Many of you know that Molly and I are huge Theater fans.  We recently attended a delightful performance of “I Love You; You’re Perfect; Now Change” at the Oregon Cabaret Theater in Ashland.  Think about it.  Isn’t that also a perfect description of the relationship most of us have with our horses.   Don’t we all love our mounts and don’t we believe they are, if not perfect, something very special?  We participate in Dressage to get that illusive improvement of the gaits, the lightness and the harmony with the rider.  Indeed, the purpose of ODS is to foster the training of the horse through use of established classical principles to affect change.

Through ODS a large variety of educational/training experiences are available to members to effect change in the horse and rider.

Adult camps are designed to be an intensive, fun, learning experience in a summer camp-like atmosphere for the committed adult rider at any level or experience. The purpose of the camp is to help adult riders “get away from it all” – the pressures of job, family and friends – so they can immerse themselves in dressage and greatly accelerate the learning process. Riders and horses are encouraged stay at the camp facility, getting a chance to make new friends and riding several times daily. Mounted and unmounted sessions expand the riders’ knowledge of dressage training, riding, showing, and theory.

The Central Oregon (COC) and Cascade (CCTA) chapters are offering a four day adult camp (Adult amateurs only). Location will be at Future Street Farm, Redmond, Oregon- August 12th-15th, 2010.  The Camp is made possible, in part, by a Grant from ODS.

This years clinicians are the talented FEI riders Michael Etherly and Nicki Grandia. The focus is on dressage from Training level to Grand Prix with four private lessons and two semi-private lessons.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided along with nightly equine discussions with the instructors. A barbecue is planned for Saturday night. Cost is $485 (stabling not included).

They are filling quickly so please make your reservations or call Lisa Koch (541) 923 0602 Lisa.koch@xerox.com or Jill Campbell ( 541) 884-6756.

Registration information and form can be found at: www.centraloregondressage.com

North Willamette Valley Chapter of ODS will also host an Adult Equestrian Camp August 26-29 at Make your Mark Stables, Springfield, OR

Instructors will be Kim Barker, Kathryn Daniel and Marla  Santino.  Kim is a dressage instructor, trainer and active competitor. She graduated, with distinction, from the United States Dressage Federation “L” Judge Education Program in 2007. Kim will use the Training Scale (Pyramid) and her background as an “L” Graduate to help riders recognize when to move forward and when to step back and take more time to fill in the basics. “ To understand the training scale in everyday every day schooling, is the first step towards moving horse and rider up the levels and to succeed in riding that is both correct, harmonious and beautiful.” Kim will be teaching private and small group lessons.

Kathryn Springfield, Oregon is owner and trainer of Make your Mark Stables. She will be introducing riders to riding outdoors through “Terrain Dressage” and exposing riders to the Eventing and Hunter Paces that meet their comfort level.

Marla will be leading Pre and Post-Ride stretching exercises for rider. The exercises are designed to help riders to become aware of the muscles used in riding and help to engage other muscles to create a more balanced approach.

For more information and registration please contact Kathy Darneille at (503)982-1044 or crosbycreek@canby.com.

The Northeast Chapter will also be conducting an Adult Amateur Camp this year.  I don’t have the details immediately available.  Contact Rebecca Hamann at 541-963-0327.

If adult camps are not for you, other clinics are available to ODS members in August.  Debbie Spence will be in Roseburg August 14 and 15.  Contact Cassi Soule at 541-817-7277.  Debbie will also be in Molalla, OR August 21-22.  Contact Karen Miller at 503-880-9376.

Tina Steward will be in Talent OR August 11-12 and August 28-29.  Contact Carol Ingram at 541-482-5662 (caroling25@hotmail.com) for further information

Jutta Schott will be in Applegate, OR August 14-15.  Contact Carol Taylor at 541-846-9495 (taylor@connpoint.net).

ODS SPECIAL AWARDS NOMINIATIONS:

Several of the ODS Special Awards nominations are due very soon – please check the webpage for exact details, criteria and how to nominate someone deserving – www.oregondressage.com/specialawards.html

USDF CONVENTION GRANT:

One deserving USDF Group Member will receive the Ruth Arvanette Memorial Fund Grant to attend the 2010 Adequan/USDF Annual Convention in Jacksonville, FL. The grant includes full convention registration and partial reimbursement for travel expenses. This grant is open to members of ODS chapters.  Applications due in the USDF office by August 31.   http://www.usdf.org/docs/clubs/gmos/RAGrantApplication.pdf

ODS INSURANCE FOR CHAPTER AND COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES:

Reminder that we are submitting insurance applications to our agent once a month now on the 2^nd Tuesday; if we have to submit more than once a month, we are subject to additional processing fees. EVERY event that involves horses hosted by your chapter or committee MUST have an insurance application submitted.  The CORRECT application to use is an active PDF which you can type in before printing – it is posted online: http://oregondressage.com/2010insurance/2010ActiveChapterInsuranceApp.pdf.  Please make every attempt to type it out (you will have to have your Adobe Acrobat up to date) and print it vs. filling it out with handwriting.  This will help us to prevent mistakes – again we are working towards prevention of processing fees from requesting corrected certificates. PLEASE do NOT use applications you have saved in your computer or older versions you may have on paper. Please review our insurance webpage as it contains forms in regards to insurance including an ODS general waiver, a volunteer waiver, an accident form, vendors with current liability certificates on file and more — http://oregondressage.com/showmanagement-insurance.html .

