Click here for joint USEF/USDF membership card! Click here for horse card Scroll down for more information   FEELING GOOD--Region 3 riders cut up happily for Dian Deimler's camera at Gladstone. They are (from left) Kim Schisler (Duvallier), Fayetteville, GA, Brentina Cup rider, 3rd overall at Gladstone; Caroline Roffman (Accent Aigu FRH) (YR);  Katrin Dagge (Dream of Love and Ladinor) (Jr.); Lauren Knopp (Rho Dance) (Jr.); Mary-Cameron Rollins (Rose Noir) (YR); Jessica Deimler (Ragtime V) (Jr.);  McKenzie Jenkins (Tsarina Bint RII) (YR);  and Ellen Wall (Tvauri)  (Jr.). Complete USDF NAJYRDC team listings below. Heading for the NA Championships   Strong Riders Earn Their Way to Lead Region 3 Juniors Region Rank Rider Horse Average Freestyle 3 1 Lauren Knopp Rho Dance 67.181% 64.625%   2 Katrin Dagge Ladinor 65.841% 66.125%   3 Jessica Deimler Ragtime V 65.523% 68.375%   4 Ellen Wall Tvauri 65.264% 71.625%   5 Katrin Dagge Dream of Love 65.216% 66.333%   6 Sean Keasler Fabulous LHF 63.832% 65.963%   7 Kathryn Butt Kajan 62.384% 66.250% MEET THE 2009 REGION 3 JUNIOR TEAM By Sue Bender      After a long selection season, the Region 3 Junior Team for the North American Junior Championships has been decided.  It consists of five young ladies who have a long list of accomplishments.     Leading the team is 18 year old Lauren Knopp of Wellingtonm, FL.  Her horse is Rho Dance, a dark chestnut Oldenburg gelding, who is 13 years old.  This team was the overall junior reserve champion at the June Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Junior Championships.  This will be her first  trip to the NAJC.       With two horses in the top five of the selection, is Katrin Dagge.  She is from Bonita Springs, FL, and will be 18 later this year.  This is third year in a row that she has made the team.  Her horses are Ladinor, a 14-year-old bay Oldenburg gelding and Dream of Love an 8-year-old chestnut Oldenburg stallion.  They finished 6th and 4th, respectively, at Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Junior Championships.      Next is Jessica Deimler , a 17-year-old from Atlanta,  GA.  This will also be her third trip to the NAJC.  This year she is riding a new mount, Ragtime V.  He is a chestnut Dutch Warmblood gelding who is 11 years old.  This pair finished 7th overall at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Junior Champioships.      The final rider making the trip to Kentucky is 17-year-old, Ellen Wall of Decatur, GA.  She rides a 9-year-old chestnut Dutch Warmblood gelding named Tvauri.  This will be her first trip to the NAJC, but at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Junior Championships, they were 9th overall.      The reserve rider is 16-year-old Sierra Keasler of Lebanon Tennessee.  Her horse is Fabulous LHF, a 10-year-old bay Hanoverian gelding.      All of the riders worked very hard this year.  The championships are July 22-27 at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY.  If you can not come to support the team, but would like to make a donation, please contact Sandi Bishop , the Region 3 Director.     Young Riders 3 1 Mary Cameron Rollins Rose Noir 66.918% 73.750%   2 Caroline Roffman Accent Aigu FRH 66.674% 64.917%   3 McKenzie Jenkins Tsarina 65.833% 68.500%   4 Caroline Roffman Rola 64.667% 69.500%   5 Amanda Stearns Revanche 64.539% 65.400%   6 Jordan Wright Kaspar 64.474% 69.000%   7 Hannah Michaels Savoir Faire 64.247% 65.700%   8 Lora Witterstaeter Weltschatz 63.707% 71.562% MEET THE 2009 REGION 3 YOUNG RIDER TEAM By Sue Bender     The June Poplar Place Farm Dressage show was the final qualifying show for the season and for some it was their final young rider class.  It came down to the very last ride.  And when the scores were tabulated, the two leading the Region 3Young Rider Team into the North American Young Rider Championships will be two doing it for the final time as riders.      Mary-Cameron Rollins, 21, of Jacksonville, FL,  will be riding her first and final NAYRC.  Her horse is Rose Noir 2, a 12-year-old black Oldenburg mare.  They were last year’s regional champions in the YR team and individual tests.  They finished 5th overall at the June Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF YR Championships.      The other rider who will be making her last appearance at the NAYRC is Caroline Roffman.  She is 21, from Wellington, FL,  and already has two individual and two team bronze medals from previous NAYRC.  Her mount this year is Accent Agiu FRH, a bay Hanoverian gelding was is 14 years old.  This pair finished 3rd in the overall Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF YR Championships.     At 16 years old, McKenzie Jenkins of Gallatin, TN, has moved up from the juniors.  