By Chelsey Burris
Members were eager to reunite with old friends, vote on important matters affecting our sport, partake in a full slate of education sessions, and meet folks from all across the US who share their passion for dressage at the 2024 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention December 4 – 7, 2024. Here are some of this year’s trending topics and takeaways.
Paralympians Lead The Way
This summer in Paris, the USA Para Dressage team gave the United States a lot to be proud of! When the dust had settled, the four athletes and their mounts had broken records left and right. Veteran Rebecca Hart aboard Floratina added two individual gold medals to her collection, Paralympic newcomer Fiona Howard with Diamond Dunes had a scintillating debut where she also earned two individual golds, and Roxanne Trunnell with Fan Tastico H became the most decorated para equestrian athlete in US history by adding an individual silver medal to her display case. Those three combined for the team challenge, earning ANOTHER gold medal for the US there. Meanwhile, Kate Shoemaker aboard Vianne notched an additional podium triumph for Team USA with an individual bronze.
During Saturday night’s Salute Gala and Annual Awards banquet, USDF paid tribute to this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic teams. With all four Paralympians in attendance, they were invited on stage, where Shoemaker made a heartfelt speech about what it means to be a part of this historic team.
Watch our page for a great behind-the-scenes interview with the USA Para Dressage Team, coming soon to YourDressage!
USDF Becomes the Recognized Affiliate for Para Dressage
…And to cap off all the exciting para dressage news at the convention, it was voted on and announced that starting January 1, 2025, USDF will become the US Equestrian Recognized Affiliate Association for Para Dressage.
Leading up to this transition, representatives from the United States Para Equestrian Association (USPEA), US Equestrian Para-Equestrian Sport Committee, and USDF representatives formed a taskforce that worked in tandem with the US Equestrian executive arm to identify necessary changes, edits, and additions to USDF Policies & Procedures and Bylaws to reflect the assimilation of para dressage into the USDF structure and outline the duties and responsibilities that come with the corresponding affiliate role. With the support of USPEA, USEF approved the USDF request to become the Recognized Affiliate at their fall meeting, and the motion was approved by the USDF Board of Governors at the convention in Houston. You can learn more about this exciting news here.
A Full Slate of Educational Opportunities
Education is one of the cornerstones of USDF. We were proud to offer many education opportunities for USDF members at the 2024 Convention, covering topics from horse health, rider biomechanics, competition management, technical delegate, training, and much more, all featuring leading experts in their fields including Dr. Howland M. Mansfield (DVM, CVA, CVMMP), Joan Darnell, Lilo Fore, Jean Kraus, Lisa Gorretta, Michelle King, and Dr. Sarah White-Springer. The brand new USDF Book Club also hosted a session where members could discuss one of the recent reads with the author, Janet Foy.
Perhaps the most talked about session was Friday’s ‘You Be the Judge’ which featured speakers and prominent judges Janet Foy and Mike Osinski at the helm. Members were introduced to new ways judging could change in the future, showing everyone how folks in the Judge Education Initiative are learning and utilizing new and innovative ways to create a greater level of understanding about scoring. The goal is for more consistency among judging. This helps competitors see what judges are looking for and how they can improve their scores. It was a great way for members to be introduced to new technology, learn how it can help them and their horses improve in the show ring, with Foy and Osinski explaining the methodology used by judges to assign scores.
In Wednesday’s Judge Education Workshop, about 50 judges attended, where they “judged” several video tests. The results were tabulated to show areas of high and low discrepancies in the attendees scoring. Foy and Osinski discussed the reasons they gave the scores they did as portions of the videos were replayed. This was a fascinating look at the future of judging, to allow a more consistent playing field among riders.
USDF Members Learn From (and Honor) A Living Legend
In 2024, USDF was proud to recognize Bill Woods as our USDF Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Woods has instructed and judged in 43 states and five foreign countries. Over 40 years of judging recognized dressage shows has given Woods a special perspective to help others understand what all judges are looking for and what it takes for them to succeed in the show arena. A trailblazer in our sport, Woods’ leadership role helped establish dressage instructor certification in the United States. In 2003, at USDF’s 30-year anniversary, Woods was cited as one of the top 20 most historical influencers of USDF – and his impact has continued to grow for an additional 20 years since then.