USDF Volunteer of the Year Award

Do you know somebody worthy of recognition for the hard work he or she has dedicated to the sport of dressage at the local or national level?

If you know someone worthy of recognition at the national level, nominate today for the USDF Volunteer of the Year Award, presented by The Paddock Saddlery. One member will be honored with this national title at the 2010 Salute Gala & Awards Banquet.  Nominations are due in the USDF office by August 31.  USDF Volunteer of the Year Form:  http://www.usdf.org/docs/awards/service/VOYApplication.pdf

Championship Show is seeking Sponsors, Advertisers and Vendors

We’re gearing up for the 2010 ODS Open and Championship Shows to be held September 11 & 12 at DevonWood Equestrian Centre in Sherwood, OR.  The Championship Show is in it’s 29^th year.   It is only made possible through the generous support of sponsors, advertisers and vendors.

A wide variety of ways to support the show are available, from Presenting Sponsorships, to business card-sized advertising, and everything in between. For additional information, please go to the website: http://www.odschampionshipshow.com or contact Melissa Frazier at 360-921-1012 or dressage.sponsors@gmail.com.

Please don’t hesitate to contact Melissa with any questions you have.

Show time for the Junior/Young riders.  The ODS Youth Programs Committee is presenting the Glisan Street USDF/ODS Junior/Young Rider Team Dressage Competition Aug 13-15 at the DevonWood Equestrian Centre.  Check the ODS Website for further information.  It’s always a fun show to attend.

Keep Cool and enjoy August.  Until next time.

Ed

###

The ODS League Show Championships were held May 22-23 at the Jackson County Fairgrounds and EXPO in Central Point, OR.   One thing for sure, we didn’t have to worry about horses getting overheated or competitors getting sunburned.  Perfect weather for competition, yeah right.  Fortunately there was plenty of covered space for both competition and warm-up.  The Southern Oregon location provided an opportunity to ODS members in that part of the state to participate in Championships which is not always possible.

It was a reminder to all of us that small shows can be a blast and a positive experience for participants, sponsors and staff as well. Competitors were enthusiastic, did a great job presenting their mounts and were very supportive of each other.   Roy Garvin stepped up and performed his GP freestyle during the lunch break on both days much to the delight of the participants.

Congratulations to all of the new ODS League Show Champions.

Champion	Division	Horse
Robin Borg	Introductory Level-AA	Ruehl Review /*/*
Hannah Waldron	Introductory Level-JR/YR	Ima Little Dream Babe
Meghan Megowan	Training Level-AA	Tessera
Sarah Madison	Training JR/YR	Malik
Lee Ann Paul	Training  Level-Open	Extra Fancy Cajun
Meghan Megowan	First Level-AA	Tessera
Sarah Madison	First Level-JR/YR	Malik
Leanne MacFarlane	First Level-Open	SW Thor
Jamie L Hughes	Second Level-AA	Harbor Mist
Peggy Siders	Second Level-Open	Whimsical Hint

Show Highpoint and Reserve Highpoint Awards went to Sarah Madison and Robin Borg with average scores of 71.714% and 69.2% respectively.

ODS is partnering with Region Six to put on a weekend overnight camp for Youth Riders on July 9th, 10th and 11th at DevonWood Equestrian Centre.  By the time this goes to print, additional campers for the riding section will not be able to be accepted.  However, Youth Riders are welcome to attend without a horse at a discounted rate. Also, the camp will be open to auditors of all ages at $10 per day. Instructors for the camp include Heather Oleson, Jeremy Steinberg, Natalie Perry, Kelly Burris, Emma Dye and at least two more instructors. All of the instructors are former Youth riders who participated in the Junior, Advanced Young Rider or Brentina Cup program. There will also be four lectures over the course of the weekend. Topics currently include an introduction to the training scale and test design, assessing your horses wellness, braiding and grooming for a show, and goal setting for Youth Riders. Volunteers are needed to help with running the camp. For more information about the program or to volunteer, email jessica.rattner@gmail.com.

July ODS events:

July offers a variety of events available to ODS members.

Clinics:

July 10-11	Jutta Schott		Applegate, OR
July 17-18	Debbie Spence		Molalla, OR
July 30-Aug 1	Sandy Howard	Rider Biomechanics	Rogue River, OR
July 30-Aug 1	J. Ashton Moore	Rider Biomechanics	Molalla, OR

Shows:

July 10-11	League Show	Boring, OR
July 10-11	League Show	Eugene, OR
July 10-11	League Show	Talent, OR
July 16	Morgan	Eugene, OR
July 17	Schooling	Summerfield Farm, WA
July 17	USEF/USDF/ODS	Auburn, WA
July 17	USEF/USDF/ODS	Spokane, WA
July 18	Schooling	Redmond, OR
July 23-25	USEF/USDF/ODS	Sherwood, OR
July 31	Schooling	Hillsboro, OR
July 31	Schooling	Eugene, OR

Others:

Kathy Everman will be holding a Summer Camp at her Hidden Meadows farm in Applegate, OR July 5-8.