She rode at the NAJC last year and was individual bronze medalist.  She will be riding Tsarina Bint RII, a 13-year-old dark bay Half-Arabian mare.  They finished 8th overall at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF YR Championships.      The fourth rider is 18-year-old Amanda Stearns of Royal Palm Beach, FL.  She rides Revanche, a 14-year-old black Hanoverian mare.  In 2006 she was on the Junior team at the championships and was the bronze medalist in the individual test and freestyle.      The reserve rider is 21-year-old Jordan Wright of Huntsville, AL.  Her horse is Kaspar, a 17-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding.     The Championships are July 22-27 at the Horse Park in Lexington, KY.  It is always nice to have a cheering section, if you are up that way.  If you would like to make a donation, please contact Sandi Bishop Sandi Bishop , the Region 3 Director. Nation's NAJYRDC Teams Announced   Lexington, KY--The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced today the riders selected to represent the U.S. in the USDF/Platinum Performance North American Juniors and Young Riders’ Dressage Championships (NAJYRDC), part of the 2009 Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North at The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. The championships will be held July 22-26, 2009.           A total of 55 juniors and young riders will represent each of USDF’s nine regions.  The NAJYRC is an exciting competition with a format similar to the Olympics, with teams of riders invited from the United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and Bermuda competing in dressage, eventing, show jumping and reining. The following riders and horses will represent the United States on a junior and young rider team of up to four from each of nine USDF regions. USDF Region 1 Junior Team:  Nicole DelGiorno and Lamborghini Dane, Alison Coyle and Bariton, Melanie Montagano and Ga Deva, Kaitlin Blythe and Daverden USDF Region 1 Young Rider Team: Jillian Kemenosh and Nelzon,        USDF Region 2 Junior Team: Lauren Nelson and Weltano, Nicole Chiappetti and Oxford, Claire Brown and Lexington, Heather Ots and Varekai. USDF Region 2 Young Rider Team: Kassandra Barteau and GP Raymeister, Kristen Becker and Ramses, Brittany McCarthy and Gabelle, Ashlee Todosijevic and Sjoerd USDF Region 3 Junior Team: Lauren Knopp and Rho Dance, Katrin Dagge and Dream of Love, Jessica Deimler and Ragtime V, Ellen Wall and Tvauri USDF Region 3 Young Rider Team: Mary-Cameron Rollins and Rose Noir, Caroline Roffman and Accent Aigu FRH, McKenzie Jenkins and Tsarina Bint RII, Amanda Stearns and Revanche USDF Region 4 Junior Team: Amy Hacker and Discoverer USDF Region 4 Young Rider Team:  Emily Wagner and Brigadier, Brianna Zwilling and DiMaggio, Kristina Wang and Belladiva, Hans Baertsch and Rubinstar GB USDF Region 5 Junior Team: Catherine Chamberlain and Verdicci, Jackson Freismuth and Dalwhinnie's Martijn, Morgan Heinrichs and Royal Mirage USDF Region 6 Junior Team: Madison Cushman and Caruso USDF Region 6 Young Rider Team:  Blair Niemcziek and Diamant, Alis Carbone and Navarro USDF Region 7 Junior Team: Genay Vaughn and Waranja, Courtney Baine and Oletty's Dutch Treat, Rebecca Raede and Elmegardens Ziam USDF Region 7 Young Rider Team:  Brianna Dutton and Tibet, Brian Hafner and Lombardo LHF, Amanda Harlan and Liberte, Christine Stephenson and Markant                    USDF Region 8 Junior Team: Stephanie Nowak and Coriall, Madeleine Van Vleet and Top, Colleen Akin and Duet, Taylor Noonan and Magical USDF Region 8 Young Rider Team:  Meagan Davis and Bentley,         Julie McKean and Stravinsky, Alexa Rice and Maarten, Laura-Hope Gammell and I Cestelli 7                                 USDF Region 9 Junior Team: Mary Kathryn Nommensen and Dom Perignon, Julia Handt and Vindaris 2, Elizabeth Allen and Whispering Wind, Kassidy Peacock and Persona Grata USDF Region 9 Young Rider Team: Rachel Campbell and Wandango, Faith Morris and Garrison, John Mason and Gdansk                                            For complete qualifying results and standings for the USDF/Platinum Performance NAJYRDC, visit the USDF Web site.  Or, for additional information regarding the Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North, visit the http://www.youngriders.org/content/news.aspx _______________________________________________________ S.C. Adult Amateur Rider Wins 2009 Lavell Gifted Scholarship By The Dressage Foundation (Above are photos of the winner schooling in Florida with Gunnar Ostergaard. Below is the training report from Holly Spencer, the Region 3 recipient of the Carol Lavell Gifted Scholarship offered by The Dressage Foundation. Her report summarizes the time that she was recently able to spend training her horse for a week. Holly is a member of South Carolina D&CTA, and we will also be sending this information to that GMO. We would like to encourage other Adult Amateurs to apply for next year's scholarship (information can be found on our website at www.dressagefoundation.org).