September, 2023
Greetings Region 8!
I have very exciting news for our region! Two of our very own have been recognized by USDF for their incredible dedication and service to dressage – Sally Davenport and Beth Jenkins!
Sally Davenport has received the USDF Lifetime Achievement Award for demonstrating a lifelong dedication to USDF and its mission through faithful volunteerism, attendance at annual meetings, and overall service to the organization. From the press release, “Sally’s influence and leadership has been felt in the community for decades, as documented by her being named 2013 USDF Volunteer of the Year. From her longtime membership in NEDA, where she organizes and administers numerous educational programs still today, her ongoing dedication to judge and technical delegate education and her service as a Dressage Technical Delegate, FEI Steward, FEI Para Dressage Steward, and member/chair of the USDF Technical Delegate Committee, Sally’s influence and leadership has permeated the US Dressage community for decades.”
Beth Jenkins has been named a USDF Member of Distinction. This award recognizes a member who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to their local area or region toward carrying out our sport’s mission. Again, quoting from the press release, “her longtime dedication to NEDA, where she is the longest serving member of their Board of Directors, Region 8, and USDF has been integral to the successes of, and opportunities made available to, the dressage community. In addition to the many roles she has played in both NEDA and USDF, having served as USDF Vice President from 2010 to 2013, Beth is a retired ASHA ‘R’ Dressage Judge, has managed some of the largest dressage competitions in the country, and has been paramount in supporting and promoting dressage education.”
Congratulations to both of you, and I look forward celebrating with you, and hopefully many other Region 8 people at the Convention.
I am also excited to share the news of Region 8 at NAYC last month. Our Junior Team made up of Leah Drew and Damons Davian, Sophia Forsyth and Dimagico, and Lucy Sheldon and Porche’s Florencia had a fantastic week, placing a solid third in the Team Competition. Leah held on to place 8th in the Junior Individual Test. While the Young Rider Team, made up of Gabriel Epstein and Bandito, Nash Gagnon and Eros SSF, and Isabela Thorpe and Porche’s Florencia did not medal, they had a great experience and are looking forward to next year. My co-Chef, Bobbi Carleton and I had a great time. It was a cooperative, fun group of kids, and their parents even behaved!
A final congratulations to all of you who have qualified for the Regionals September 20-24th. I look forward to seeing you and cheering you on. In order to move on to the Finals in Kentucky in November, each horse/rider combination must declare their intention to participate by filling in the form here https://www.horseshowoffice.com/usdf.org/declare1.asp If you do not declare by midnight on September 20th you will not be eligible, even if you have the scores to qualify. Its free to sign up, so bloody well do it! Much more information here: https://www.usdf.org/usdressagefinals/index.asp
While you are either competing or cheering your friends on at the Regionals, please check out the silent auction to raise funds for the Participating Member Delegates whom you have voted for, to help with their travel expenses. The auction will be open on Saturday, the 23rd. Kate O’Connor would love to have more items for the auction, so please email her at nativeross@charter.net if you have an item you would like to donate.
Here are a few grants being offered by The Dressage Foundation and their deadlines:
9/10 – Verne Batchelder Instructor Fund for Regions 1, 3, or 8.
9/15 – Gifted Memorial Fund for Adult Amateurs
9/30 – Major Lindgren Instructor Education Fund
10/7 – Young Rider Dream Program in Wellington FL.
Here is the link to the Foundation’s website which has many, many more grant opportunities. https://www.dressagefoundation.org/grants-and-programs/apply/
The Convention schedule has now been posted at https://www.usdf.org/convention/Conv2023Agenda062223.pdf?t=6/30/2023%209:53:09%20PM. Please consider attending. Without our attendance and input, USDF has no way of knowing what is important to us.
Some other dates to look forward to include:
9/21-9/24 Region 8 GAIG/USDF Championships in Saugerties NY
10/14-10/15 The 2023 Absorbine/NEDA Symposium with Kyra Kyrklund at Mt. Holyoke in Massachusetts. Here is a link to sign up to audit https://neda.org/page/2023Symposium. Beth Beukema reports there are still rooms available at the MGM Springfield.
11/9-11/12 USDF Dressage Finals – Nominations open 9/21
11/29-12/2 2023 Adequan/USDF Annual Convention in Omaha NE
All the best,
Helen
vandeh13@gmail.com