Submitted by Dawn Petraitis: Meteorologist by day, amateur dressage rider by night. I made my PSG debut in spring 2025 over 25 years after first starting in dressage at age 16. It took 3 different horses to get my Bronze Medal, 2 horses to get my Bronze Freestyle Bar, and I'm now one score away from my Silver Medal thanks to my current horse, Pfreefall *Pb* while also working on our Silver Freestyle Bar. Photo by Marie Cobb Photography
Adult amateurs, it’s your time to shine! We are featuring all things adult amateur throughout the month of April.
We recently asked our social media followers to share a photo of themselves and tell us a little about their journey for a chance to be featured in an upcoming gallery on YourDressage, and received an overwhelming response!
Did you know… dressage riders who are designated as an adult amateur with USEF are eligible for amateur exclusive year-end awards, including Master’s Challenge, Vintage Cup, Adequan®/USDF Adult Amateur Awards, All-Breeds Awards, and more!
I am a stay at home mom living out her dreams playing with ponies while my kids grow up. Getting back in the saddle after partial knee replacement & another acl reconstruction. Haven’t decided if I want to event again or stick to dressage (the sandbox judges scare me😆). But I do know I’ve finally learned to enjoy the process vs the final result at the end of the weekend. Pic of my Ottb & my 14 yr old (who is currently competing him until I’m fully back in the saddle) Liz Crawley photo – Beverly B.Grew up riding and competing in the hunters/jumpers, took a few years off and now getting back in shape by learning dressage!! I feel like a beginner again but am enjoying the learning process and can’t wait to apply my skills to my baby OTTB later this year. This is Matisse, he’s a dressage schoolmaster and the best teacher ever along with Ingrid Patel ❤️ – Mackenzie B.Homesteader and homeschooler during the week, saddle fitting on most weekends and riding/showing my morgan mare that I have owned since a weanling and started myself! We showed training and are aiming for 1st level this year! – Paige F.Meet Toby, a 12 year old PB Arab gelding that had no idea he was good at Dressage. lol and neither did I. I purchased Toby after recovering from cervical and Uterine cancer. I had horses for many years but stopped showing when my son was born and diagnosed as high functioning autistic, that took priority over everything else. Thru many years of the right Dr’s and therapy “Scooter” grew into an amazing young man that now proudly serves in the Army, I decided that after my brush with death and raising a brilliant kiddo, i was going to follow my dreams and find my dance partner. I had never ridden dressage and after my first lesson i was hooked! we had a hell of a 1st year together and the future is as bright as ever. – Jennifer R.Since I grew up in NJ, whenever I’m visiting home, I go back to being a working student and spend 8+ hours a day at the barn! – Caitlin A.Full time job in Hollywood during the day, and working with this guy the rest of the time. The horse 13 year old me always dreamed of, and I’m hoping to get my medals on him. He loves to show off! – Lisa F.I work in SaaS sales, and live for the ammy hours when I can get some time in the saddle. Balancing a full time demanding career with horses is challenging, but I’m super thankful for my APHA gelding Invited to Cruize. Before I bought him, he was a western pleasure horse, and I never thought we’d be doing Dressage, but here we are showing 2nd level. I love seeing all the other stock horses doing dressage with their ammy riders in this thread! – Casie R.I moved to the United States from Germany, and had to take a break from Dressage to establish my life here first. About 5 years ago, I bought this Lusitano cross as a yearling and eventually got back into showing. This weekend we will be showing 1st level for the first time. So proud of how far she has come already! Last year we earned our Training Level Performance Award. Riding and showing are my peace after working 12 hour shifts as a police officer. – Pia C.Me a my little arab Groovin, out here proving you don’t need a 6 figure horse or a warmblood to do dressage and do it well. He’s a 13x national champion on the arabian circuit. Have won twice at the national dressage pony cup and numerous wins at USDF shows against warmbloods from training level through i1. Placings and a reserve at USDF regionals. We hope to debut the Grand Prix this year. I’ve had him since he was 2 and have brought him along myself with lessons. – Caitlin H.I’m a USDF bronze medalist achieved on an OTTB that I did all the riding on. Many years later, I’m starting over with a vastly different type of horse: a Friesian/Morgan cross. We are currently on a groundwork journey to fix some behavioral issues from the ground because I’m coming off a herniated disc in my back and am not up for theatrics 🤣😭 I also do equine insurance claims for a living, and work at my boarding barn. – Samantha S.CV Dubl Smoking Guns or “Zeus” and I have been learning dressage together. This is he and I at the end of last year as just a 3 year old doing our first training level test. At this same show he also did western dressage, a ranch class, and a huntseat equitation class! Talk about versatile! Im a nurse by day, but this is my real passion. After training horses for many years in the main ring, I took a long hiatus to raise my son. I knew I wanted to get back into showing after he went off to college, but it never seemed like the right time. Fast forward to my very early 