--Jenny Johnson, Administrative Manager, The Dressage Foundation) A Week in Training With Gunnar Ostergaard            My horse is Festina, a five-year-old Danish Warmblood mare that I bought in the late summer of 2007.  In 2008 we showed at Training and First Levels.  My regular instructor is Amy McElroy (Aiken, SC) and we both ride with Gunnar in clinics 5-6 times per year. My goal for this week’s training was to introduce flying changes to my young mare.   We have been doing the preparatory work throughout the late fall, developing her counter canter and simple changes.            On the first day, I expect Gunnar will want to take look at everything we’ve been working on at home so he can plan the rest of the week’s work. At the beginning of the lesson Gunnar asks (as he always does) if there is any particular problem I want to work on.  I tell him that I’ve been struggling at home with getting Festina’s hind legs quicker and more engaged, especially in the trot.  Of course, she is ‘on fire’ today, so his comment after watching our warm up is “Her hind leg is fine, what is your problem?”  Oh, well.  He does ask me to ride her much deeper and more over her back, especially in the warm up phase.  Today this is not so easy, as she keeps trying to peek over the solid 5’ kick boards that surround the covered arena!  Some easy leg yield and shoulder in loosen her up, and then we go on to work on developing longer medium trot strides.  Her natural trot is lovely and quite big, but the engagement isn’t always there for a good lengthening.  Gunnar asks for a shoulder in for half of the long side, then to straighten (onto the track) immediately into a lengthening.  I can feel a better push with this exercise, but we still have a long way to go!           After a walk break on the buckle, we go on to the canter.  It’s easier for me to compress and lengthen Festina’s canter than her trot; the main issue in the canter is straightness.  She has a tendency to want to fall over her inside shoulder in a turn, especially to the left, and I have a tendency to let her.  Gunnar wants to test for the changes with a standard exercise:  a 20m. half circle right from E to B, then a half diagonal to K, asking for the change near the second quarterline.  He asks me to keep her quick behind on the circle, and then ride a bit forward on the diagonal.  As we cross the centerline I’m to collect a little and ask for the change.  On the first try to the left I don’t keep her straight enough, she drifts to the left as I ask for the change; needless to say, no change happens!  We repeat the exercise without asking for a change so I can concentrate on keeping her straight and upright on the line from B to K.  Gunnar suggests moving both hands evenly to the right a little to help her stay straight on the line, which works well.  We practice the pattern several times without asking for a change, keeping the counter canter around the short side and then with a simple change on the line.  I really have to watch the tendency to fall to the left, even in the simple change.           For the right change the pattern is reversed, and as we come onto the diagonal Festina feels very straight and balanced.  This time she does attempt the change on the aid, although it’s a little close behind.  She gets some sugar from the jar at ringside.  The lesson finishes up with a little trot work to cool down a bit, then Gunnar takes a look at our walk turns and we go for a cool-down walk around the field next to the arena.           After my lesson I watch Gunnar ride a young horse and get a much better idea of how engaged and deep he wants a horse to be.  The horse’s hind legs really step under in a strong, definite rhythm, bringing the back up and allowing the head to come down into a deep, soft (not curled) connection.  Tomorrow I’ll try to duplicate this in my own ride.           Next day, Gunnar worked his Grand Prix horse Monhegan in long lines, which was fascinating to me, as I haven’t had the opportunity to see much of this except as a part of starting a young horse.  The horse worked just as if he was being ridden, beginning with a forward, suppling warm up and continuing with transitions (between and within gaits) on circles and on the track.  