USDF Region 3 GMO Pages

Adrienne Dickerson/Cavalier Are Region 3's Recipients
Of Lavell Gifted Scholarship; Fund Increase Expected

The Carol Lavell Gifted Fund at The Dressage Foundation ( www.dressagefoundation.org ) was established in 1997. The Fund was originally seeded with Donations from Carol Lavell, received in memory of her great Olympic dressage horse, Gifted. The scholarship idea came from Carol Lavell as a way to help Adult Amateurs pursue their dressage training. The fund provides up to nine scholarships to enable Adult Amateurs to set aside quality time, in concentrated training, with a trainer of their choice, along with a horse they own. The first scholarships were given in 2002 with each recipient receiving $500 to be used for training expenses. The scholarship has an application process which is accessed on the Foundation website. A Scholarship Selection Committee evaluates each application and reaches a collective decision on the recipients to receive the award. Each scholarship recipient is required to prepare and submit a written report of their training experience to be shared with others, and if possible, to give a brief summary to their GMO. The Gifted Scholarship Fund has grown steadily over the years, and from the original award of $500, is now $750. We look forward to an increased Scholarship amount of $900 for the upcoming 2008. In addition to Adrienne Dickerson, past recipients from USDF Region 3 who have received the Carol Lavell Scholarship include the following: Sandi Piazza, Beverly Zimmer, Cathy Cottril, Elizabeth TeSelle, Marianne Rutherford and Laura Jane Crane.

MADISON, GA--The Gifted fund provided my horse, Cavalier, and me a two-week intensive training session with Roel Theunissen in Madison, GA. A common theme those two weeks was the need to “step it up” if I wanted to step up to Prix St. Georges! For the first two weeks in February of 2008 Cavalier and I both stepped up and put ourselves to work. To seal our commitment to this goal, I went ahead and sent off my entry for a show immediately following my training dates.

In the first week of our training Roel focused on the bending reaction to my inside leg and overall throughness of the horse. Cavalier can sometimes be overly sensitive and react in a forward direction rather than bending in response to lateral aids. I concentrated on lowering the poll and bending him through his body during all work – especially in the warm-up as we started with steep shoulder-ins and bending lines and progressed to long half-passes. Roel explained that my ability to place Cavalier’s inside hind under the body was a precursor to correct bend and control of the shoulders. Even if the “feel” is that his haunches fall out, I must first create the correct placement of the inside hind and later “catch” him with my outside aids for a true bend throughout his body. This was a good reminder that what you feel beneath your seat is more important than what you see in front of the saddle.

As the first week progressed Roel stressed the importance of carry-over. That the warm-up must carry over into the work and that the work must carry over into the next day’s warm-up so you are always building. He also pointed out that the warm-up should be as long as necessary but as short as possible. Cavalier becomes more through and together as he moves into the “work” for the day. So the sooner he is loosened up and starts into the work the more productive our time is. As the week went on we also began to focus on a more active hind end and a quicker but appropriate forward response to the driving aids.

We did a run-through of the trot work of the Prix St. Georges test, which for us is fairly solid, and selected a few things to “step up” for higher scores. I also explained to Roel my goal of “rideability” in the canter tour. As the canter tour progresses, Cavalier gets tighter and more difficult to ride; it has improved over the winter, but the tempis and that last extension to flying change across the diagonal can be very touch and go at times. With that in mind we moved into our second week of training.

To address the rideability question, Roel took two approaches. First, he again had me ride in a rounder frame and stressed the importance of being able to ride Cavalier more through, more round, and with more bending in the tricky moments rather than backing off or changing the subject to reclaim the suppleness as I had been doing. Second, we focused on riding the tempi lines in an overly forward canter but with small aids so Cavalier learned they were not as exciting as he originally thought. After only a few days of this work we ran through the full test twice one day about a week before the show. I was pleased with the improvement in rideability and overall throughness. Cavalier actually improved as the test progressed, and I was able to ride through the difficult moments or past the tense moments and back to suppleness. Just a few more days of lessons and then off to the show with us!

Cavalier has not had a lot of show experience, and I never know how he will settle in at a new facility. To my relief he got right to work the day before the show, and we had a very productive schooling session. I was pleased with the show overall, I had three (3) opportunities to ride the PSG and we put in a consistent test each time. I was especially pleased that our tempis were solid throughout the weekend as those have long been a source of tension for Cavalier. Our best ride was the second day with a 63.5% which was good enough for 1^st place out of 6 in the FEI test of choice class.

I left the show and my two weeks of training with some homework to focus on until my next clinic opportunity with Roel. Overall it was a fantastic experience and one of the most productive periods of training I’ve had, thanks to the Dressage Foundation Gifted Scholarship. Cavalier and I both clearly progressed in our riding and performance at the show, and I could see an obvious improvement every few days. Without a doubt the scholarship and our 2-plus weeks of dressage immersion allowed us to “step it up!”

World Cup Dressage/Jumping Finals
To Return to Las Vegas in 2007
World's Premier Annual Equestrian Event Set for April 18-22

LAS VEGAS--The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and Las Vegas Events, Inc. (LVE) jointly announced today that the FEI World Cup Finals in both dressage and show jumping will return to the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, April 18-22, 2007. This will mark the fourth time that Las Vegas hosts the FEI World Cup Finals and the second time, following the initial event in Las Vegas in 2005, that the world's premier annual championships in the two Olympic equestrian disciplines are held concurrently.