The North Willamette Valley Chapter of ODS is organizing a horse camping trip to Silver Falls State Park July 23-25.

For details of all these events check the calendar of events on the ODS website (www.oregondressage.com).  Others will probably be added before this column goes to press.

Insurance note:

Another insurance issue has come to our attention that event organizers should be aware of.  ODS Liability insurance does not cover any motorized vehicles at events.  Vehicles would include golf carts, Gators, ATVs and the like.  If you rent those vehicles from a vendor, the vendor probably has insurance coverage but you should check. If you must use these type of vehicles at your event, please contact the ODS Office so we can add protection with our carrier.

United States Dressage Federation Issues Protective Headgear Safety Statement

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) released an official statement regarding protective headgear use following the Spring USDF Executive Board meeting held at their headquarters in the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.

The statement, “USDF strongly recommends all riders wear protective headgear when mounted”, is in line with USDF’s current policy to require all photos of mounted riders in the USDF Connection magazine include protective headgear.

USDF is also requiring the statement on all videos it produces and any videos or educational materials for which it offers accreditation for its University program.

USDF Annual Convention and Symposium

The USDF Exeutive Board has listened to the concerns of the Board of Governors and has established a policy that all meetings at the Annual Convention will be open to all participants, with the exception of the Audit Committee and the Steering Committee.  Previously Committees had a members only meeting, followed by an open meeting at which results of the closed meeting were discussed.

2010 Symposium in conjunction with the Annual Convention will be in an “On the Levels” format. The symposium would include the FEI levels as well as the national levels.  The Symposium is to be conducted by Lilo Fore and Gary Rockwell.

The 2011 USDF Trainers’ Conference will be held in southern California. The last conference on the west coast was also held in 2007C, also in California.

8:30 PM – Edited to add that this horse’s owner has been located and the horse is safely on his way home.

Thank you to all of the concerned ODS members!

// Original Post //

Dear ODS members in Newberg, Sherwood and Hillsboro,

We were asked to post an alert that a horse has been found and Quailhurst is currently taking care of her on their property.
She is described as a VERY sweet mare who appears to be a western trail horse.

If you are missing a horse or know of someone who is, please contact Deborah @ 503-544-8968.

Thank you,

ODS Office

###

I reported a couple of months ago about the joys of spring arriving.  Seems I was a bit premature.  Just for the record, down here in southern Oregon the last week of April we were still having a lot of very cold rain and snow mixed in with a little hail and sleet to make it interesting.  I’m still blanketing the boys.    Looking forward to T-shirt weather soon.

The ODS calendar is jammed full for the month of June.  At last count, there were five clinics, five ODS chapter events, ten USEF/USDF licensed shows, and another five league/schooling shows on the calendar.  Something for everyone.  The calendar is a great resource for planners and participants alike.

Posting of events on the ODS website calendar is free and provided as a service to our members so take advantage.  Submit your event by sending an e-mail with the event details to postmyevent@oregondressage.com.  For instructions for what to include in the e-mail go to the website (oregondressage.com) and click on the Shows and Clinics tab.

I’ve written before about the ODS Strategic Planning process that we are currently undertaking.  As part of that process we revisited some of the history of the organizations.  One of the historical documents that we came up with was the Articles of Incorporation from back in 1972.  I was particularly impressed with the eloquence with which the purpose of the organization was presented and would like to share it with you.  It’s something that all of us need to keep in mind.

Excerpt from Articles of Incorporation of the Oregon Dressage Society, March 21, 1972 under the Oregon Nonprofit Corporation Law

ARTICLE II.  The purpose or purposes for which the corporation is organized are:

• To preserve the Classical Equestrian Art from abuses to which it can be exposed and to preserve it in the purity of its principles so that it can be handed on intact to generations of riders to come.
• The object of Dressage is the harmonious development of the physique and ability of the horse, to make the horse calm, supple and keen, thus achieving perfect understanding with its rider.  These qualities are obtained through a progressive, systematic form of schooling.
• The rules of the International Equestrian Federation (F.E.I.), the American Horse Show Association, the A.S.H.A, ((now the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the United States Dressage Federation (USDF)) shall govern all Dressage Tests and Events, of this Society, without exception.
• The Society adheres to the thesis that Dressage, practiced properly, is an Art not a Sport.
• The program of the Society shall be education and shall be designed primarily to offer a Framework in which individuals can progress with Dressage schooling of themselves and their horses.

