Help for Students of the Sport of Dressage

Most students of the sport of dressage will have questions and queries which arise from the comments and marks that are noted on their dressage score sheet !!!

Pictured right – the founder of Dressage Training On-Line, Reisa Bonetti-Sullivan and her beloved horse Piper.  She says, “Moments like these are the ones that all horse owners cherish, and  in order to preserve this wonderful bond, we must strive to learn more and understand how to communicate with our horse in a way that does not jeopardize his trust and goodwill!”

Reisa asks … 

“Are you experiencing any of the issues mentioned in the scenarios below?”

“Let our trainers and judges help you solve your problems.” she advises!

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The Fort Vancouver Spring Fling I & II Shows have been forced to move dates – please update your calendar to April 7 & 8, 2012.

The Prize List has been updated to reflect changes in opening and closing dates as well as the show date.  The updated Prize List has been posted on the ODS website here: http://www.oregondressage.com/2012_omnibus/2012-FVC-SpringFling.pdf

The FVC Spring Fling I & II is comprised of two 1 day ODS League Approved Shows in Ridgefield, WA.  If you are showing both days, be sure to send each day on its own entry form.  Entries will now open on Saturday, March 3 and will close Saturday, March 23.

Please contact show manager Rose Newman at (360) 281-6550 or rose_newman@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

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Wellington, FL -As the sun rose over the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL the Gold Coast Dressage Opener CPEDI3* commenced. Twenty-three para-equestrian dressage riders from seven countries vied for top scores under F.E.I. judges Carlos Lopes (POR), Hanneke Gerritsen (NED), and Marc Urban (BEL). For two weekends, beginning with the Gold Coast Dressage Opener CPEDI3* and ending with the Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CPEDI3*, para-equestrian dressage riders have the opportunity to earn their qualifying scores and increase their international rankings before the 2012 London Paralympics. For each country the next two weekends will mark the closeout of the team rankings before London. Dueling for the top positions in Friday’s Team Test were Canada and the United States. Competition will continue Saturday with the Individual Test, and end Sunday with the Freestyle competition followed by the awards ceremony.

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Nominations for the 2012 ODS Futurity are due January 31, 2012

The ODS Futurity consists of riding two tests at the ODS Championship Show in September – USEF Training Level Test 3 and USEF First Level Test 1. The futurity is open to all horses four to six years of age who have not shown at First Level or above (or equivalent test) prior to nomination (including ODS League shows).  The point scores from both tests will be added and the highest total will determine the winner. Both owner and rider of the horse must be ODS members in good standing at the time of the futurity; owner need not be the rider.  Horse must be nominated each year and have fees paid each year prior to competition.

Nomination and Futurity fees go into a purse and is divided as follows:

1st place – 30%

2nd place – 25%

3rd place – 20%

4th place – 15%

5th place – 5%

6th place – 5%

To review all of the ODS Futurity Rules and to make a nomination, please visit http://www.oregondressage.com/2012_omnibus/2012-Futurity.pdf.  Refer to ODS Championship Show Omnibus listing for futurity class entry fees and other show fees that may apply.

For questions, please contact the ODS Office at (503) 681-2337 or office@oregondressage.com.

Thank you.

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Lexington, KY- The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the opening of the fourth annual “Favorite Breed Competition” contest. Designed to function as a “competitor’s choice” award, this contest recognizes and applauds the efforts of the year’s favorite USEF licensed breed competition, as decided by the officials, trainers, riders, drivers, handlers or owners who participated.

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Dear ODS Members,

Siskiyou Chapter would like to let you know that we still have openings in both the Be My Valentine ODS League Show, to be held on Saturday, February 11th and the Mike Osinski Clinic, to be held on Sunday, February 12^th .  The closing date is approaching (January 30^th).

The Be My Valentine Show is an ODS League Show #L-9001, to be held at Cygnet Farm, 7501 Wagner Creek Road, Talent OR 97540.  It offers USDF Introductory Level through USEF Second Level including Musical Freestyle/Pas de Deux/Quadrille, plus unrecognized Third Level and Above, Prix Caprilli and Dressage Trail.  Show Officials: Mike Osinski (S)

• Click Here for Official Prize List
• Click Here for General Rules for ODS League Shows
• Click Here for the ODS League Show Entry Form

Sunday’s clinic, taught by Mike Osinski is to be held at Destination’s End Equestrian Center, 1651 Anderson Creek Road, Talent OR 97540 US.  It is open to members and to non-members.  Click here to download flier with more details and to learn how to register.

About the clinician: Mike Osinski, a FEI Competitor and USEF “S” Judge resides in Lacey Washington where he trains and teaches dressage at the Forest Park Equestrian Center (6504 44^thAve NE, Olympia, WA 98516).  He is the recipient of the USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals and has had multiple “Horse of the Year” placing with his own horses.  He has coached North American Young Rider Championship team from the Pacific Northwest and has helped numerous students achieve their USDF gold medals.  Mike continues his own equestrian education by seeking out instruction, most recently from: Gerd Zuther and Bert Rutten, Chef d’Equipe for the Dutch Senior Dressage Team.  Mike is currently competing at FEI levels on several of his own, and client’s horses.  He has trained and ridden numerous horses to Grand Prix.  Mike has a unique ability to communicate with his students at any level of riding. He has tremendous empathy for the horse and rider.  Mike is one of the few clinicians today who is both a truly gifted communicator and rider.  He studies “classical dressage” and is a currently active competitor as well as a trained and active judge.  This gives him a perspective few other teachers can offer.  It is not uncommon for Mike to ride a student’s horse during a lesson to demonstrate a riding concept.  Mike has a unique ability to help students visualize a riding concept by helping them find their own words to describe the feel of a particular movement. Mike continues his own equestrian education by seeking out instruction, most recently from: Gerd Zuther and Bert Rutten, Chef d’Equipe for the Dutch Senior Dressage Team.