40’s and receiving the devastating news that I had Triple Positive Breast Cancer. I went through a year of chemo, 10 surgeries in 9 short months, and knew that if any time was right to go back to doing my passion, it was after treatment was completed. I found Zeus as just a 4 month old.. and the rest is history. He is 4 this year and we are looking forward to showing traditional and western dressage, and ranch. Best decision i ever made. – Stephanie E.My beautiful draft cross Levi at his first show 8 years ago. We are now going to show 2nd level this year. He is 14….I am 75. – Susan R.Come back year 2026! I have been out of the big sandbox for almost 11 years. New horse and new goals. – Angel S.A remote job in investment finance keeps the dream alive for me and my off-breed Morgan mare. We’re just babies in the dressage world, making our way into First Level this year. After losing my 3 year old in a pasture accident 2021, she was generously gifted to me as an unstarted 5 year old. We’re getting there slowly but surely. Love this little mare and all that has come with her. ❤️❤️ John McCarthy Photo – Aimee L.I’m an AA rider who brings all of mine up from babies. I backed my gelding myself and brought him up to FEI, we competed in our first CDI a couple of years ago. I also thinks it’s incredibly important to cross train all of my horses so he has done eventing and jumpers as well as fox hunting. I also have a mare who I bought as a custom foal – I’m bringing her up the levels and currently schooling 3rd/4th while also done some eventing and currently doing the .90s in jumpers with plans move move up to 1.0m next show ❤️ My FEI gelding; SusanJStickle.com photo – Jamie R.Special Ed teacher with dressage rider fantasies! My partner is Simpatico, my very first horse. I didn’t get him until I was 62, I never gave up the little girl’s dream of owning my own horse.💕🦄 – Janice B.Financial Controller at an Agriculture/Construction Equipment Dealership from 8-5…Adult Ammy by night and weekend! This is my 17 year old Haflinger, Will Beat the Storm of 2s (Stewie), that I brought home on a week trial when he was 10. Needless to say, he stayed and we’ve been dance partners, emotional partners, and best friends ever since. I helped him go from trotting like a hitch horse and not being able to canter to showing second level while he worked on building my confidence back after a series of unfortunate events with my previous horse. I could never repay Stewie for the opportunities, education and love he’s given me. We’re working on earning our USDF Bronze Medal (First level is knocked out 👊💥!) – Kendall V.Love seeing adult amateurs being celebrated. My partner Loki came to me as a 6‑month‑old colt from Hidden Springs Ranch, and together we’ve built everything from the ground up — in‑hand work, sport horse classes, Materiale, and now schooling Fourth Level and PSG. Every step has been my own saddle time, supported by incredible coaches and a lot of patience. Along the way, I recovered from a shattered tibial plateau, unsure if I’d ever ride again, but getting back in the saddle with him made the healing worth it. Our journey has been challenging, humbling, and unbelievably rewarding. There’s a special honor in being able to guide your horse though all stages of development and although it’s a long road, I am very excited and curious about what’s to come. – Evie B.I’m a full time Product Owner for a Financial Firm. I run a small private boarding barn. Juggle two kids, one in college and one who is a Sr in High School where baseball season has just kicked off. Oh and a husband too! Hoping to finish up my silver medal this year. It’s been a rough last two years between a gnarly ankle fracture and a breast cancer diagnosis, surgery and chemo. I’ve have 4 surgeries in less than 4 years. But I’m partnered with the amazing Avatar’s Jazzman who kept me safe and sane through all my treatments. Helped me earn my 3d level scores for my Bronze Medal and who at almost 24 is game to help me do my first PSG this year. It’s a lot to balance but I wouldn’t have it any other way!!!! Read Jen and Jazz’s story “And All That Jazz”! – Jen G.Recently got back into dressage after vet school with my Arabian gelding Aulways Out of Socks! I was not looking for a barely broke 4 year old when I met him, but one look and I couldn’t say no. We worked up through training level and then an injury as a 5 year old took him out of commission for 3 years. After a long and slow rehab process, we are now back to work! Currently schooling 2nd level and excited to work our way up. I have never had a horse that wasn’t already trained, so we are learning a ton together. He tries hard and really loves his job! – Kim D.I wanted a horse since I was 4 years old. My earliest memories are of my grandparents’ neighbors’ horses grazing in the fields. I cried myself to sleep for years because I was the oldest of seven children with no money for horses or riding lessons. Fast forward to 38 years of age and I saved up enough money to buy my first horse. Six months later I was bucked off and fractured my vertebrae. Healed myself, got back up, and kept going. Fractured my pelvis at a show, finished the show, won reserve champion, and then realized I couldn’t get off my horse, tore a shoulder too but never will I ever give up my horses. They are my everything and my reason to keep going. I still have the horse that injured me and I will never give up on him. He is retired now living his best life at 22 yoa. I have another horse (pictured) who is my dream come true. Bought him as a yearling, raised