The ODS Office recently offered 5 copies of the FEI Dressage Handbook Guidelines for Judging for sale.   The books were originally purchased as materials for the last L judges training program.  The handbook is well known for being beneficial for all competitors to read, not just Judges or Judge Candidates.   From the FEI website: “Authored by some of the most experienced FEI Dressage Judges, this book will prove invaluable not only to the education of Dressage Judges but also to riders and trainers at all levels. It will not only help with the understanding and clarification of the scores, but also with the awareness of the criteria outlined in the FEI Dressage Rulebook.”

Those copies were quickly snapped up and a waiting list established.  If there is enough interest, we will look into obtaining more copies for sale.  The cost for the Handbook was $44.00 including shipping/handling.  If you are interested in a copy, please call or e-mail the ODS office.

I’ve mentioned before some of the difficulties we have been having with our ODS event liability insurance process.  We continue to be plagued with last minute applications.  We understand that last minute applications may occasionally be necessary but it should be the exception, not the rule.  ODS is instituting a new process in which applications are being submitted to our insurance carrier on the first Tuesday of the month.  Be sure to have your application in by that time or will be held until the next monthly submission.

The ODS Board of Directors met April 24th at Devonwood Equestrian Center.  Many thanks to Ginny Rattner for hosting us.  We all appreciate it.

The Awards committee is making proposals to help eliminate some of the confusion surrounding the distribution of the award plaques last year.  As currently written the award criteria left some room for interpretation and misunderstanding.  We will have that all worked out for next year.

ODS Delegates to the USDF Convention were elected at the Board meeting.  Your ODS representatives will be Gaye McCabe, Jessica Rattner, Marsha Williams and Ed Miller.  If you have issues, thoughts or views you wish to have considered please let one of the delegates know.  I’ll try to keep you posted on matters to be considered by USDF as they become known.

One of the major issues discussed at the Board meeting had to do with ODS dues structure.  As I have reported before, there have been significant increases in costs associated with ODS membership benefits, most notably the increase in USDF dues, increased subscription rates for Flying Changes Magazine and printing costs.  ODS is currently operating on a lower per capita income than we were in 2004.  The bottom line is that the current ODS dues cannot cover the increased costs for next year.  Proposals have been made for increasing the ODS dues to reflect those increased costs.  The Board will vote on those proposals at the next ODS Board meeting July 31 in Eugene.

###

Great News!  The STATE OF JEFFERSON Chapter has received a Violet M. Hopkins Grant from The Dressage Federation to conduct a RIDER BIOMECHANICS Clinic/Seminar July 30 through August 1.  The program will be presented by Alexandra (Sandy) Howard.

The three days are geared to educate not only the eight demonstration riders but especially the auditors.  In the daily “classroom” sessions Sandy will talk about rider biomechanical concepts through lectures and auditor participation.   A DVD supporting and demonstrating her teaching concepts will open the first day.  On the second day she will present and incorporate principles of “deep practice” or mylenazation of neural pathways to help make correct rider biomechanics a reality for participants based on the book, “Talent Code” by Daniel Coyle. The book will be provided at a discounted price to all participants.

In addition to the lectures, Sandy will demonstrate the principles and techniques using eight demo horse/rider combinations.

Each day will include a complimentary lunch for all participants and the “classroom” lecture, visuals and demos under Sandy’s guidance.

The clinic/seminar will be held in Gold Hill, OR, at Madrone Hill Ranch right off I-5 between Grants Pass and Medford. Convenient accommodations for out of town auditors are readily available.   For more information or to reserve a spot please contact Carol (541)846-9495 or <taylor@connpoint.net>.

I had the opportunity to spend the week-end at the Northwest Horse Expo in Mid April. A good crowd showed up to attend all the clinics and demonstrations.  George Williams did a great job with the dressage program.  Three horses were used in each of the three clinics, representing different levels of development.  A number of people came up to me and gave very positive comments on his presentations and believed they represented the “real world.”  The demo riders/horses also did a great job following instructions and demonstrating the principles.

George spent most of his “off” time hanging out at the ODS booth, talking with visitors and autographing posters.  The booth was a busy place. It helped that we were showing DVDs of the World Cup and Olympics which helped draw a crowd and generated a lot of oohs and aahs.  Those not so familiar with dressage were particularly amazed.  We had several new ODS members join up at the booth.  Volunteers Nancy Clarke, Francy Haupt, Sharon Knowlton, Gaye McCabe, Rose Newman, Tedi Rae Paash, and Brant Page spent a lot of their time helping out Corinne at the booth.

The ODS League Show Championships will be coming up soon after this article hits the press.  It promises to be a very pleasant week-end.  I’ve put in the order for warm sunny weather.  A fun evening of entertainment is being planned for Saturday.  Musical Freesyle demonstrations from second level all the way through the FEI levels are in the works, plus an extra surprise or two.  Dinner will be available for purchase for those that would like it.  Keep your eye on the ODS website (www.oregondressage.com) for further details.

There are lots of other activities and events coming up.  Check the ODS webs site frequently for updates to the calendar, opening dates, etc.  I’ve also been asked to remind you to follow ODS on Facebook and Twitter.  Happy riding and keep those cards and letters coming.

