Out Like a Lion

It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Lexington's Triangle Park last night. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

The 2013 Adequan/USDF National Convention came in like the proverbial lamb, with balmy temperatures that perhaps lulled us into a false sense of security. But you know what they say -- and so today, the final day of the convention, the iceman cometh to Lexington, the (teensy bit of) snow fell, and that was all she wrote.

Actually, Lexington has been spared the worst of it. Flights to destinations from Midwest to Northeast and Mid-Atlantic canceled like dominoes today, and all day those of us who are still here -- including yours truly -- have been swapping snow-and-ice horror stories related by the folks at home. Here are mine: My trainer, attempting to head home after a weekend riding in the Debbie McDonald clinic at Hassler Dressage in Maryland, got 15 minutes from Chesapeake City, turned the trailer around, and went back. As I write this, the horse is happy and snug in the beautiful barn and my trainer and the horse's owner are spending the night in the Hasslers' guest house. Meanwhile, some friends who drove down for the day to audit the clinic are having a helluva time driving home on that snow-covered parking lot known as I-95.

Stay safe, everyone.

So that's the weather and travel update. But I think I speak for most of the convention attendees who stayed until today when I say it was worth it, even with the getting up early and the weather woes.

Two morning sessions wrapped up the convention offerings. In the first, I had the privilege and pleasure of moderating a "fireside chat" with our new Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame inductee Charles de Kunffy. If you ever have occasion to interview Mr. de Kunffy, let me tell you, it's easy-peasy: Just hand him a double espresso, ask him a leading question, and then sit quietly and listen.

Mr. de Kunffy comes prepared, and he know what he wants to say and what message he wants to impart. Today he wanted to impress on the audience how wrong he thinks it to mistake speed for impulsion or engagement. As he put it, "'Run like hell' was not something I was taught in the riding academy in Hungary." This fault, he said, is the number-one mistake he sees in today's dressage riding and training.

He also deeply disapproves of judges who reward horses that stab the ground with their limbs instead of bending the joints and sinking gracefully like a cat; that move with extravagant action in front while "walking behind"; or that fail to elongate the stride as well as the neck in extended walk.

Finally, Mr. de Kunffy yearns for the establishment of a national riding school in the US -- a dream that's been shared by others but that's never been able to come to fruition, largely for reasons of distance and money. In his opinion, certifying dressage instructors or attending clinics and symposia can't substitute for the 24/7 immersion that an academy provides.

My only regret as moderator was that I was stuck on stage and unable to take photos. You'll want to check out the USDF e-TRAK video of this session for sure, just for the moments when Mr. de Kunffy rose from his chair and demonstrated "bending hocks," "stabbing hocks," and equine pelvises flexed and extended for the audience. He got the point across extremely well, although I confess I was afraid the master would forget himself in his enthusiasm and fall from the stage.

The convention wrapped with a compelling and extremely educational session on equine neurologic disease by Clara Fenger, DVM, PhD. I am continually impressed at the world-class presenters USDF gets for its sessions: Dr. Fenger is the researcher who discovered that it is the opossum that transmits EPM to the horse.

The session was so chock-full of information that I can't relate it all here; I'll write it up for a future issue of USDF Connection. But I can share the takeaway: Some neurologic signs look eerily like big, super-active dressage movement. As someone who's currently horse-shopping, I sure am glad I heard Dr. Fenger's talk before I bought a horse. She advises that a complete neurologic exam be part of a prepurchase exam; if there are positive findings, follow up with a neck x-ray. Problems found could be reason to walk away, she said.

So tomorrow (I hope) I'll finally head home, and sometime soon I'll resume the horse search, armed with additional knowledge. That's why I love the USDF convention: I never go home empty-handed. I hope those of you who were in Lexington feel the same way.

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.