He finished with some really nice piaffe, rhythmic and soft.   It was also fun (during a walk break) to see Monhegan hear “good boy!” and immediately look at Gunnar for his sugar.           In my own lesson we worked on getting a more prompt response to my leg aids, particularly in canter transitions from the trot and walk.  Festina must step into the canter immediately upon feeling the aid, and for that she must be not only mentally attentive but physically engaged.  We did many canter/trot/canter transitions on a 20m circle while keeping a slight shoulder in positioning.  I can feel her becoming more balanced and much quicker to the aid.  Between canter sets we freshened her with some easy lateral trot work.  We finish up with some forward and back in trot on the circle, and a nice stretch down followed by another hack around the field.  Tomorrow Gunnar wants to work Festina in the long lines to see if she wants to piaffe, which will a help engage her hind leg in the trot. I can’t wait!           This morning Festina is tacked up with a surcingle over the saddle and bell boots in addition to her regular polo wraps.  The long lines go through rings at the top of the surcingle, then through the bit rings (outside to inside) and back to be snapped to another set of surcingle rings about 8” below to top ones.  Gunnar explains that the lines could be snapped to lower rings if a stronger bending effect was needed.      Although Festina has been lunged with side reins quite a bit during her early training, I don’t know if she’s ever been long lined.  It will be interesting to see what she makes of it.           Gunnar begins by working her in a circle as if lunging. At first she is very strong, but with a lot of transitions she gradually becomes softer and more engaged.   When she has relaxed a bit Gunnar moves her to the long side, walking behind her and slightly to the inside of the track.  He asks her to come back from the trot into half steps, then forward again into trot. After a few repetitions she really sits and offers some pretty nice piaffe steps!  She halts and I give her sugar after each successful effort.  She has a short walk break, the driving gear comes off and I get on.  She feels much more connected and powerful; when Gunnar has me repeat the trot to half step pattern I’m surprised at how strong my half halt has to be to bring her back.  Gunnar stays slightly behind us with the whip to help keep her hind leg active while I learn to coordinate my aids.  This is the level of collection we need to work towards, and I try to memorize the feeling without losing my focus on my horse and Gunnar’s words.  Later in the day I watch Gunnar ride a seven-year-old Danish gelding that he has in training.  It was easy to see the thoroughness and power in this horse; he shows lovely, fluid lateral work and strong passage steps, staying supple and balanced throughout the ride.           Gunnar has the flu today, but Birgit has offered to keep an eye on us while she rides one of her horses.  We warm up in the field (I don’t want to interrupt the lesson Birgit is teaching in the covered); Festina is nicely forward and seems to be happy in the deeper frame we’ve been working on.  When we go inside the energy is still there but I have trouble keeping her as deep and supple as Birgit would like.  Sometimes when working with a new instructor I listen so hard that I forget to ride; today it seems to take forever to follow even the clearest suggestion.  Birgit, thank goodness, is very patient with me.  After about fifteen minutes work, the three of us riding in the covered stop and walk while a very green three year old gelding is brought in and ridden by one of the working students, and then by his owner.  When I pick her up again, Festina is much looser, and we go on to ride through a little shoulder in and half pass, always thinking about keeping her really stepping under and supple.  I tend to get too much neck bend in the long, shallow half passes, and Birgit suggests an exercise to help with this.  Rather than turning onto the centerline and half passing back to the track, we are to turn onto the second quarter line, gently change the bend, and half pass to the nearer long side.  Riding this pattern gives us much better balance in the half pass, which needless to say, also does away with the exaggerated neck bend.            Today Gunnar wants one of the working students make a video of Festina to send to her breeders, who are old friends of his in Denmark (Karen and Andreas Seemann).  So, no pressure!  Fortunately, Festina warms up really well; we do many trot/canter transitions until she is really forward and supple. Going on to trot work, we go on the track and come from a strong trot to short steps and back out.  