Ed Miller, President

Oregon Dressage Society

###

Spring is coming upon us conjuring up indelible images, like muddy blankets and shedding hair all over everything.  Along with that comes the excitement of birth and rebirth.  New flowers and foals head the list of things to be thankful for after the long gloomy days of winter.  In the immortal words of legendary Sportscaster Keith Jackson  “Life is Good.”

For those who were not familiar with Keith, he broadcast for ABC Sports for more than forty years covering everything from Olympics to College Football.  He started his 54 years of broadcasting college football at Washington State so we could consider him a Northwesterner even if he was born in Georgia.  Although I don’t know for sure, he was probably an equestrian of some sort.  Anyway, his most famous and trademark line was “Whoooooa Nellie” from which I assume he experienced a mare’s reaction to the rites of spring.

A special welcome to Sharm Daggett, the newest member of the ODS Board of Directors.  Sharm was confirmed by the Board after volunteering to fill the vacancy of the Eastern Regional Representative.  Regional Reps play an important role on the Board.  They are your direct liaison to the workings of ODS.  They love to hear from you.

While you are out there getting your horse(s) ready for the new season, please take a moment to reflect on all of those folks out there organizing and putting on shows, clinics, and other events that make our sport so rewarding.  Thanks all you volunteers.  We appreciate all you do for us.  I encourage everyone to take the time to personally say thanks to at least one volunteer at each event in which you participate this year.  Random acts of kindness are a wonderful thing.

There a couple of “behind the scenes” activities that I’d like to share to illustrate the role volunteers play in ODS.  As many of you are aware, the ODS horse and rider awards were sent out in February.  I don’t recall the exact number of them, but I can tell you it took four people four hours to stuff, seal, and stamp envelops to mail them out.  That was after the hours and hours it took for volunteers Gene Hall (league shows) and John Craven/Chris Main (Licensed shows) to collect and analyze scores, determine the award winners, and get the plates made.  Unfortunately it wasn’t perfect and I know some people were perturbed.  Hmmm-sounds like there is an opportunity to volunteer and make things better next time.  Common problems that occurred in the process included failure of shows to submit scores, using different names for the same horse at different shows, riders using different names at different shows, to name a few.  We can all play an important role by making sure our entry forms are correct and consistent.

Francy Haupt and her committee of three volunteers selected the demo riders for the Northwest Horse Expo.  Thirty eight people submitted their application on time and another 5 came in late.  The committee gathered together to watch the DVDs submitted, discuss the horses/riders, argue and cajole, and reach consensus.  Selection was a pretty tough job.  Several considerations were taken into account for the selection.  First and foremost, it is important to recognize the symposium is primarily for the benefit of the audience and the horses selected should include a diversity of horse breeds and training levels commensurate with the anticipated audience.  The horses should have the ability to perform the movements required and the riders the experience to be able to execute the instructions of the clinician.  The selections may not all be the “best” horses or “best” riders, but are most likely to be the “best” for the purposes of illustration of symposium principles to the audience.

The riders selected for each of the three sessions were:

Session 1.  ‘Incorporating Leg Yielding exercises into your dressage training program.’

Kelsey Kristosik – Corvallis, OR          Brennaugh – 6yr old, 16.1h, Friesian/TB Mare

Molly Easetridge – Longview, WA     Donnerspiel – 6yr old, 16.1h, Oldenburg Gelding

Amanda Howell – Portland, OR        HH Antonia – 7yr old, 15.2h, Arabian Mare

Alternate Riders

Danica Yates – Beavercreek, OR        Beau – 10yr old, 15.5h, Dutch/Holsteiner Gelding

Biagina Lazaroni – Eugene, OR          Woric – 6yr old, 16h, Hanoverian Gelding

Session 2.  ‘Introduction to Collection Exercises to introduce, improve and demonstrate what collection can ultimately achieve.’

Patty Russell – Olympia, WA Smoke Tree Gold Fever – 6yr old, 13.2h, Welsh Stallion

Elliott Scroggins – Longview, WA      Camden – 10yr old, 15.2h, Connemara/TB Gelding

Mary Arnold – Albany, OR                 Rheining Scholar – 7yr old, 16h, Oldenburg Mare

Session 3.  ‘Introducing your Dressage horse to Flying Changes.  How to know when he is ready and exercises to get you started.’

Tedi Rae Paasch – Hood River, OR    Mandy’s Manhattin – 9yr old, 16.2h, Trak/Arab Mare

Lindsey Anderson-O’Keefe – Roy, WA          Quick Silver Bey – 9yr old, 15h, Arabian Stallion

Allison Allbaugh-Cino – Eatonville, WA       Genuine Risk – 15yr old, 16.1h, Appaloosa/TB Mare

Alternate Riders

Kaitlin MacMillan – Cornelius, OR                Hocus Pocus – 10yr old, 16.2h, TB Cross Gelding

Kristin O’Hearn – Kirkland, WA                     Lars – 17yr old, 16.1h, KWPN (Dutch) Gelding

Thank you to the selection committee and all those who applied to be demo riders.  I’m confident that the audience will be well served and the participants will take away some tools.

