Here it is December already and it seems like I’ve hardly had time to catch my breath.  The week-end of November 21-22 included the Region 6 Mini convention, ODS General Membership meeting, ODS Awards Banquet, and the ODS Board meeting.  Then it was off to my son’s for Thanksgiving, home for a couple of days before heading for the USDF Annual Convention in Austin.

Election results for the ODS Board of Directors were announced at the General Membership meeting.  Jessica Rattner and Marsha Williams were elected as Directors at Large and Marilyn Ulincy is the new Southern Regional Representative.  It was really great to have multiple candidates for the open Board positions.  Voter response seemed to be higher than in previous years.  Hopefully it is an indication of more interest by the membership in the management of the organization and they will continue to provide input.  The ODS Board of Directors are as follows:

Directors at large:  Siobhan Barker, Francy Haupt, Ed Miller, Rose Newman, Jessica Rattner, Marsha Williams

Regional Reps:  North-Patty Armstrong, South-Marilyn Ulincy, Central-Gaye McCabe, East-Open

The Board Officers Board Officer were elected at the November 22 Board meeting.  The new Officers are:

President-Ed Miller

President elect-Rose Newman

Secretary-Sally Temple

Treasurer-Christopher Main

Like any new administration, the first order of business is to inform you that if anyone has complaints, it was all because of the past administration.  All the good stuff in the next few months is the result of my doing.  Phew, my first (and last) official proclamation as a Politian is complete.  Seriously, we are thankful for the leadership and all of the hard work Marsha Williams put in as the ODS President for the past three years.  Fortunately for all of us she will continue to be a Board Member and continue to serve ODS and assist me finding my way.

I’m excited about the challenges the next couple of years will bring.  As many of you already know we have had a task group led by Donna Thayer to develop a Strategic Plan to guide our endeavors over the next few years.  After a lot of work beginning at the Presidents Retreat last January, the Strategic Planning Committee completed a plan for 2010 and 2011.  The plan was presented to the Board of Directors and approved at the November Board meeting.  Many thanks to Donna Thayer for taking on the project and pushing all of us to get it done.

The approved plan has two Strategic Initiatives, each with specific goals, timelines for 2010 and 2011, and a set of action plans for achieving those goals.  The initiatives were developed as a result of synthesizing results of literally hundreds of ideas at brainstorming sessions.

The first initiative is to create a responsible financial plan that meets present and future needs.  The other initiative is to improve communication among board members, between the board and the chapters, between the board and the members, and between ODS and the community.

Work on implementation of the plan will begin at the forthcoming retreat for ODS Presidents and Board January 9 and 10, 2010 at Silver Falls State Park.  We will be looking for volunteers to head up and participate in teams to implement plan.  It should be interesting work.  Take a look at the plan and let me know which of the teams you would be interested in participating.

The plan with its goals and actions plans are available on the ODS Website WWW.oregondressage.com.

Everyone is invited to attend the Retreat.  It’s a good time to meet with your colleagues from around the state, do some brainstorming, and make some friends.  This is where many ideas and directions for ODS are hatched.  It’s not unheard of that participants spend the evening around a fireplace quaffing some root beer or sampling grape juice, watch some video and generally enjoying themselves and the company.  Call the ODS office to check for availability of space to attend.

There was a huge increase in participation in the Region 6 Championship show this year.  To give you some idea, here is the data for the last couple of years.

Yr        horses              rides    FEI rids

2008    156                  502      42

2009    239                  800      107

The large number of competitors had show management scrambling to get it all in.  Region 6 Championships will return to location rotations.  The 2010 show will be held in Washington (Donieda),  2011 will be in Idaho, and 2012 will be back to Oregon.  Beginning next year the show may be extended to 4 days instead of 3 if the entries warrant to alleviate some the problems that occurred this year.

Here is some good news.  The USDF Lunging Manual and the USDF Classical Training Manual were revised this past year.  They are now available from the USDF bookstore (www.USDF.org).

The end of the competition year means its time to recognize the accomplishments of competitors, volunteers, and just plain old good people that contribute so much to our sport.

The ODS Awards Banquet was held November 21 in conjunction with the Region 6 Mini Convention, the ODS annual Membership meeting and an ODS Board meeting.  This is the first time in my memory that it was not held in conjunction with the ODS Championship Show.  We had the highest turnout for the past several years, over 90.  There was some spirited bidding at both the live and silent auctions.  Auctions brought in around $4000 to support ODS activities.  Award winners were:

President’s Choice Horse Ambassador – Harbor Mist, owned by Jaime Hughes

Connie J. Keith Award – Carrie Olson

Mary Ann Judkins Memorial Instructor Award – Cynthia Sanders

Support Person Extraordinaire Award – (2 this year) Rob Boyle and Kristi Marshall

Sportsmanship Award – Holly Cisneros

Volunteer of the Year – Barbara Tuohino Funk.  Barb also was awarded the USDF Volunteer of the Year Award.

Teresa Dunlap Trophy – Siobhan Barker

Chapter Newsletter Award – North Willamette Valley Chapter

ODS rider performance awards are being tabulated and will be distributed at a later date.