While Las Vegas' groundbreaking presentation of both dressage and show jumping generated unprecedented interest in the Finals among spectators, it also proved to be a huge hit with the riders. "I don't think our sport has ever been so well received as it was at the FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas," said 2003 FEI World Cup Dressage champion Debbie McDonald of Hailey, Idaho. "I believe that the Finals in Las Vegas were a real watershed moment for our sport."

Ticket renewals for the 2007 FEI World Cup Finals will begin on April 1. Members of the World Cup Club can purchase priority seating starting on May 15. Interested fans can sign up for club membership at the official Website at www.worldcuplasvegas.com. Tickets will be available to the public on June 1. Full event recaps from 2005 and more information on the Finals can also be found at the FEI World Cup Website.

LEXINGTON, KY--For the first time, the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) will be held outside of Europe in 2010, when the games come to the United States. The announcement of Kentucky's successful bid to host the games was made half-way around the world in Bahrain on Dec. 6, 2006. The Kentucky Horse Park, soon to be the permanent home of the USDF and its National Education Center, will be the venue for all seven FEI equestrian disciplines which make up the WEG, including dressage.

Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher was all smiles as he made the announcement to an enthusiastic crowd of industry leaders gathered for a press conference at the Kentucky Horse Park. He observed, "This will be an unprecedented opportunity for our Commonwealth to showcase itself to the world. We are known as the epicenter of the equestrian world and we have a deep appreciation for all things having to do with the horse. I know that we will stage a very successful series of competitions."

USEF President David O'Connor also noted that the FEI World Equestrian Games would cement the Kentucky Horse Park as the center of equestrian events in the U.S.

The games will take place during two weeks in the fall of 2010 and have estimated ticket sales of 300,000. More than 1,000 athletes representing 50 countries are expected to participate. The games will be broadcast live from the Kentucky Horse Park to 40 countries and reported world-wide by more than 1,000 members of the international media.

Click here for a list of places that can accommodate horses in face of evacuation.
Hurricane help list

MACON, GA--We have had lots of inquiries about places to take equine evacuees, pets, people etc., away from hurricane threats. I sent out emails asking who might help and got a SPLENDID response! I put all the names and info together into a very rough list which now has about 110 offers on it. I sent the list to the Red Cross, whom I was told are the coordinating body for shelter. There is also a list of GA barns who have registered with the Ga. Dept of Agriculture. You can find this on the website: www.agr.state.ga.us/html/emerstormshelters.html or www.gema.state.ga.us where you will find a link to the list of stables in Georgia. They are listed by county and do not have a note of what is available.

However, for what it is worth, the list I made DOES have a note of what is being offered, although it is not sorted by county or by any method. You would need to read through it to see if one of them would work for you. I did incorporate the listing mentioned above, of the storm shelters however.

Just to mention two places that has or did have, a lot of stalls available: Poplar Place has/or did have about 110 stalls available (near Columbus, GA), Donna Stedman, Poplar Place Farm. 8191 US Hwy 27, Hamilton, GA 31811-5637. Barn Phone: Ph: 706-582-3742. Cell: 706-888-8421

Also, Wills Park in Alpharetta, GA. Casey, Ph: 678-297-6122. Barn address; 11915 Wills Road, Alpharetta, GA 30004. Has approx 80 stalls if needed. Has standing for trailers, RVs etc. Hotels should be available.

Of course, neither MGSHA nor any of its members can accept liability for the information gathered. It was just collected in an attempt to help. The Red Cross told me they don’t have shelters set up yet; money has to be appropriated by someone asking for help. I am just sending this NOW as I think time is of the essence in getting away from the area likely to be hit by Ivan.

God bless everyone and I hope that all our Florida friends find save haven somewhere away from Ivan.

Anne Sanders, Secretary, MGSHA; Ph: 478-929-0388 (home) 478-301-2705 (work) Cell: 478-225-1487.
e-mail: asanders@cox.net

If you have not already done so, please please take a moment and fill out the form below and get it back to me. I will then share the info with the Red Cross. PLEASE HELP, YOU ARE MUCH NEEDED!! I omitted to ask about stalls and pasture earlier, although at this stage, people will be glad of anything! Thanks to the people who already contacted me!

PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN to either your local Red Cross office OR to Anne Sanders, Secretary, MGSHA at email: asanders@cox.net or sanders_am@mercer.edu. Anne will compile the info and send to the local Red Cross Office. YOUR help is needed urgently!! If you can squeeze in even one horse, please let us know!!!

I/WE can give accommodation for ____ horses. We have ____ Stalls and _____ pasture turn out.
(We are DESPERATE for anything, please tell us what you CAN do) ________________________

This information will be compiled by MGSHA and available to the Red Cross Emergency Disaster Response. Note as of 9/1/04 in the Middle Georgia Area that were no hotel rooms to be found as far up as Atlanta. There is a shelter for about 1,000 people and some space for cats/dogs but not much hope for horses – your help therefore is GREATLY NEEDED!!

Please contact me with any questions you may have. You can reach me during the day on 478-301-2705 or in the evening on 478-929-0388. Fax: 478-301-2067. E-mail: asanders at cox.net or sanders_am at mercer.edu