Claire Evans has been diligently working on a sponsorship/advertising package for the upcoming ODS League Show Championships.  We are trying something new this time.  We are asking all the chapters to help obtain sponsorships for the show.  It is a ODS wide championship with lots of exposure around the state.  It’s likely that there will be participants from your own area.

Claire is also working on formalizing some guidance differentiating between what is considered sponsorship versus advertising.  It is important guidance because of the tax considerations we are subject to.  We’ll be distributing the guidance once it is finalized and approved.

The next meeting of the ODS Board of Directors will be held April 24^th at Devonwood Equestrian Center.  Now is the time to start bringing ideas, suggestions, and issues to the attention of your Regional Representative or to any Director at Large.  The agenda is filling up pretty quickly so make you desires known ASAP.

There are lots of activities and events coming up.  Check the ODS webs site frequently for updates to the calendar, opening dates, etc.  I’ve also been asked to remind you to follow ODS on Facebook and Twitter (whatever that means).

Happy riding and keep those cards and letters coming.

Ed Miller, President

Oregon Dressage Society

I’m still trying to get used to writing this column about a month ahead of publication time.  Kind of screws up the timing of things I want to talk about.  Speaking of timing, 2010 is just getting off to a great start and I’m asking you to start thinking about 2011 already.  2011 marks the 40^th anniversary of ODS! Our historian, Siobhan Barker, is planning to do some special things to commemorate the event.  One of them is to produce a notebook/scrapbook of chapters.  I’d like to put out a personal challenge to each chapter to contribute to the effort by collecting local history.  Siobhan brought several scrapbooks to the ODS Chapter Presidents Retreat in January for us enjoy.  It was a real hoot looking through those books and seeing friends as they were 20 years (or more) ago.  They created some giggles and jibes (all positive of course).  Lots of those people are still very active in ODS and we all appreciate their years of dedication.  Let it be a lesson for all of us.

Twenty six people attended the January retreat.  Eleven of the 17 chapters were represented.  General Members were represented by 2 people. We had a very interesting presentation by our Treasurer, Christopher Main, about what it means to be 501(c)3  tax exempt educational organization.  It was a real eye opener.  For example, we are prohibited from making any political or religious statements in publications or websites, we cannot promote, not give the appearance of promoting, any commercial enterprise, we need to have the documentation for sponsorships, including providing sponsors written confirmation of the tax exempt contributions.    I think the major take away from the discussion is a reminder that all of us, the Board, Chapters, and individual members all make up ODS.  If a chapter, for example, does something that violates the IRS rules, we are all responsible and accountable. We will be working on some guidance for distribution to the memberships and chapters about some of these issues with an eye towards a more thorough understanding of our responsibilities.

The ODS Strategic Plan is now up and going.  One of the major initiatives is the establishment of a Financial Oversight Committee.  The committee is to conduct an annual audit of ODS finances, forecast areas of potential growth and loss, evaluate the financial impact of current and future programs, and develop a proactive funding strategy.  Claire Evans will chair the committee.  Other members are Randie Croshaw, Rose Newman, Dolores Morgan and Christopher Main.  I strongly believe that the work of this committee will have a major impact on the operation of ODS in the future.

We are also implementing an initiative to analyze past revenues and expenses for all aspects of ODS finances and be more proactive with preparation of detailed projected budget and monitoring of our annual budget.

I think everyone should have an idea where your dues money goes.  Last year your $60 dues breakdown went like this:  $17.00 to USDF Participating Membership dues, $8.00 to Flying Changes Magazine subscription, $9.50 to ODS Publications of the Omnibus, Roster and Test Booklet, and $25 for operation of the ODS office, Insurance and other ODS programs.  This year the  USDF dues increase to $20, the Flying Changes subscription to $9, and the publication costs to $11, leaving only $20 to support the ODS Office and Programs.  Obviously we have a challenge on our hands.

Another Strategic Initiative is the development of annual survey of ODS membership to determine member satisfaction, areas that need improvement, suggestions for dropping or adding programs, plus some other information to determine desires and needs of membership.  A team is now starting to work on the survey.  Expect it to show up in your “you’ve got mail” this December.  I’m telling you about this now so you can give some serious thought over the summer and be ready to give meaningful and insightful input to the survey.  Francy Haupt and Debra Ringold are on the committee.  As of this writing I’m still looking for someone to take charge of it.

We’ve ramped up the Education committee and charged them with addressing the educational needs identified in the survey.  The committee will develop an educational plan, also considering cost and feasibility, and present recommendations to the Board.  Francy Haupt chairs the Education Committee.  Other members are Lou Anne McKown, Debra Ringold, and Rose Newman.

One of the constants at the retreat is the willingness of the non-board members to step forward and volunteer to participate in these important initiatives.  I can only hope it continues as we compete these goals and move on to the next stages.

