Freestyle Motion Passes, but Don't Expect Immediate Change

The USDF Board of Governors today approved the motion directing the USDF to recommend that US Equestrian, the national governing body of equestrian sport in the US and the rule-maker for US dressage national-level competition, rescind the rule change that increased the prerequisite qualifying score to compete in freestyle from 60 percent to 63 percent, earned at the highest test of the level.

The Board of Governors assembly wrapped up this morning at the 2018 Adequan/USDF Annual Convention in Salt Lake City.

Passed as what US Equestrian refers to as an extraordinary rule change--meaning at a time other than during the usual December-January USDF/US Equestrian convention and rule-change-approval time frame--the score-prerequisite rule (DR 129.9) takes effect today, December 1, 2018.

Even with the motion passed, USDF president George Williams emphasized after reading the results of the vote, dressage competitors should not expect change to be immediate, or in fact expect that the rule will actually be rescinded.

The ultimate decision, Williams said, is in the hands of US Equestrian's dressage-rule-making body, the USEF Dressage Sport Committee (DSC). The USDF's recommendation must go through the channels and be discussed at a future DSC meeting, and any actions would then require approval per US Equestrian's own procedures. The bottom line, Williams said, is that the score increase indeed has taken effect and will be the rule for some time to come. And the DSC could well vote to uphold the freestyle rule as it stands now.

Although some of the BOG delegates who spoke out in favor of rescinding the rule will undoubtedly be disappointed if that does not come to pass, many expressed a measure of satisfaction just knowing that the motion may "send a message" to US Equestrian, as some put it.

"I think it's important to us to send a message [to US Equestrian] that this is inappropriate," said delegate Barbara Cadwell, referring to the fact that the mid-year "extraordinary" nature of the rule change meant that it failed to register on some dressage enthusiasts' radar until after the rule change was passed. "I don't object if it's done right. I want to publicly smack their hand."

Many delegates who spoke out, both for and against the motion, said that they actually support the score increase as a way to help ensure that horses being shown in freestyle classes have the basics and the training to be able to execute their routines capably and without struggling or confusion. Higher standards, many said, help to protect equine welfare and guard against unintentionally abusive riding. I came away from the BOG vote with the sense that many delegates viewed a "yes" vote on the motion as a rebuke, not of the standards but of US Equestrian's decision to fast-track the rule change with what USDF delegates perceived as inadequate transparency or requests for comment prior to the rule's passage.

According to the BOG, West Is Not Best for US Dressage Finals

The 2015 USDF Board of Governors. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

In 2011, when the USDF Board of Governors (BOG) voted to approve the creation of a new national dressage championships called the US Dressage Finals, they green-lighted a motion that "proposed" -- not mandated -- the rotation of the championships location from East to West every three years.

The 2013, 2014, and 2015 editions of the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan were held in Lexington, Kentucky, at the Kentucky Horse Park. The USDF decided to commit to Kentucky for the 2016 show, as well...but then what?

A site-selection committee headed by USDF president George Williams and US Dressage Finals organizer (and former USDF secretary) Janine Malone did research and identified the HITS Desert Horse Park facility in Thermal, California, as a likely location for the 2017 Finals. But then a funny thing happened: Some people started wondering whether the Finals shouldn't remain in Kentucky, after all.

According to Malone, it's not unheard of for a BOG to vote to overturn a decision approved by a previous BOG. Thus it came to be, on the first of two days of the 2015 BOG assembly, that group-member and participating-member delegates engaged in a good hour of impassioned debate as to whether the Finals should be given a permanent home at the Kentucky Horse Park or whether it was better to honor the wishes of the 2011 BOG and attempt to allocate the Finals locations in something of an equitably divided manner between the two halves of our enormous nation. Then it was time for the BOG to vote on the motion, which was to commit to a Western Finals in 2017.

US Dressage Finals officials Janine Malone and George Williams address the Board of Governors. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

I've sat through enough debates at enough BOG assemblies that I can usually tell which way the winds of popular opinion are blowing; when the vote comes, it's not too much of a surprise. But honestly, today I couldn't get a sense of which way the vote was going to go. As a colleague remarked to me after the discussion period had been ended and the voting had begun, all of the delegates who waited patiently at the microphones for their turn to speak made thoughtful, persuasive arguments. There wasn't as much "I want the Finals in my back yard because I don't want to travel" as you might imagine, and there were even a few surprise endorsements of Kentucky as a permanent Finals site by West Coast-area delegates. Some people pointed to the success of such institutions as the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and the iconic show in Aachen, Germany, which are always held in the same location. California Dressage Society president Kevin Reinig made several trips to the microphone, declaring that "We will do whatever it takes to make the Finals a great show." Riders from the western half of the US lobbied for the opportunity to show at a championships a more reasonable distance from home.

