Volunteers are the lifeblood of every horse show. For a competition the size of the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®, it truly takes a village of volunteers to keep everything running like a well-oiled machine. The 2021 edition of the Finals was the biggest to date, with new Junior/Young Rider divisions, as well as carryover eligibility for riders who qualified the year before but were unable to make their trip down centerline due to the COVID-related cancellation. The group of 2021 Finals volunteers rose to the occasion, handling the much larger show with extra rings, as well as some cold and windy weather, with smiles, hard work, and the spirit that makes volunteers so valuable.
We want to say THANK YOU to all who volunteered at the show, and share some of the sights they shared with us!
Anne Sushko Iowa and Carol Mundschenk, Illinois. Submitted by Anne Sushko.
US Dressage Finals Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Grisolia. Photo by Amber Wiseman.
Birgit Weeks on left, Greensburg, KY and Christine Brandel, Richmond, VA —gatekeepers in the Alltech. Submitted by Christine Brandel
Photo by Amber Wiseman.
Christine Brandel and Birgit Weeks with a competitor. Submitted by Birgit Weeks
Diane Welling and show dog extraordinaire Innis in the volunteer office. Submitted by Crhistine Brandel
Innis facing a new morning of volunteering. Submitted by Diane Welling.
Gotta stay warm and dry! Submitted by Heather Petersen
Katy and Marissa stewarding a warm up ring for Walnut together. Submitted by Marissa Hehnen.
Thanks to all the volunteers who made the 2021 US Dressage Finals such an amazing show!
And a special shout out to our 5-year volunteers: Carolynn Bunch, Charma Fargo, Beatrice Travis, and Haley Cronin, as well as to our Volunteer Coordinator, Kathy Grisolia, for all her tireless efforts!
To see a full list of 2021 volunteers, check out the US Dressage Finals programhere.