ODS/USDF Membership year is November 1 through October 31.  As of the first week of January ODS membership was about 860.  Later in the year that number typically goes to about 1100 members.  It’s a rather unfortunate phenomenon that memberships start to roll in around the start of show season, frequently rush orders for a show the next week.  We’ve been working very hard to make it easy for membership renewals, being the first GMO in to be able to renew on line using the USDF website.  The timing of renewals is very important to ODS.  Renewing promptly allows us to do a better job with our planning and budgeting process, getting our publications printed and distributed and, very importantly, helps to determine the amount of representation ODS is permitted at the USDF convention.  Additionally, several clinics offered on our calendar are open to member-only, it helps our organizers accept member into these restricted activities because our insurance company considers a “member” to be “defined as individuals that are paying dues, as defined by the club’s published roster and in good standing, abiding by the club’s bylaws.”  So please, if you haven’t renewed yet, take a few minutes and get it done.  Mark your calendars with a reminder to renew again in November.

Many of you are aware of some USEF rule changes regarding competitions that take effect this year.  All licensed shows have to be rated, there are requirements for show management, changes to the types of classes allowed and so on.  Most of the changes don’t affect competitors directly but there is one you should be cognizant of.  There is a new rule that scores obtained in a modified arena cannot be used as qualifying rides for Regional Championships.  Competition Management is supposed to announce any arena modifications in the prize list so you are aware of them.  Modifications can include things like the ring might be a little short or the geometry doesn’t allow entering the arena at A.  Competitors looking for qualifying scores should pay close attention to the prize list and look for modification announcements.

I am pleased to announce the ODS Board of Directors approved applications from the Northeast Oregon Chapter and the Cascade Chapter for the Connie J. Keith Adult Amateur Camp Grants.  The Grants provide $1000 to help defray the costs of a minimum 3 day long residential camp to provide educational opportunities and training for adult amateurs.

Spring is rolling around that means lots of events happening around the state.  Keep checking the ODS website for news and calendar of upcoming events.

-Ed

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I know it’s a trite thing to say but on the other hand it’s true. I can’t believe that it is 2010 already. By the time this column comes out, a month of it will have passed.

Einstein’s Theory of Relativity says that the faster we go, the less time passes. If we were to travel at the speed of light we wouldn’t age. It seems to me that Einstein’s theory should also apply the other way around, that is time should pass more slowly as we age. The older I get the faster time seems to go by. Therefore my life proves that Einstein was wrong. Well, maybe!

2010 is going be a busy one for ODS, beginning with the Presidents retreat Jan 9 and 10. It is a great opportunity for exchange of thoughts and ideas to build our organization and be responsive to our members. Implementation of our recently developed Strategic Plan will be a major area of discussion at the retreat. I’m really looking forward to getting it started.

The ODS calendar is loaded with clinics and shows and other events that are taking place beginning in January. There’s something of interest going on every week-end. Be sure to check out the Events Calendar on the ODS website (www.oregondressage.com).

April 3 and 4 brings the ODS Adult Team Competition. It is always a lot of fun and if you haven’t tried it you should. Grab some friends and form a team.

The Northwest Horse EXPO comes up March 19-21. George Williams, USDF President and well known FEI rider and trainer will be the Dressage clinician. I had a chance to talk with him briefly at the USDF Convention. George will be spending some time at the ODS booth chatting with attendees and signing autographs. Come on over and meet him. Francy Haupt is busy trying to locate demo riders for his clinic. See the ODS website for details.

December 2009 was the month for the USDF Annual Convention, this year held in Austin,TX. For those who thought our delegates were taking a boondoggle to the sunny south, forget it. It snowed in Austin for the first time in years and was generally cold and rainy. This was a very tough convention with several important issues that had to be dealt with. The conflicts that arose last year on the budget issue was on everybody’s mind and it seemed to me to put an edge on this year’s.

Last year’s budget proposal included a large raise in dues and fees that, shall we say, wasn’t presented in the best way possible and went down to a resounding defeat by the delegates. Since the last Convention the Membership Committee did a pretty thorough assessment of the dues structure and costs and came up with a proposal that was passed by the Board of Governors (that’s the collective delegates from around the country). It was interesting to note the Committee reported that the costs for General Members (GM) currently exceed the dues by approximately $8.00 per member.

The dues structure that was passed by the BOG is as follows:

Membership Category / Old Dues / New Dues

Participating Members / $62 / $75

General Members / $17 / $20

General Member Family / $8  / $10

USDF Business Member / $175 / $200

Participating Member 5 yr / $250 / $300

Participating Member Life / $1000 / $2000

Youth Participating Member / $35 / $60

ODS Delegate Gaye McCabe proposed that the Youth Participating Member dues increase be capped at $50. Her proposal was narrowly defeated by the BOG.

In addition the BOG passed a proposal from the Membership Committee to establish a new category called Educational Membership with dues for adults as $35 and $10 for youth. The new category is intended to entice folks from other disciplines and breed organizations to get involved in Dressage education. The benefits would include On Line only subscription to USDF Connection, discounts for educational services, discounts for merchandise sold through the USDF store, and discounts for USDF University credit. Educational Members would not have voting rights.