I can feel her really start to ‘sit’ when I ask her to collect for a few steps.  We do the same exercise in canter on a circle; she does it easily and happily.          In a few minutes, Gunnar asks me to bring her over and halt in front of him.  For a moment I wonder if he’s seen a problem, then he leans forward and plants a kiss on Festina’s nose!  Apparently Karen made him promise to kiss Festina when he saw her!  With the video session over (thank goodness) we take another look at the changes. Her canter feels so big and lofty with much more suspension than at the beginning of the week.  It’s easy to feel when to ask for the change, although I still need to keep her straighter so the change can come through.  Gunnar says not to worry, the changes are there; but I must concentrate on always keeping her straight so that the clean change is easy for her.  He has some exercises to help me: the first is the one we did in Monday’s lesson; another is to ride a serpentine of multiple loops with what Gunnar calls ‘small turns’ (almost quarter pirouettes) coming off of the track, riding absolutely straight (parallel to the short side) with a change through the walk or trot over the center line and another ‘small turn’ back onto the long side.  These are things I can do at home to improve the changes even when I have no one to watch from the ground.            The notes and thoughts about the daily training sessions were written as soon as I returned from Florida, but I have waited a few weeks to write this summary of my training time.  While my personal goal (to introduce my mare to flying changes) was certainly met, since returning home I’ve realized that something much more important happened in that week of training.            Five solid days of watching truly forward, engaged, supple horses at all stages of training gave me a much more thorough understanding of those basic and necessary elements.  Riding in an uninterrupted series of lessons and struggling to produce work of that same quality brought home to me how important it is to do correct work on a daily basis, so that it becomes habit and the normal way to ride and train.          These are concepts that I would have said I understood, but this training session gave me a new realization of what they really mean in practical, applied daily training.  It was great fun to find that Festina has talent for the changes, but gaining a better understanding of the training basics was the most rewarding result of the week.  _________________________________________  Olympian Charlotte Bredahl-Baker To  Conduct 2009/2010 Adult Clinics Lexington, KY (February 12, 2009) - The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced the signing of United States Olympian Charlotte Bredahl-Baker as the clinician for the Platinum Performance/USDF Adult Clinic Series.   This series will consist of nine clinics over the next two years beginning in the fall of 2009.             “We had a super successful series with Jane Savoie, so we are thrilled to bring Charlotte on board. We believe she brings many of the same teaching and training skills as Jane, but with a slightly different approach so it will be exciting to watch the series unfold,” stated USDF Director of Marketing Linda Schultz.             In 1992 Charlotte and her horse, Monsieur, were part of the bronze medal winning Olympic Team in Barcelona. Charlotte has represented the United States in many international dressage competitions including 1997, when she and her other horse, Lugano, were part of the silver medal winning United States team at the North American Championship in Maryland.             In 2004, Charlotte's stallion, Windfall CB was named USDF Horse of the Year at Intermediate I. In 2005, Charlotte and Eskada won California Dressage Society (CDS) and Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Championships at Prix St. Georges and Intermediate I Freestyle. In the same year, Charlotte and Komo won CDS and Great American/USDF Regional Championships at Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle. In 2006, when competing in Florida, both Eskada and Komo qualified in the top twelve for the National Championships at Gladstone in Intermediate I and Grand Prix, respectively. Charlotte was born and raised in Denmark. She moved to the United States in 1979 and is a USEF-licensed  “S” judge. ________________________________________________ USDF Championships Prize Money Added For Adult Amateurs and Junior/Young  Riders             Lexington, KY (February 5, 2009) - The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) and Great American Insurance Group are pleased to announce that prize money at the Great American/USDF Regional Dressage Championships has been increased to include the adult amateur and junior/young rider divisions at both the  Intermediate II and Grand Prix Levels.              