him, and had him professionally trained. Each horse has taught me so much about life and horses. I love them both so much and can never imagine my life without them. They have both exceeded my expectations and I hope I have exceeded theirs 😊🫶🏻❤️ – Jessica M.I’m an Adult Amateur in Region 6. This was immediately following my Grand Prix ride where I earned my Gold Medal on my Rhinelander gelding, Royal Flash R. He is my dream horse. I cannot wait to build upon my foundation and become an even better partner for my most perfect boy! I actually started riding again, after about 20 years off, when my daughters wanted to start riding after hearing stories of how I grew up showing horse 4H. Long story short, my family has reached a lot of our goals, with many more to come! So now we all ride as a family and have some amazing horses who keep us busy 🥰 – Kelli H.From earning my bronze in the saddle of a trusted partner, to the bittersweet goodbye of retirement, my journey didn’t end—it transformed. With a green horse and a fresh start, we built something new from the ground up, proving that patience, trust, and grit can turn beginnings into breakthroughs. In just two years, we went from learning the basics to earning our place at nationals—together, every step a testament to heart and horsemanship. Day time work as a part time bookkeeper and animal massage therapist. – Amy S.My first national event on my homebred 3/4 Arabian filly Rewrite The Stars aka Iris! I broke her myself and aside from a couple of friends playing with her, I’ve been the only one on her. We get lessons when we can make the trip, but otherwise it’s just myself and my husband on the ground helping me to bring her along! – Katie L.I’m juggling the dream, one ride at a time, as a veterinarian with 2 kids and as the only one to ride/train my horse. Neither of us had ever shown USDF when I bought her as an 8 year old, though she had solid general riding basics.
I started hearing about local USDF shows, and it looked interesting. I didn’t have a trainer, so I dove into the rule book, started reading tests, then started at Training Level. For many years, I only had access to a trainer for one weekend at a time, about 3 times per year. We have been fortunate to be able to take lessons about 1-2 times per month since for a few years now, and have learned so much. I continued to ride through pregnancy (my mare is a saint), and beyond though had to take 3 years off of showing due to COVID, an injury and having a baby. My dream was to someday compete in the US Finals, which we got to do in 2024 at the Kentucky Horse Park. It was an incredible experience, and we even placed 6th in our Second Level freestyle that I designed myself.
Last year, I earned my Bronze Freestyle Bar, designing all my freestyles myself. We won champion All-Breed GOV/OLD 3rd Level AA Freestyle last year as well.
I’m not able to travel frequently to other states to shows (just once per year if any), and so I have to rely on local shows. Sometimes we only have 1-3 rated shows in my state (NM) per year. We’re playing with fourth level now. It’s been a long, slow journey through the levels with everything else going on in life, but I’m so lucky to have found such a wonderful equine partner! Ophelia has also become a fantastic trail horse who can cross water, bridges, go under busy over-passes, walk along a busy road, gallop “calmly” on the ditch bank and jump logs in our way! – Darbie H.Hi! This is my mustang Arby! I work in semiconductors full time and I also wait tables on the side to help offset the cost of him. Finding dressage changed my life and I can’t wait to see where we go!! – Alicia P.I’m an accounting professor by trade, who just started competing in dressage two years ago. My gorgeous gelding and I are hoping to move up to second level this year. I love the camaraderie amongst the adult amateurs in Region 1 and the love we have for our horses ❤️ – Megan H.Truly inspiring seeing all the other adult ammy’s out there totally rocking it in the sand box! I purchased my coming 8 yo KWPN gelding when he was 3 and he is my first purpose bred horse for dressage. I grew up in Pony Club having earned my A rating level and evented for a good portion of my horse riding career with a highlight being winning the AECs back in 2019. I crossed paths with the absolute best dressage coach/mentor/barn family out there who has been pivotal in teaching me how to properly develop my dressage horse. He has been successful at regionals with several trips to finals. What an incredible journey❤️🫶🏻 – Erin L.I started riding in my late 30’s as way of fulfilling a personal dream with no intentions of ever competing. As many adult amateurs the thought juggling a 60+ hour a week job in wealth management and a family, serious commitment to riding wasn’t a thought. Time passed and I become more involved in my barn activities and dressage, the passion grew stronger. I have been very lucky to have found two fantastic trainers along the way. I currently have a full Friesian I hope to show I1 with aspirations of GP. It is so important to give every rider and horse their opportunity to shine, dressage is and should be for everyone. This drives my personal and corporate commitment to shows like Dressage at Devon so these opportunities can be available for generations to come. – Radene G.-B.I spend my days working as an Occupational Therapist with kids and every spare moment with my OTTB Lucky Zoom. Sometimes out of our league, but always putting forth our best effort, sideways or astride. We are here for the fun!🤩 – Lynn B.