I also attended the USDF Awards Banquet in Austin TX where ODS members did us proud.  Nine  ODS members were awarded the USDF Bronze Medal – Mercedes Andazola, Kelin Carraher, Lisa Hornsby Daws, Kathryn Gruenefeldt, Dolores Harris, Kaitlin MacMillan, Mija Rae Paris, Monica Payne, and Anne Stevens.  Kim Barker, Jessica Crawford, Kristina Frye, Stephen Page, Laura Ritacco, and Koby Robson each received the USDF Silver Medal.

Master’s Challenge Awards went to Barbara Doherty (1st level), Ed Miller (3rd level) and David Keiser (3rd and 4^th levels).

Barb Funk’s fillies received Dressage Sport Horse Breeding Horse of the Year awards and KWPN of North America.  EDEN was the KWPN Champion and All Breeds Reserve Champion Filly of the Current Calendar Year.  CALLA was Two year old Filly Champion for both KWPN and All Breeds.  BELLADONNA was KWPN Three Year Old Filly Champion.   Sonnenberg Farm had three Champions and one Reserve Champion awards in the KWPN of North America Registry.  DOLCE S was Champion Yearling Colt/Gelding, DIMORA S was Champion Yearling Filly, ZEN ROSA was Four-and-Five year-old Mares Materiale Champion and the Four-Year-Old and older Maiden/Yeld Mare Reserve Champion.

Marsha Williams and SKYVIEW CYGNUS were the champions of the American Connemara Society First Level Freestyle.

Nancy Brandenburg and MEIKO CCF was the Champion of both Prix St. Georges Open and Adult Amateur categoies for the American Haflinger Registry.

Madeline McKallip and DONNA CARINA was the American Hanoverian Society reserve champion Prix St. Georges Junior/Young Rider.

Audry Goldsmith and HEART B PORTER were Training and First level open Champions of the American Mule Association.  Audry also rode Joy Roelofsz’s SPECIAL’S CHROMATIC LEGACY to Second Level Open Championship of the American Warmblood Society.

TWOFEATHERSTHISSIDEUP, owned by Linda Lindus and ridden by Regina Agren was First Level Open reserve champion of the American Paint Horse Association.

DYNAST-STARR ridden by Shelly Johnson was the Appaloosa Sport Horse Association Champion at both Third Level Open and Third Level Adult Amateur.

H WRENDITION owned and ridden by Molly Martin was Hungarian Horse Association of America Training Level Open Reserve Champion and the Four-and-Five-Year-Old Stallions/Geldings Materiale Champion.  HS WARADO and HS WISTRAR owned by Charlene Summers and ridden by Jennifer Schrader-Williams were the Third Level Open and Grand Prix Open Champions respectively.

ISR/Oldenburg Registry NA Champion awards went to RAVE REVIEW owned and ridden by DeeDee Estes for Second Level Open, Second Level Adult Amateur, Third Level Adult Amateur, Second Level Vintage Cup and Third Level Vintage Cup.  The ISR/Oldenburg Third Level Junior/Young Rider Championship went to Barbara Ayers riding YORKE.

DELTA’S DELIGHT owned by Holly Johns and ridden by Holly and Ryann Nolan was Lipizzan Federation of America Champion at First Level Open and First Level Junior/Young Rider.  CONVERSANO II PIROUETTA, owned by Brooke Voldbaek and riden by Kelin Carraher was Lipizzan Third Level Open Reserve Champion, Third Level Junior/Young Rider Champion and Third Level Musical Freestyle Champion.  FPZV USA Champion at Third Level Open went to REMBRANDT, owned by Don Eckhardt and riden by Brooke Voldbaek.

PRESCRIPTON ridden by Liz Lawson-Weber and owned by Jane Epperson’s was the Oldenburg Horse Breeders Society, NA Division of GOV, Reserve Champion at both Third Level Adult Amateur and Third Level Musical Freestyle.

DAKOTA PACHEZ riden by Taryn Dussin was the Pinto Horse Association of America Champion at Training Level Open, First Level Open, Training Level Junior/Young Rider and First Level Junior/ Young Rider.

The Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America Championship for Training Level Open went to TOANDOS MOUNTAIN MAN, owned by Sheryl Rudolph and riden by Bernadine Diers.   NORTH FORKS CARDI, owned by Jessica Wisdom and Cynthia Miller, and riden by Jessica Wisdom, was the Champion for both the Intermediate I Open and Four-Year-Old and Older Stallion categories.

ESCORAL, owned and riden by Heather Oleson was the Westfalian Horse Association Reserve Champion for both Prix St. Georges Open and Intermediate I Open.  Laura Ritacco and FALCOR captured the Fourth Level Junior/Young Rider and the Prix St. Georges Junior /Young Rider .

Congratulations to all the ODS and USDF Award winners.  I garnered this list by looking through the Program.  There may have been other ODS members who received awards that I did not recognize by name.  I apologize to all who may not have been included.

-Ed

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