For both events, please contact: Rachel Merusi
Email: rachel.merusi@gmail.com
Phone: (503) 530-6447

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ODS is currently searching for Demo Riders/Horses for the upcoming NW Horse Fair & Expo in Albany, OR on March 22-25, 2012.

International Competitor and Grand Prix Instructor Jan Ebeling will be serving as the Dressage Clinician at this years’ Expo and ODS has once again been asked to help find demonstration riders/horses for the event.

Jan would like to use horses at Second to Fourth Level in his demonstrations at the Expo.  So we are looking for 6 demo horse/rider combinations that are comfortable at Second, Third or Fourth Level to participate in the Expo.

Demo horses should be comfortable in a noisy environment.  This is a symposium style event, so there will be lots of distractions, with people and other horses moving about.  The clinician has a planned program of training theories and techniques to deliver to the audience, and demo riders must be willing to do as the instructor requests, unless they believe it to be harmful to them or their horse.  It is important to remember that this is not a private lesson for your benefit alone; it is a demonstration ride.  As such, rider/horse selection will be made to best fit the needs of the symposium. By applying, the rider acknowledges their role as a demo rider and agrees to respectfully follow all requests and instructions made by the clinician.

The session topics are:

Friday – ‘Definition & Application of the Rider’s Aids’

Saturday – ‘Designing a Productive Work Session, Following the Training Scale’

Sunday – Preparation for a Show and What to do if Everything Goes Wrong’

If you are interested in participating please fill out the online application no later than Feb. 15, 2012.  The online application has a place for your YouTube link or alternate instructions for mailing DVDs.  There is no cost to be a demo rider at the expo but you will need to cover your own transportation and lodging costs.  Your generosity in being willing to serve as a demo rider provides a very important service to both the clinician and the audience.

For more information, please contact the demo rider organizer, Francy Haupt, at dqhorsestuff@comcast.net or (971) 832-2260.

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January 19, 2012: One new confirmed case of the neuropathogenic strain of Equine Herpes Virus-1 has been confirmed on the Orange County affected premises. A total of 9 cases have been confirmed on this premises. On January 18, 2012, one of the positive horses which initially displayed a fever and limb edema became recumbent and the decision was made to euthanize this horse. Necropsy results as to the cause of the recumbency are pending. The facility remains under quarantine and all exposed horses are being monitored.

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has nominated Capt. Mark Phillips and Missy Ransehousen for top coaching honors with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).  With this nomination, they have been named USEF Coach and Para-Equestrian Coach of the Year.

Capt. Phillips has had a long tenure of medal winning service to the USEF. Beginning in 1993 – he has brought medals home from every championship he has coached, except for one. In 2011 his team made history.  They won Pan American Team Gold with all five athletes finishing on their dressage scores. This is the first time in history this ever happened. The U.S. Team also won Individual Silver and Bronze. Even more impressively, this was a relatively inexperienced team, only one rider had represented their country previously.  He has worked tirelessly on the developing rider program the results of which are now being utilized. He serves on four USEF Committees and is a top international course designer and technical delegate. His impact on the sport, both in 2011 and throughout his career has been profound and garnered him the Nomination of USEF Coach of the Year.

Missy Ransehousen has had a banner year with the U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team, coaching two winning teams at the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Para-Equestrian CPEDI 3* in Saugerties, NY and at the Saddlewood Festival of Dressage CPEDI 3* in Werribee, AUS.  Ransehousen also coached Rebecca Hart to a Reserve Championship Individual honors at the USEF Para-Equestrian CPEDI3* and then on to a double win at the Saddlewood CPEDI3*. The Australian success was even more impressive because it was achieved entirely on borrowed horses.  Ransehousen has coached four-time National Para-Equestrian Champion and Paralympian Rebecca Hart to all of her championship titles. Ransehousen’s commitment to the sport is tireless, her efforts since 2000 have grown the sport considerably and she works as an advocate and fundraiser for the program as much as she works helping her riders succeed.

“Captain Phillips and Missy Ransehousen are extraordinary coaches,” said James Wolf, USEF Executive Director, Sport Programs. “Both of these individual have dedicated their lives to the training of horses and riders.  Their dedication, determination, integrity and work ethic make them both strong candidates for USOC Coach of the Year Honors.”

Both Phillips and Ransehousen will be considered by the USOC for the National and Paralympic Coach of the Year Award that will be announced in late spring/early summer 2012.
ENDS
For more information about the Coach of the Year Program, please contact Christy Baxter, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director, Sport Programs at cbaxter@usef.org.