I was in for another surprise when George Williams announced the results of the electronic voting. Assuming a close race, I didn't expect the motion to be defeated soundly, with 855 delegates voting no and 569 voting yes, with 12 abstaining.

But it ain't over 'til it's over, and there is much still to be decided. Janine Malone said that some facilities won't commit to less than a three-year contract. It looks as if the US Dressage Finals will remain in Kentucky through 2017, but what is to happen in 2018 and 2019? That question may be decided tomorrow morning when the BOG reconvenes. Before they adjourned today, delegates agreed to resume discussion tomorrow. Tomorrow they may determine the future of the US Dressage Finals.

One thing emerged clearly from the discussions, however: The Finals, which were so long in the making and doubted by so many, have exceeded expectations and have quickly become a prestigious flagship event for the USDF. This show has been embraced and continues to earn accolades from competitors, officials, and spectators alike. The US Dressage Finals are a point of pride, and no one wants to see them lose their luster or become diminished in any way. What a difference five years has made!

The Rio Grande

Our convention host hotel: The Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino. Photo courtesy of the Las Vegas News Bureau. 

Everything's supposed to be bigger and better in Texas, but perhaps they haven't compared the Lone Star State to Las Vegas.

Here, everything seems outsized. The portions. The rooms. The sheer number of eateries, casino attractions, lit-up twinkly signs, and crowds of determined-looking gamblers.

Have I mentioned the hike from the main hotel portion of the building to the convention-center area?

Folks, if you're coming to convention, pack your comfortable shoes. It can be upward of a 15-minute walk from your hotel room to a meeting room. The cavernous hallway that winds past the breakfast restaurant, and the Starbucks, and the spa, and the Penn & Teller theater, and a bunch of other meeting rooms before you arrive at the promised land of friendly USDF faces and enticing sponsor displays goes on...and on. So don't say I didn't warn you!

On the bright side, if you don't have time to squeeze in a workout, you'll get some measure of your daily aerobic requirements just going to and fro. If you do that 10,000-steps fitness-counting thing, these next few days are going to be a piece of cake. And speaking of cake, if you eat any, you'll walk it off.

Fitness expert Jennifer Kotylo (front) leads USDF members in an early-morning Pilates class. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

But just in case you want more than walking, you can get up early every day and meet equestrian-fitness expert and Pilates and Balimo instructor Jennifer Kotylo (whom you may recall having met in "Loosen Up!", our article on dealing with tight hips, in the November issue of USDF Connection) for a fitness session. This morning about 20 intrepid USDF members got a 45-minute introduction to Pilates and its core concepts -- literally, since Pilates is all about core strength and stability. (It's changed my riding. I highly recommend it.) Tomorrow Jennifer's going to teach us about Balimo exercises as developed by biomechanics expert Eckart Meyners, and Saturday's going to be devoted to "a whole bunch of other stuff" from Jennifer's bag of tension-easing, balance-promoting, rider-enhancing tricks.

Each of USDF's nine regions had the first of two meetings this morning. I'm from Region 1, and the hot topic in my meeting was the US Dressage Finals -- specifically, the issue of whether to execute the original approved plan of initiating the Finals in the eastern part of the US (the first four years, 2013-2016, will have been held at the Kentucky Horse Park) and then moving west in 2017, most likely to the HITS Thermal grounds in California, according to Finals organizer Janine Malone. There are strong feelings on all sides of the location issue, and I'm betting it'll be the flash point of this year's USDF Board of Governors assembly, which begins tomorrow.

What else has gone down thus far? Several committee meetings and the annual United States Equestrian Federation rule-change forum, at which members of the USEF Dressage Committee explain proposed USEF rule changes that could affect dressage and solicit input in advance of January's USEF convention. One proposed rule change, which would disallow double bridles at Third Level in USEF/USDF dressage competition, was not met with enthusiasm. A straw poll of forum attendees showed strong support for the current rule, which gives riders the option of using either the double or the snaffle bridle at Third Level.

The other rule-change forum hot button involved two proposals pertaining to the current rule regarding the use of logos on saddle pads. Although members of the USEF Dressage Committee expressed strong support for rules that help enforce the distinction between amateur and open (professional) riders, the audience favored a rule-change proposal that would allow all dressage competitors to display a modestly sized logo on saddle cloths. I can't predict how this one will wind up, so we'll have to wait to see what comes out of the USEF convention.

