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From the Regional Director

2016 Spring Update from the Regional Director

By April 14, 2016May 11th, 2022No Comments

2016 Spring Update from the Regional Director

From Director:  Sherry Guess, OK
2016 Spring Executive Board Meeting, April 23 – 24
Lexington, Kentucky

Our 2015 Great American/USDF Region 9 & Southwest Dressage Championship and HDS Autumn Classic was again held at  the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy TX.  Hosted by Houston Dressage Society, attendance continues to increase, with each Championship becoming larger than the preceding year.

Houston Dressage Society is also planning for the CDI2*/CDI1*/CDIY/J/P/CH/Am/CDIU-25/CDIYH and Houston Dressage Society Spring Classics I and II to be held April 28-May 1, 2016 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX.   This will be the sixth CDI HDS has produced  for our Region and interest continues to build.  This will be the fourth  year for Shoofly Farm to be the named sponsor.

Reg 9 GMOs have already begun offering educational events throughout the region:

  • Houston Dressage Society has already begun it’s FEI Training Series with Conrad Schumacher this year.  Their second offering will be held April 2-5, 2016 at Freestyle Farm in Fulsher, TX.  Their goal is to improve the abilities and scores of FEI riders in Region 9.
  • Oklahoma Dressage Society will host “The Judge’s Perspective: Training for Riding a Dressage Test”  with William Lee Tubman on April 9-10, 2016 at Bridle Creek Horse Ranch & Resort in Sperry, OK.
  • Austin Dressage Unlimited is presenting “Proper Use of the Dressage Arena” on March 19, 2016 at Dancing Oaks Equestrian Center in Dripping Springs, TX.
  • Central Texas Dressage Society will offer an educational symposium with Betsy Steiner on May 12-13, 2016 at Silver Hills Stables in Manor, TX. The twice daily lectures and demonstration rides will focus on the correct development of the horse, rider position, and rider fitness.

There are several opportunities for judge’s education in our region this year.

  • As our Judges Committee Region 9 member, Marilyn Kulifay coordinated with USEF to offer a Judges Mini Clinic in Katy TX at the Emerald Classic March 5-6, 2016
  • Austin Dressage Unlimited’s 7th Annual Improving Your Judging Eye & Showing Skills featured FEI 5* International Judge Katrina Wuest.   Held January 9-10, 2016 at the Southwest University campus, in  Georgetown, TX , this popular event also had an evening dinner lecture this year.
  • Elisabeth Clifton is again offering Part 1 of the USDF L Program.  Session A will be held April 16-17, 2016 at the Mid-South Dressage Academy in Hernando, MS.
  • The Dallas Dressage Club hosted a one-day Freestyle judging seminar with Joan Darnell on February 13, 2016.
  • Congratulation to our new Region 9 L Graduates Amanda Bailey (AR), Gabrielle Callahan (AR) and Amy Ganci (TX), who all completed their course with distinction!

The young people of our region are an active group.

  • The Reg. 9 Youth Schooling Show Challenge is a certificate and patch program for recognition of scores earned by youth at any of our region’s schooling shows.  They are also recognized on our website.  Congratulation to Christina DesRoches who met the Region 9 Youth Schooling Show Challenge.  She is a member of Southern Eventing and Dressage Association and is from Louisiana.
  • Region 9 Junior/YR Coordinator Kathy Jones has already set up our Jr/YR Clinic featuring Charlotte Bredahl-Baker, with funding support provided by The Dressage Foundation and the USEF.  It will be held April 16-17, 2016 at Fran Kehr’s Windy Knoll Farm in Magnolia, TX.
  • Three applicants from Region 9 (or formerly Region 9) have been accepted into the USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program to be held January 16-17, 2016 in West Palm Beach, Florida.  This is quite an honor for these young ladies and we are proud that they started their riding careers in Region 9!
    Kassidy Peacock, Hanna Pierucci, Ayden Uhlir

Central Texas Dressage Society will host  our Region 9 summer meeting on July 30,2016  in Austin, TX.

There have been several changes to our Region 9 Board this year.  Alecial Daniel of Dallas Dressage Society will take over Nominating Committee duties from Jennifer Delmer.  Susan Howard of Austin Dressage Unlimited will resume her position on the board representing Freestyles.   We are grateful to those who continue to serve throughout the year and appreciate the years of service from those who are stepping down.

Our outstanding FEI/JrYR team of Inez Campbell as Coordinator and Ed LaVallee as Chef d’Equipe have stepped down after five years.  Their leadership and fund raising abilities have raised the expertise and visibility of our young riders and contributed to our region showing one of the highest participation rates in the nation.

Stepping into their shoes and already fulfilling those duties are Benny Pfabe as Chef d’ Equipe and Kathy Jones as Coordinator.  We are confident the young riders in our region will continue their competitive success under their leadership.

The 2015 Omnibus 19th Edition is now available for purchase, as well as free for viewing, on the Region 9 website . Thanks again to Sue Malone-Casey for her generous sponsorship. Our Omnibus team of Arlene Gaitan, Veronica Moody, and Nettie Olsen are to be thanked for their considerable time investment in this endeavor.  Our Omnibus provides funding for the Region 9 Education grants to our GMOs and helps support Region 9 Board members in travel to the Region 9 Summer Meeting  and the USDF Convention.

The 2015  Region 9 Horse Person of the Year was two people this year !  The team of Jr/YR Coordinator Inez Camp and Chef d’ Equipe Ed LaValle were selected for their outstanding service the past five years.

The Region 9 Teaching Excellent Award, managed through The Dressage Foundation, is in its eighth  year.  Becky Brown of the Dallas Dressage Club was the 2015  recipient of this award.  She will receive $5,000 from the fund to pursue her dressage goals.

The Region 9 website continues to improve, offering banners for advertisers, and a Region 9 Facebook page, with new pages (with photos) to help keep the regional members informed.  Nicole Landreneau, our webmaster, sends out the monthly regional e-news using Mail Chimp. She is also the Region 9 Historian.

Region 9 has a unique addition to the Regional website. This addition is a way for Instructors who continue to keep up with their education to get recognition, even if  not certified.  Also, this addition will be a way for clients to see which instructors might best be able to help them by the courses attended. Check out the Region 9 website for more information. Thanks to Vera Muckleroy, Region 9 Instructor/Trainer Committee member, for thinking of, and implementing this new program.

Read about regional events, news, and award opportunities on the Region 9 website: www.usdfregion9.org

Thank you to all our Region 9 committee members, sponsors, organizers and GMO participants for providing educational opportunities and the southern hospitality that makes Region 9 special to all of us.