On Saturday, USDF members were afforded the chance to meet him in person at his ‘Fireside Chat’. In this interactive session, Woods went over some key points from Dressage Unscrambled, his popular dressage book where he has put together dozens of stories from his lifetime of teaching. Woods’ knowledge and sharp sense of humor made for an engaging session with lots of Q&A, and at the end of the session, members lined up to have Woods sign copies of his book.
Later that night, as Woods accepted his Lifetime Achievement Award at the Salute Gala & Annual Awards Banquet, he elicited laughs from the audience while also expressing his heartfelt appreciation. “I didn’t realize what mischief he was up to at the time,” Woods shared during his acceptance speech, about initial conversations with USDF founder Lowell Boomer about how to reach the grassroots in dressage. These conversations would ultimately lead to the founding of the instructor certification programs that are now popular across the US.
Woods was also gracious enough to sit down with us and share about his life in an exclusive interview, which will be coming soon on YourDressage.
Hot Topic Issues
In the session ‘The Future of Our Sport’, panelists Eliza Sydnor Romm, Reese Koffler Stanfield, and George Williams discussed the plethora of issues that the horse industry currently faces – from social license to operate (which was also a hot topic issue in the ‘Trending Topics in Sport & USEF Rule Changes’ session), to rising costs in ownership/boarding/and training, and how to handle the increase in social media scrutiny on horse sports. The session concluded with a lively Q&A where members voiced their concerns, as well as solutions, to problems currently many are facing. Make sure you watch YourDressage for an upcoming one-on-one interview with Sydnor Romm about challenges in our industry.
Recently, USDF announced that the 2025 and 2026 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® would be moved from the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY to the World Equestrian Center (WEC), in Wilmington, OH. This change captivated the dressage community, with the Facebook post announcing the news skyrocketing to a reach of over 175,000 in just the first few days. The Convention provided plenty of opportunities for members to discuss this change. The ‘US Dressage Finals Open Forum’ generated discussion about the change, including excitement about climate-controlled arenas and stalls, making the unpredictable November weather a non-factor. Several west coast riders came to the microphone to voice their opinions, including inquiring if there would be changes to travel grants, as Ohio is still a long haul for them, and whether a tiered system could be put in place to help offset costs. The move of the marquee competition also sparked up many conversations in the USDF Council Open Forums. 2024 was a great year for Finals – numbers were up from 2023, the weather was beautiful, and there was a significant increase in participation in the Junior and Young Rider classes. With the change in venue, we anticipate a very popular show in 2025.
The cost of shows was also a topic that was touched on in a number of forums and sessions. In the ‘Technical Council Open Forum’, there was discussion about “two shows” in one weekend expenses for competitors. The upcoming rule changes, which will take effect 12/1/2025, were discussed thoroughly in ‘Trending Topics in Sport & USEF Rule Changes’. Additionally, in the ‘Open Competition Forum’, David O’Connor, the USEF Chief of Sport, focused on all of us working together for our future as he stressed “what happens to one horse affects all horses.”
A few trending topics came out of the ‘Activities Council Open Forum’. There was a discussion on declining youth membership and ways to bring more youth members into the sport and get them engaged. Some things to look forward to, in the near future, include the Born in the USA perpetual trophies for national and FEI levels coming in 2025, and a revamp to the Horse Certificate Program in 2026 with a new name and new awards (a stall plaque). In the Board of Governors General Assembly, a new Sport Horse year-end award for 2026 approved.
Celebrating the Life of an Icon – Carol Lavell
In 1997, just the second year after the founding of the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame, superstar horse Gifted was inducted into it. This year, his rider Carol Lavell joined her longtime mount, when she was posthumously inducted into our Hall of Fame.
Lavell was a beloved ambassador for our sport. In the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, she was part of the bronze medal winning team. She also had a World Championship bronze, as well as a Pan American Games gold and silver in her collection. Beyond the show ring, she was a leader in our sport, and her passion for helping others shines on through her many contributions to The Dressage Foundation, helping to support the dreams of many, many riders into the future.
USDF President George Williams gave a touching tribute speech about Lavell, sharing anecdotes from across the dressage community about the diminutive but mighty Lavell. Her longtime student, Pam Goodrich, accepted the honor on her behalf.
Meanwhile, Lillian Frenzel and Diane Welling were recognized for their volunteer efforts as Youth Volunteer of the Year and Volunteer of the Year, respectively, leading off a night filled with award recognitions for riders, breeders, horses, and more.
Photos by the Framed Equestrian
Life of the Party
Convention week is a busy time, with the daily schedule packed from early morning to late into the evening each day. Although there are many important meetings to attend and events to participate in, attendees still found time to have some fun, experiencing what Houston had to offer.