OK, speaking of meetings, I have another one in 15 minutes, so I'd better wrap up this post. Tonight: welcome reception. Watch the blog and the USDF Facebook page for photos!

Giving Back

Red-letter day: Region 8 delegates at the USDF convention. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Saturday's theme at the 2014 Adequan/USDF Annual Convention was giving back to the sport of dressage. Throughout the day, officials, presenters, and honorees echoed the importance of returning something of oneself to the sport that has provided us with enjoyment, friendships, and opportunities.

At the conclusion of the Board of Governors assembly, Regional GMO Volunteers of the Year were recognized, as was excellence in media produced by GMO -- the organizations and their contributors, of course, nearly all volunteer-based. The award winners and photos, like all of the other awards and honors presented at convention, will be featured prominently in the 2014 yearbook issue of USDF Connection (February 2015 issue).

We recognized the USDF Executive Board, all of whose members give countless hours in an effort to improve the organization. And then we gathered together the Region 8 BOG delegates in attendance, many of whom put in extra hours this year helping to make the Cambridge, MA, convention a fun and memorable one. I think I speak for most convention-goers when I say it should not be 20 years before we return to New England!

2015-2016 Nutrena/USDF Adult Clinic Series presenters Kathy Connelly and Betsy Steiner. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Educational presenters give back to the sport and to the USDF by sharing their expertise. Renowned trainers Kathy Connelly and Betsy Steiner packed them in (literally -- people were sitting on the floor when chairs became scarce) for their introduction to their 2015-2016 Nutrena/USDF Adult Clinic Series.

You won't want to miss this dynamic duo in action. Longtime friends as well as colleagues, Kathy and Betsy share a delightful sense of humor and, more important, an abiding love for the horse that pervades their teaching and training. As Kathy put it, "We are shepherds for the horse while we are here on earth." She likened the training process to the famous quote by Michelangelo, who said that his job as a sculptor was to reveal the figure already present in the marble: "to bring out the talent innate in the horse while preserving his spirit, heart, and personality."

The 2015-2016 Nutrena/USDF Adult Clinic Series kicks off in April 2015 in USDF Region 9. Clinics are open to auditors of all ages -- in fact, these clinics, unlike the typical dressage clinic or symposium, is geared toward the auditors, not to the individual riders. Any USDF group or participating member over the age of 22 is eligible to apply to be a demonstration rider. Amateur rider or pro -- doesn't matter! Clinic selectors are seeking horses and riders of various levels. For all the details, click here.

Slide from Dr. Hilary Clayton's presentation. Yes, the horse's spine can bend -- but not always the way we think it does. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

From training and riding, the educational focus turned to the latest findings in equine-biomechanics research, presented by the world-renowned expert Dr. Hilary Clayton. Her session, entitled "Going in Circles," explored the unique forces (and stresses) placed on the horse's body when he circles or turns. Some of the findings might surprise you. For the full story, you'll have to wait for the convention coverage in USDF Connection, but here's a teaser: Believe it or not, training a horse to carry himself "correctly" (without leaning in, motorcycle-style, as horses do naturally) in turns and circles may actually be more stressful on his limbs. Fortunately, there's something we can do to counteract the stresses, so don't miss this report.

Laura Marie Kramer of Standlee Premium Western Forage wrapped the 2014 convention educational sessions with a look at the importance of good forage to the performance horse. I may give one of her suggestions a try with my own ulcer-prone youngster: feeding him a couple of handfuls of alfalfa pellets 30 minutes before exercise. Thanks to its calcium content, alfalfa is basically Tums for horses, according to Laura; plus it's higher in protein and calories than other types of forage, which makes it a good choice for my rangy fellow. (Not all horses need alfalfa, and those with easy keepers may want to invest in a good slow-feeder, Laura said.)

The culmination of the USDF convention is the Salute Gala and Annual Awards Banquet, during which we celebrate members' accomplishments with their horses. We also celebrate those who have made outstanding contributions to USDF and to the sport of dressage.

USDF Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Janine Malone (center) with USDF Historical Recognition Committee chair Anne Moss and USDF president George Williams. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

USDF Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Maryal Barnett (center). Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

This year, four remarkable volunteers were honored: USDF Youth Volunteer of the Year Christiana Logan, USDF Volunteer of the Year Terry Ciotti Gallo, USDF Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Maryal Barnett, and USDF Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Janine Malone. These four women have given back to dressage and to the USDF in ways that truly go above and beyond the call of duty. Christiana somehow manages to be both a dedicated dressage volunteer and a top student. Terry, a longtime USDF Freestyle Committee member, has immeasurably advanced dressage freestyle and has shared her musical and choreographic expertise with scores of enthusiasts. USDF certification examiner and Instructor/Trainer Program faculty member Maryal Barnett has worked tirelessly to improve dressage education in the United States. And former USDF Region 1 director, USDF secretary, USEF dressage-rules guru, and US Dressage Finals organizer Janine Malone has gotten things done, buttoned down, and squared away for decades.