In total, over $143,000 in prize money will be award in the 2009 Great American/USDF Regional Championships, divided evenly among the nine regions and 35 divisions that are offered.  Champions in each region and division will receive $273 in prize money and an embroidered jacket and cooler both provided by Tuff Rider Inc., official horse clothing supplier of the USDF.  Reserve champions in each region and category will receive $182 in prize money, along with a saddle pad provided from the Great American Insurance Group, title sponsor of the championships.             “It is with great pleasure that we provide additional recognition to these outstanding competitors through our sponsorship of the regional championship program,” agreed Kathy Stringer, Great American Insurance Group Marketing Director of the Equine Division, Ken Standlee, President of the Equine Division, and Jim Mitchell, Vice President of the Farm Division.             “We’re so pleased that through the generous support of our sponsors, we are able to recognize even more competitors and continue to expand this already successful program,” adds Cindy Vimont, Senior Director.             For more information about the Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Dressage Championships, please visit the USDF Web site or contact the USDF office. _______________________________________________________________ Palm Beach to Host Regional Championship For 2009, USDF Says            Lexington, KY (August 26, 2008) - The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced the dates and locations for the 2009 Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Dressage Championships: USDF Region 1 (October 22-25) at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA, USDF Region 2 (September 17-20) at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL, USDF Region 3 (October 22-25) at the Palm Beach County Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach, FL, USDF Region 4 (September 10-13) at the North Iowa Fair Grounds in Mason City, IA, USDF Region 5 (October 16-18) at the New Mexico Expo in Albuquerque, NM, USDF Region 6 (September 25-27) at the Devonwood in Sherwood, OR, USDF Region 7 (October 1-4) at the Murieta Equestrian Center in Rancho Murieta, CA, USDF Region 8 (September 9-13) at HITS on the Hudson in Saugerties, NY, and USDF Region 9 (October 29 – November 1) at the Great Southwest Equine Center in Katy, TX.             These championships recognize the outstanding efforts of riders in each USDF region and provide an excellent opportunity for spectators to view the top competitors in their respective regions.  Kathy Stringer of Great American Insurance Group added, “By being the title sponsor, we are able to help USDF showcase these commendable individuals and provide them with the recognition they so greatly deserve.”             Competitors qualify for Great American/USDF Regional Championships by competing in designated qualifying classes throughout the year at USDF-recognized competitions.  For more information on qualifying or regarding the regional championships, visit the USDF Web site or contact the USDF sport programs department. FOR 2009 QUALIFYING New Rule Change Affects Juniors for USDF Regional Championships LEXINGTON, KY--The USDF Executive Board approved an update to the 2009 Great American/USDF Regional Dressage Championships program rules to reflect the USEF Extraordinary rule change on April 1, 2008 to DR 119.2, making the FEI Junior Tests equivalent to Third Level for the purposes of entering shows. Regional Championship program Rule C.4 Qualifying System - changed to read: Junior Riders (age 14-18) must ride the FEI Junior Team Test to qualify for the FEI Junior Division and may ride the FEI Junior Individual Test to qualify for Fourth Third Level. Junior riders may ride the FEI Junior Freestyle to qualify for the Third Level Freestyle. This change is effective immediately for the 2009 regional championship qualifying period. _________________________________________________________________________ USDF Welcomes New Registries For All-Breeds Awards Program             Lexington, KY (April 16, 2008) - The United States Dressage Federation welcomes all of it’s new and returning all-breeds participating registries/organizations (POs).  