Serving as the official kick off of each convention, Thursday night’s annual Welcome Reception provided attendees an opportunity to reconnect with friends, map out their ‘plan of attack’ to make the most out of their convention week, and share in some amazing hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.
The following night, we hosted a Texas-sized onsite party, filled with refreshments, dancing, and merriment! Dancers from the Howdy Dancers, adorned in black cowboy hats, lured many members onto the dance floor, teaching them square dancing and other Texas styled moves. The wide grins of those on the dance floor and at tables around the hall showed that a good time was had by all. These parties are well-known at convention, as a time to reunite with old friends and make lots of new ones, creating memories that will last forever, where you can cut loose and enjoy your time being surrounded by so many others who are as passionate about our sport as you are.
Board Members Elected
The 2024 USDF Board of Governors (BOG) General Assembly included elections for the positions of president, regional directors in the even-numbered regions, and a special election for USDF Region 7 Director on the USDF Executive Board. Kevin Reinig, who was currently the vice president, was elected president. Meanwhile, Treasurer Lorraine Musselman was reelected, as well as the regional directors for Region 2 (Debby Savage), Region 4 (Anne Sushko), Region 6 (Noah Rattner), and Region 8 (Helen Van Der Voort). Their terms begin January 1, 2025. There was also a special election for USDF Region 7 Director, naming Regina Antonioli to fulfill the term. Read more about the elections here.
The 2024 BOG concluded with the recognition of outgoing and incoming members of the USDF Executive Board. We wish to thank outgoing USDF President George Williams for his amazing leadership through all the years!
In parting, Williams shared these words, “In many ways I believe the USDF is entering a brand new era. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as President. I’ve truly enjoyed my many years of working with our wonderful staff, who along with the volunteers play such a vital role in the success of USDF. For me, it’s exciting to see younger leadership taking the helm. I’m confident in passing the torch onto Kevin. He will do an excellent job of working with a motivated Executive Board in moving USDF forward and continuing to expand the most recent educational initiatives.”
Want to get to know USDF’s new President better? Watch our page for a one-on-one interview with Kevin Reinig, coming soon to YourDressage!
The Future of Our Sport
Youth attending the annual convention and representing the future of the organization and sport are encouraged to utilize the opportunity to meet with industry leaders, learn about developing and achieving their dressage goals, and become involved in other aspects of the sport, outside the competition arena. It was an exciting year for youth – with the number of youth in attendance at convention doubling in size since last year!
For the first time ever, the convention hosted a Youth Assembly. Specifically geared toward the needs of our Youth Members, this assembly, presented by the USDF National Youth Programs Committee, emphasized youth opportunities (such as the National American Youth Championships, Festival of Champions, US Pony Cup, and grants and programs available through The Dressage Foundation to help youth fund their dreams) and judging specific to youth and Dressage Seat Equitation. Activities included a meet and greet; viewing “On the Levels” with Lilo Fore, getting a judge’s perspective; and attending the Board of Governors meeting to learn more about the governance of USDF. During the BOG, the Youth Members were even invited on stage to be recognized. To see the future of our sport before our very eyes was a unique moment at this year’s BOG.
Photo by Chelsey Burris
During the Salute Gala and Annual Awards Banquet, youth leadership was on full display, as Region 3’s Lillian Frenzel was named USDF Youth Volunteer of the Year.
Also on hand to be recognized, were this year’s Youth Convention Scholarship winners: Katie Staib, Tayla Damyanovich, Ryder Mosqueda, and Marley McCourt. These scholarships provide financial support to young dressage enthusiasts to help defray the expenses associated with attending convention, an invaluable resource for education and an introduction to USDF’s governance.
GMO Highlights
The convention is a popular gathering place for members of Group Member Organizations (GMOs) from across the country. The always popular GMO Roundtable discussions were well-attended this year. Attendees had the opportunity to discuss various topics as they related to the size of their GMO, with moderators from the Group Member Organizations Committee and USDF staff on hand to lead the interactive discussions. The GMO-specific education session this year was ‘Virtual Lessons: Tips, Tricks, and Pitfalls for GMO Members’ featuring Stephany Fish Crossman and Tony Sandoval. Several GMO’s celebrated milestone anniversaries this year: celebrating 50 years were Deep South Dressage and Combined Training Association, Equestrians Institute, Georgia Dressage and Combined Training Association, Long Island Dressage Association, Oley Valley Combined Training Association, and Western Pennsylvania Dressage Association; celebrating 25 years was Michiana Dressage Club, Inc.
