Happy New Year!  I’m just back from the December USDF convention and symposium.  What an event!  The convention was in a little different format this year in order to cut a day out of the schedule.  This was done in an effort to reduce both costs and time away from home for the delegates.

It was a convention with very little controversy.  The current officers were re-elected to another three-year term. New dressage tests are written and in place to be effective December 2006. “All-breed Award” score minimums were raised, and the capital campaign had heavy emphasis.

At the convention, ODS executed a capital campaign pledge of $20,000 to be paid over five years, and turned over a check of $5,780 as our initial payment.  The Roemer Foundation will match all cash gifts received by December 31, 2005. Due to the matching, our check netted USDF $11,560.  You will be hearing more from ODS and your chapter leadership about efforts to meet our pledge obligation  and why supporting USDF is important to all of us, not just the competitors.

One topic that may prove to be controversial in the future came from the USEF Dressage committee.  This committee meets at the USDF convention in an open forum. They discuss rule changes, problems, and new initiatives with USDF member prior to the January USEF convention.  The members of this committee are also active in USDF in a number of roles. The group includes Axel Steiner, Janet Brown Foy, Anne Gribbons, Hilda Gurney, Scott Hassler, Janine Malone, George Williams, as well as TD and competition management representatives.

The USEF committee is beginning to discuss a “competition qualifying system” for riders similar to systems used in Europe.  Competitors would need to obtain certain scores, or “points” in one level before being permitted to progress to the next level.  There are numerous complications to address before this program can be implemented, but it is on the horizon. The committee was surprised, and pleased, the idea was met with applause from the audience.

The symposium with Klaus Balkenhol was the best I’ve attended.  I’ve been fortunate to see Conrad Schumacher and Walter Zettl at prior conventions, but the depth and breadth of talent—in the coach, riders, and fantastic horses, will be unlikely to be matched again at a USDF convention.  Steffan Peters, Susan Peters, Hilda Gurney, Charlotte Bredahl, Christine Traurig, Guenter Seidel, David Wightman, Leslie Morse, and a few other top California riders, rode horses at various levels with Mr. Balkenhol providing in-depth commentary to the audience and instruction to the riders.

Despite his competition successes, both personally and as a coach, Balkenhol’s approach is classical, quiet, calm, and unforced. I was pleased to hear that he has renewed a multi-year contract with USEF to serve as the US national coach.

The ODS board and chapter presidents will have a planning retreat in January.  In February, Rose Newman will repeat the show management training session she led last year.  She has new ideas and hopefully will be able to add more information.   (This program idea was picked up by USDF who offered a similar session at the convention).

Until next month,

John Craven.