Thank a dressage volunteer today. Better yet, become a volunteer yourself! For as Maryal Barnett pointed out in her acceptance speech, there is no greater satisfaction than in giving back.

Let Them Eat Cake

Celebrating the USDF Instructor/Trainer Program's 25th anniversary. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Unlike with Marie Antoinette, this time the invitation was a welcome one. The occasion: the USDF Instructor/Trainer Program's 25th anniversary. Adequan/USDF Annual Convention attendees, and especially members of USDF's Board of Governors, enjoyed slices of delicious cake during a break in day 1 of the BOG's annual assembly.

Cake wars: USDF members vied for the best angle to photograph the anniversary creation. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

In truth, the break was hardly needed. Once a notoriously contentious governance marathon, the BOG assembly is on track to break speed records for the second year in a row. Today's agenda -- which included reports from USDF's president and executive director, a budget report, and talks by various United States Equestrian Federation officials -- wrapped half an hour early. It left plenty of time for the eagerly anticipated drawings for those most cherished of door prizes, the traditional gift baskets donated by USDF's group-member organizations.

The 2014 USDF Board of Governors assembly. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Beautiful baskets, many displaying state or regional pride, are a cherished BOG tradition. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

The reports and addresses were universally upbeat. According to USDF treasurer Steve Schubert, the USDF is in the black and has been pronounced squeaky-clean by its independent auditing firm. In its second year of existence, the US Dressage Finals attracted 100 more horses than the 2013 edition and are in the black, according to Janine Malone, who chaired the national championships' organizing committee. USDF member and horse-registration numbers are healthy, although some GMOs have seen attrition, a concern addressed in the morning's GMO roundtable discussions, in some committee meetings, and in USDF executive director Stephan Hienzsch's BOG report.

GMO representatives share challenges and solutions at the popular GMO roundtable discussions, Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

The USEF reports were practically fountains of delight. No one can compete with national dressage chef d'equipe and technical advisor Robert Dover when it comes to optimism. Referring to the USEF-USDF relationship, Dover said, "We are putting together a true machine that works together at every single level, from the littlest kids to the highest level." Make no mistake: This man is going to get US dressage riders on the medal podiums or die trying. My own money's on the former.

We heard from USEF president Chrystine Tauber, who praised the USDF's efforts in creating the US Dressage Finals and promised continued support for dressage. Some of that support will assuredly come in the stout, genial form of Will Connell, whom the USEF lured across the pond from the British Equestrian Federation to become its director of sport.

Connell had the BOG delegates laughing at his tales of his days as commander of the King's Troop in the Royal Army, and later as a new employee at the BEF, working to transform a "dysfunctional" British team into the world-beaters they proved to be at the 2012 London Olympics. (In Athens 2004, Connell said, he found Carl Hester in the arena the night before the Grand Prix Freestyle, frantically trying to learn teammate Richard Davison's freestyle. Hester figured his chances of qualifying were so poor he hadn't bothered to create his own freestyle, Connell said.)

Under that pleasant exterior and the hello-old-chap stuff must beat the heart of a ferocious go-getter, however. Most sources give Connell the credit for turning around Team GB's equestrian fortunes, and it's clear the USEF wanted him badly. It will be very interesting to see what Connell does with what he's calling Operation Tokyo, the reference being to the 2020 summer Olympic Games.

We're Shipping up to Boston!

SHIPSHAPE: The USS Constitution in the Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston.
Photo courtesy of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Every year at this time, dedicated dressage volunteers from all corners of our country make their way to the Adequan/United States Dressage Federation Annual Convention. The convention is a few jam-packed days of education, networking, shopping, awards and honors, and -- most important, if not the most glamorous -- business meetings, committee meetings, and governance proceedings.

The wheels of American dressage -- the programs, procedures, education, and more that enable our sport to function and grow -- turn all year, but nowhere is the process more evident, or more public, than at the USDF convention. Any USDF member may attend and voice an opinion at the many open meetings held during convention, which kicks off tomorrow in Cambridge, MA. You can even attend an open forum on proposed United States Equestrian Federation rule changes affecting dressage held by the USEF Dressage Committee, which makes the rules and writes the tests for USEF-licensed, national-level dressage competition.