GMO baskets are always a big hit and a highlight of the Board of Governors (BOG) General Assembly meetings. Originally established by Ruth Arvanette, each year, Group Member Organizations from across the US donate customized gift baskets, given away as door prizes to attendees of the BOG. These baskets highlight the uniqueness and distinctiveness of the GMO’s club and region. Check out a sample of the GMO baskets here. Another highlight of the BOG, the 2024 GMO Awards were presented to the winning clubs for excellence in photography, website design, newsletter content in the categories of first-person experience and general interest articles, and creating inspired and unique programs for their members. Additionally, the nine USDF GMO Regional Volunteers of the Year and the 2024 Ruth Arvanette Memorial Fund Grant recipient were recognized. Read more about the 2024 award winners here.
Suppenkasper Rides into The Sunset With One More Horse of the Year Title
If there is one thing Suppenkasper knows how to do, it’s win! He and rider Steffen Peters had an illustrious career together, where they racked up multiple Adequan®/USDF Grand Prix Horse of the Year awards – USDF’s highest honor for an equine. Famously becoming known as ‘The Rave Horse’ for his unique, techno-infused freestyles (you can learn more about how he earned this moniker in this YourDressage exclusive story), Suppenkasper competed in more than 80 international competitions with Peters in the irons and earned 59 victories in Grand Prix CDI competition throughout their career together. After one final showing at the Paris Olympics in 2024, owners Akiko Yamazaki and Four Winds Farm announced that the 20-year-old Dutch Warmblood would retire.
He closed out his amazing career by adding one last Colonel Thackeray Perpetual Trophy as the Adequan®/USDF Grand Prix Horse of the Year to his collection. Now, ‘Mopsie’ as he’s affectionately known, will live out his life, enjoying a well-deserved retirement. Accepting the award, Akiko Yamazaki shared a brief video of what the superstar’s decidedly more laidback life looks like now, away from the bright lights of the world’s highest level of competition.
This video played during the Salute Gala & Annual Awards Banquet, showing what Suppenkasper’s life in retirement looks like.
Among the many prestigious additional awards handed out that evening were the Traveling Trot Perpetual Trophy presented to the Adequan®/USDF Dressage Sport Horse Breeding Horse of the Year Only Diamonds SDSF (Olivi x Qualität Kronjuwel), bred and owned by Natalie Masin of Region 9; and the Sunshine Sport Horse Association Perpetual Trophy presented to the Adequan®/USDF Materiale Horse of the Year Priya de Jeu (Revolution x Sisther de Jeu), owned and ridden by Marne Martin-Tucker of Region 3.
The celebrations continued, with many USDF members getting to walk across the stage and have their photos taken to commemorate their achievements. These included USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medalists; Bronze, Silver, and Gold Freestyle Bar Recipients; Master’s Challenge Award Recipients; Diamond Achievement Recipients, and Breeder of Distinction Recipients.
Awards and accolades were also given out for Adult Amateur, Adult Amateur Musical Freestyles, Junior/Young Rider, Para-Dressage Rider of the Year, Musical Freestyle, Musical Freestyle Challenge, and Vintage Cup. Capping off the evening was the presentation of the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards, with breed enthusiasts from a number of our participating organizations receiving special recognition. Our thanks to Adequan® and Dressage Extensions for sponsoring our year-end awards.
Photos by The Framed Equestrian
All awards not picked up at the event were mailed the week of December 16, 2024. If you do not receive your award, by January 31, 2025, contact USDF.
An Eye Toward the Future
As folks started to say their goodbyes and head out to the airport to go back to their home Regions, many were already discussing reuniting again next year. Make sure you mark your calendars now to join us in Lexington at the Hyatt Regency on December 3-6, for the 2025 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention!
Sights from Convention
Photos by the Framed Equestrian
Special Thanks
Our special thanks to our convention and year-end awards title sponsor Adequan® and year-end awards supporting sponsor Dressage Extensions. Additionally, we wish to thank The Framed Equestrian for the amazing photos throughout the event. Photographs from the 2024 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention, as well as the USDF Salute Gala & Annual Awards Banquet, are now available. Use code USDF2024 at checkout to receive a 10% discount on purchases!
Did you attend the 2024 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention in Houston? Let us know your favorite part in the comments below!
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