The newly added POs for the 2008 competition season include: the Palomino Horse Breeders of America, the Fell Pony Society of North America, the United States P.R.E. Association, the Canadian Horse Breeders Association, the Friesian Sporthorse Association, the Friesian Heritage Horse & Sport Horse International, and the Nokota Horse Conservancy.            All POs, by partnering with USDF, recognize the accomplishments of their breed or registry on a national level through the Adequan/USDF All-Breeds year-end awards program.  Currently, USDF has 62 POs and over 15,015 horses declared to participate in the program.             “Through combined efforts with all of our participating organizations in the all-breeds awards program, we are able to promote dressage within the various breed organizations, as well as to highlight the contributions of different breeds within the world of dressage.  Also, with the support of all of our POs, this program has come to embody the mission of USDF by serving as a catalyst for education, recognition of achievement and promotion of dressage,” stated Krystina Firth, Senior Competitions Coordinator.             For more information on Adequan/USDF All-Breeds awards or to view a full listing of current USDF POs, visit the USDF Web site at www.usdf.org, e-mail allbreeds@usdf.org, or call (859) 971-2277. _________________________________________________ Get USDF News Live on Your Desktop!             Lexington, KY (March 26, 2008) - The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced today that it has created a new Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed to enable members and businesses to receive the most up-to-date USDF news and headlines.  RSS is an internet protocol that transmits a news feed in real time and is automatically updated as new items become available.  These feeds make it possible for people to keep up with all of the current news and happenings at USDF on their personal Web pages or homepage, with RSS capabilities.  Anyone who wishes to add the USDF RSS feed can do so by clicking on the RSS icon on the USDF Web site.         Director of IT Services Chad Compton stated, “The availability of this feed to all of our members, affiliates, and partners will enable us to keep the public informed of important news and updates from USDF instantly and help us to establish ourselves as the primary resource for dressage news in the United States.  Additionally, the development of this feed ties directly into the USDF Strategic Plan by using technology to make dressage news available to people outside of our membership and to create a world class Web site.”          For more information on subscribing to the USDF RSS feed, please visit the USDF Web site or contact the USDF office. _______________________________________________________________   Important Competition Information 1. USDF Non-Member Fee: Effective 10/1/2007: For each USDF non-member (NM) owner/lessee, and USDF non-member rider there will be a USDF non-member fee of $20 per competition that must be collected by the show secretary and submitted along with the USDF Report of Fees document. In addition, a $5 affidavit fee must be collected if the person cannot provide a copy of their USDF NM card. (For persons applying for the first time for a non-member number the $5 affidavit fee is not required.) Owners/lessees or riders exempt from the non-member number requirements are also exempt from paying the USDF non-member fee (see exception below). An individual with a USDF NM identification number is not eligible for any USDF membership benefits. Competitors can apply for a USDF NM identification number online or at the competition. Once a USDF NM number has been assigned, a USDF NM card can be obtained from the USDF Web site. New USDF Non-Member/Affidavit forms and the updated USDF Report of Fees document may be ordered by using the Competition Management Supplies order form that is located on the USDF Web site under the Competition Management Resources page or by calling the competitions department at (859) 971-2277. All forms may also be downloaded from the USDF Web site and will be sent directly to show managers soon on a convenient CD. Exception: Riders and owners/lessees competing only in classes which are exempt from the USDF HID requirements are also exempt from the USDF non-member ID requirements. These classes include Individual Breed Classes (IBC) at DSHB competitions; breed restricted dressage or DSHB classes at Regular Competitions (e.g. all Arabian, all Friesian, or all Morgan classes; USDF Introductory Level, Pas de Deux, or Quadrille classes; FEI ParaEquestrian classes; or leadline, exhibitions, games and races, classes for 4-H members, walk-trot and academy classes. Also exempt are Handlers of horses competing in DSHB In-Hand or Group classes. 