If you can't make it to Cambridge, be sure to follow this blog for news and photos from the convention. As always, there are some special happenings planned for this edition of convention. I'm excited to be interviewing this year's USDF Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, Maryal Barnett and Janine Malone, "for the historical record" tomorrow. And I'll be sure to get photos of the 2014 USDF Volunteer of the Year, Terry Ciotti Gallo, as she accepts her award at Saturday night's Salute Gala & Annual Awards Banquet.

I always look forward to the convention educational sessions. In Cambridge I'll be learning about equine nutrition, sport-horse breeding and judging, and equine biomechanics, to name just a few.

Do you have convention-related questions? Are you traveling to Cambridge, perhaps to receive an award? Tweet using the hashtags #USDF and #USDFConv. You'll be able to follow the USDF Twitter feed on the right-hand side of this blog page, as well. So be sure to post those convention and awards photos, and I'll see you in Cambridge!

Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward the BOG

So far at the 2013 Adequan/USDF National Convention, there's been more buzzing about the weather than the Board of Governors agenda.

Winter Storm Dion, as the system has been dubbed, made its way into the Lexington, Kentucky, area today, bringing nonstop rain that this evening began to change to ice as temperatures dipped. This being the land of little snow-and-ice-removal equipment, the Lexington airport has already began canceling flights, which of course led to anxious speculation: "Will I be able to get out of here Sunday?" "I wonder whether my family will be able to drive in tomorrow for the awards banquet." Ah, the joys of staging a convention in the (almost) wintertime.

But inside the Hyatt it's warm and cozy, and few souls ventured outside the hotel today. (We're thanking our lucky stars the hotel is connected to shops and restaurants.) You might think this scenario makes for cabin fever and cranky Board of Governors delegates, but day 1 of the BOG assembly was almost certainly the smoothest, quickest, and least fraught with conflict in USDF history.

This ease can be attributed to two things. First, the inaugural US Dressage Finals, which wrapped just a few weeks ago, went incredibly well and have earned nothing but accolades from both competitors and the equestrian press. Had the event been problematic, I have no doubt that the I-told-you-so'ers would have been lined up 20 deep at the microphones in the BOG meeting room.

One big happy family: The USDF Board of Governors. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Second -- are you ready for this? -- there were no committee motions to come before the BOG for a vote. Zip. Zero. The excitement of the day was approving a minor addition to the USDF bylaws that had gotten left off the agenda printout. (If you're curious, the bylaws now affirm the longstanding policy of electing by acclamation any Executive Board candidates who run unopposed.)

GMO basket from the Potomac Valley Dressage Association. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Frankly, the BOG delegates showed a lot more animation whenever a drawing was held for another GMO basket. In this charming tradition, GMOs donate regionally themed gift baskets to be awarded as door prizes during the BOG assembly. (I wish I could win one, but I'm not a delegate.)

There was also excitement during the coffee break, when convention-goers were treated to mini cupcakes decorated with chocolate horse heads or the number 40 -- in honor of USDF's 40th anniversary, of course.

40th-anniversary cupcakes surround a "Happy Birthday USDF" cake. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Happily caffeinated and fortified, the delegates settled back in to listen to the customary presentations by a United States Equestrian Federation representative and by the head of the USEF's high-performance dressage arm. Today we heard from USEF CEO John Long and USEF dressage chef d'equipe Robert Dover.

Long, who announced that he will step down next June, reaffirmed the USEF's determination to self-police in the area of equine welfare:

"We’re continually reminded of the problems the Tennessee Walkers have. The [US] government has intervened; as you may have heard, two Tennessee Walker trainers were arrested this week. But that’s not what we want to happen to us. Better for us to take care of those issues than someone else coming in from the outside and telling us what we have to do."

That's why, among others, USEF rules prohibiting injections 12 hours prior to competition have been passed, Long said.

Robert Dover addresses the USDF Board of Governors. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

A couple of tantalizing quotes from Dover, who laid out his "big audacious goal" of getting US riders atop medal podiums in his "Roadmap to the Podiums" earlier this year:

"We are on the march to have [dressage] combinations that can [score] between 75 and 85 percent. That’s the formula for a medal."

And for those dressage-pony advocates out there:

"I’m so determined to enhance this [the US pony dressage program] until we have the strongest pony division in the world."
  Amidst these developments, the USDF itself appears to have turned the economic corner, said executive director Stephan Hienzsch, with horse registrations, membership revenue, and recognized-show participation up a tick this year. And USDF treasurer Steve Schubert announced that in 2013 the USDF achieved his goal of amassing six months' worth of operating cash reserves.

Safe travels to all who are Lexington-bound, and we'll see you tomorrow for BOG day 2, more great education sessions, and the Salute Gala and Annual Awards Banquet.