connection magazine.
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A Stellar Second Act Swift is so famous for Centered Riding that many people are not aware that her equestrian teachings were a second career. For 21 years, she was a records manager for Holstein Association USA, “the world’s largest dairy breed association,” in her hometown of Brattleboro, VT. She’d taught riding all along, but it Podcast Alert
PODCAST
f your riding instructor has ever counseled you to imagine your body parts stacked like building blocks in the saddle, or to imagine that your arms and hands are garden hoses with water flowing through them toward your horse’s mouth, then you’ve benefited from the revolutionary imagery and innovative teachings of Sarah “Sally” Swift. The equestrian pioneer, who died in 2009 at the age of 95, eschewed the pedestrian equestrian exhortations—“Heads up! Heels down!”—in favor of a kinesthetic approach. Swift talked about how riding should feel, not how it should look. She called her method Centered Riding, and it spawned bestselling books, countless clinics, and a thriving organization. Swift’s approach, which was one of the first to emphasize the rider’s mind-body connection, arose from personal necessity. A rider and horse lover from an early
age, she was diagnosed with scoliosis (curvature of the spine) at age seven—and would ride wearing a full back brace for most of her life. Her mother took her to the physiotherapist Mabel Ellsworth Todd, author of The Thinking Body, who taught Swift how the mind can be trained to help tap in to the body’s deep musculature, thereby gaining better control.
For more on Sally Swift, check out podcast 134 at usdf.podbean.com.
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USDF FLASHBACK
wasn’t until she was in her sixties, after she’d retired, that she’d developed and begun teaching what she called the four basics of Centered Riding: “soft eyes,” correct use of the breath, centering, and “building blocks” (balance). Today riders are accustomed to hearing about concepts like core strength, and Pilates and other core-focused fitness regimens enjoy mainstream popularity. But in Swift’s day such techniques were largely unheard of in the equestrian community, and she was arguably the first to marry equitation, Alexander Technique, T’ai Chi, and Zen. Riders throughout New England began to practice Swift’s methods, and before long students—including former international eventing competitor and How Good Riders Get Good author Denny Emerson—were urging her to publish her techniques. Swift’s seminal book, Centered Riding, was published in 1985; Centered Riding 2: Further Exploration followed in 2002. Together the books have sold September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE
USDF FLASHBACK
nearly a million copies and have been translated into 15 languages. The Centered Riding organization (CenteredRiding.org) certifies instructors around the world who practice Swift’s methods.
Centered Riding and Dressage The dressage world is lucky that New England was one of the places it was being practiced in the 1950s and 1960s. Swift, unfamiliar with the sport, met dressage trainer Tom Poulin at a New England Dressage Association show in Brattleboro. Poulin invited her to watch him train at his farm in Maine. Swift became fascinated with dressage, and dressage students likewise were fascinated by her imagery and ideas. As Swift recalled in a 2006 interview with USDF Connection, for much of her career she didn’t actually have much interaction with the USDF. That changed in the 1980s, when the Michiganbased dressage pioneer and fellow future Roemer Foundation/USDF
Hall of Famer Violet Hopkins saw Swift teaching. Hopkins, founder of the USDF Violet Hopkins National Seminars for Dressage Instructors (forerunner to the USDF FEI-Level Trainers Conferences), invited Swift to her Tristan Oaks Farm to teach Centered Riding at the Hopkins seminars. Although so many Centered Riding concepts seem integral to learning to ride dressage, Swift was adamant that Centered Riding is not dressage, and that her concepts have more to do with the development of a balanced seat and therefore apply to any equestrian discipline. Oddly, until she was inducted into the USDF Hall of Fame in 2006, Swift felt somewhat marginalized by the dressage establishment. “They weren’t interested in me,” she said—even fellow Hopkins seminar instructors Col. Aage Sommer and Maj. Anders Lindgren. The formal recognition bore out what riders have known for years: that Swift was ahead of her time.
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YOUR CONNECTION TO DRESSAGE EDUCATION • COMPETITION • ACHIEVEMENT © John Borys Photography
© John Borys Photography
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For more information, check out the USDF Member Guide available on the USDF website and app. September 2018 Z YOURDRESSAGE