2. USDF/Dover Adult Amateur Medal Test Requirement (Effective 10/1/2007) The USDF/Dover Medal class must be designated as a Second Level Test Three class or an applicable Test of Choice class where the rider must ride Second Level Test Three. 3. Prize List Submission (Effective 10/1/2007) USDF will be requiring that each show submit an official prize list. This official prize list must consist of all of the required and relevant pages; these may be copied out of the Omnibus. (This includes the USDF Recognition Page and entry form). Please submit electronic copies of your prize list to prizelist@usdf.org. Please label each prize list submission as a draft, official copy, or update. This will help us to avoid any confusion in the results submission and also help us keep track of where each show is in the revision process. We encourage each show to submit a draft copy to us for review so that any changes that are needed can be made prior to the prize list going to print. 4. NAJYRC Results Submission (Effective 10/1/2007) USDF has implemented a new requirement to ensure the scores are recorded correctly as NAJC/NAYRC qualifying scores. The class name in the results must be exactly as follows: NAJC Junior Team, NAJC Junior Ind., NAJC Junior Freestyle, NAYRC Young Rider Team, NAYRC Young Rider PSG, and NAYRC Young Rider Freestyle. If this requirement is not met the scores may not be recorded correctly. 5. Dressage Sport Horse Breeding Guest Carded Judges: DR202 General Regulations. [Chapter DR - Dressage Division] Effective 12/1/07: A competition with a Federation licensed Dressage Sport Horse Breeding division must have a Federation licensed Dressage Sport Horse breeding judge and a Federation licensed dressage technical delegate. Guest Cards to judge DSHB classes are granted only to currently licensed foreign FEI Dressage Judges and foreign breeding experts. (See GR1009.) 6. Increase to USDF Administration Fees (Effective 10/1/2007) Please note that beginning with competitions scheduled in the 2008 USDF competition year (beginning October 1, 2007), the administration fees have increased to $75 per competition, regardless of the number of days in length. ________________________________________________________________

USDF Issues Update On Electronic Results Submission Standard LEXINGTON, KY--USDF would like to inform all show managers and show secretaries that USDF is changing its protocol for sending electronic results (USDF Electronic Results Submission Standard--ERSS), effective immediately. The new protocol for electronic submission will simply be sending your results in a PDF format emailed to results@usdf.org. We will continue to refer to this new protocol for submission of results as the USDF ERSS. The standards as outlined in the USDF Results, Fees, and Paperwork Submission Guidelines must still be followed, however, most dressage competition software is already adhering to these standards, and therefore, if you use this software, you are already in compliance with USDF requirements.       Also, effectively immediately, you do not need to code each ride, which had been required in the original ERSS format or protocol. Coding was becoming too complicated, making it difficult to receive accurate results data into our system via a truly electronic process. When you are ready to submit your results electronically to USDF, the Adobe (PDF)  format for submission must be used. (This is already an option with most show software products.) As long as you follow the USDF results submission guidelines, and email results to USDF in a PDF format, you will be in compliance with the new USDF ERSS format or protocol. You can find more details about the correct format and PDF software at http://www.usdf.org/electronicresults/index.asp As the sport grows and changes, it is apparent that we need to create a system that can accommodate these changes while also creating more efficiency for show management, facilitating the processing of results by USDF staff, and meeting the future data needs of USEF and USDF. The goal still remains to build such a system of results submission, but for now, USDF requests that you send your electronic results via PDF. This will ensure that USDF will receive a consistent and usable results format, while continuing to work towards designing and improving the capabilities of a true electronic submission process. You can also send your results via hard copy and mailed directly to USDF. Effective October 1, 2006, USDF will no longer accept faxed results. If you have questions or would like more information on how to submit results to USDF you may access our website at http://www.usdf.org/competition/managementResources.asp or contact Krystina Firth or 859-271-7895.