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: 1972
Locality: Region 2, Indiana
Website: https://www.indianadressage.org/
How many members does your GMO have annually, on average?
230 members
Tell us about your GMO.
We who are part of the Indiana Dressage Society (IDS) take pride in the unique legacy of our club. The Indiana Dressage Society was one of the original founding USDF GMOs. Our club founder, Dan Kirtley, was a 30-year veteran Navy pilot. He took up riding dressage while at his duty station near Bogota, Columbia. As part of the Columbian Mounted Police, he competed in dressage and was a silver medalist at the 1964 Columbian National Dressage Championships. After retirement, Dan returned to his roots in Indiana and led the founding of IDS, in 1972. Dan Kirtley’s name lives on in the perpetual Imperio Trophy, named for Dan’s horse Imperio, and the annually awarded Kirtley Cup Trophy.
Does your GMO offer unique classes or activities that cater to youth, adult amateurs, or professionals? If so, please provide a brief description.
IDS started with only 23 members. Today have 237 members, and offer clinics, educational programs, schooling and recognized dressage shows, and a year-end championship for all categories of members.
What type of educational events does your GMO offer?
IDS educational events include mounted and unmounted clinics. We have hosted USDF L programs, USDF Adult Clinics, and USDF Instructor/Trainer Programs. We offer a variety of volunteer training programs, and have recently created a set of videos to help teach volunteers how to correctly perform a variety of important functions at dressage shows. Speaking on volunteers, did you know that the 1987 Pan American Games were held in Indiana? The equestrian events took place south of Indianapolis- now known as the Hoosier Horse Park- that continues to host a wide array of equestrian events. Many IDS members and volunteers contributed to the building and success of the Games.
What type of “fun” events does your GMO offer?
At the IDS Year End Awards Celebration, we gather to share our appreciation of our friendships, our horses, and our supporters. The gala features a silent auction offering a variety of choices from professional team sports tickets to specialty chocolates. Performance and service awards recognize those who ride, as well as those who work to make IDS a vibrant club with a bright future.
Additional Comments:
For forty-five years, IDS has worked diligently to make our mission a reality. Our mission is: to promote the growth and development of amateur athletes in the sport of dressage through competition and education. In following our mission, we have brought quality dressage shows and educational events to our area. We currently hold four USEF-licensed/USDF-recognized shows over two weekends, three schooling shows, and a head-to-head championship for all classes and rider divisions. The schooling shows welcome traditional dressage riders, as well as eventing and western dressage riders. IDS supports a robust awards program, offering competitions for every level of achievement. IDS has also led fund-raising events, which resulted in the construction of a covered pavilion and two covered ring steward shelters at the Hoosier Horse Park, located in Edinburgh, Indiana.