I should point out that the increase in the GM dues has a significant impact on the ODS budget in that the dues for ODS membership includes the USDF GM dues. The increase will cost ODS an additional $3600 (approximately). We will have to find a way to deal with it and other increased expenses. It fits right in with our new Strategic Plan initiative for financial analysis.

A major change in the organizational and operational structure of USDF was approved in concept this year. Currently the structure consists of the Executive Board, the Board of Governors, and a whole bunch of independent committees and subcommittees. Basically the system works by having committees do their thing and make recommendations to the Board for approval. Committees have no representation on the Executive Board and all operate more or less independently.

The new structure basically consists grouping the committees, sub-committees and ad-hoc working groups into two categories, or Councils, those that deal with administrative stuff and those that are involved with program activities. The Councils are made up of the heads of the committees and a couple of others appointed by the Board of Directors. Their job is to provide a mechanism to exchange ideas within their vested peer group, look at the work of the committees and make sure it is consistent, the right and left hand are more or less on the same page and the work of the committees fits the goals of the USDF strategic plan. A major change is that the Councils will have seats on the Executive Board thereby giving the working stiffs a direct connection to management.

By-laws will need to be revised in 2010 to accommodate the approved structure with implementation scheduled for 2011.

There has also been a lot of discussion starting at the 2008 Convention about revising the make-up of the Board of Governors and the way representation at the Convention is to be determined. The proposal invoked some adamant response prompting it to be tabled consideration. One aspect of the proposal would have decreased the number of Convention GM delegates for ODS from 4 to 2.

Instead of that, a By-Law change was passed this year which, if I understand it correctly, will increase the ODS delegation from the current 4 to 6. Delegates to the Convention must be named to USDF by Aug 1 each year or delegates will be lost. The new requirements will require some changes in our practices and procedures.

The USDF Tests revisions for 2011 were briefly discussed at the Convention. There will be changes made to make a clearer demarcation between the levels. First of all there will be only three tests per level. Training, First, and Second levels will have the number of tests reduced to three.

In recognition of the importance of stretching, Training Level test 1 will include stretchy circles. At the same time, consideration for horse welfare lead to permitting rising trot for lengthening through First level.

Major changes will be coming to Fourth Level in order to clearly distinguish it from Prix St. Georges. The requirement for a canter pirouettes will be replaced by working pirouettes only. Test 1 will require one simple flying change, test 2 will require changes at the ¼ line, center line and ¾ line but no specific stride count, and test 3 will require 3 tempis. Fourth level freesytle requirements will drop 3 tempis and half pirouettes will be replaced by working pirouettes.

The North Willamette Valley Chapter of ODS is holding two educational events.

The first will be a Chapter Member Only event (no guests) on Jan 25 at 6:30 pm in Oregon City.

Dr. Barb Crabbe will be speaking to the chapter regarding horse nutrition including new information regarding worming practices. Dr Crabbe currently operates her own private equine practice in Portland , with an emphasis on performance horses. Her primary area of interest is in the area of equine lameness and gait analysis, especially as it relates to the dressage horse. This is an event you want to be sure not to miss.

The NWV Chapter will also hold a Saddle Fitting and Information Meeting in Woodburn, OR on Feb 25 at 6:00 pm. Ilene Nessenson, JD of Holistic Horse Bodyworks, LLC has agreed to bring her stash of saddles to show members what they can look for in not just the saddle fit but how internal build of a saddle can change and compromise the integrity of the saddle and your riding. It will be held at Crosby Creek Stables in the fully enclosed arena however be sure to bring a chair and dress warm. It is promising to be a very educational event.

For more information and to RSVP please contact Marla at marlasa2002@yahoo.com or call 503.522.5453.

Just a reminder that Chapters are always welcome to include news events in this column, just let us know.

Until next time, be safe and keep the breeches warm.

-Ed

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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Well, dear members, this is my last column, at least as your President anyway. Looking back over the past three years I realize how fortunate I have been to have had this experience. It has been a time of growth for dressage in Oregon, for our organization and an opportunity for personal growth for me.

The biggest accomplishment for me has been helping to move ODS forward into the fast moving technological world we are living in.

The biggest inspiration has been working with people who have put so much of themselves into our organization to make it what it is.

The most fun has been meeting so many people and making many friends.

The most awesome responsibility has been representing ODS at the USDF National Convention.

The biggest challenge has been finding ways to communicate with so many people in such a diverse and large geographic area.

The most rewarding has been having your trust and support. I thank you for that and look forward to the future of dressage in Oregon.

I plan to stay involved with the board but in a support rather than leadership role, working on projects yet to be finished. The one last thing I would like to do is propose to the Special Awards committee some sort of recognition program for the wonderful creatures who bring us such joy. Hopefully this will come to be in the 2010 award year.

I ask of each of you one thing and that is to come forward even in a small way and help us continue to improve our dressage community.

Please remember to support the Oregon Food Bank during the holidays if you can and please have a safe and wonderful Holiday Season and Good Luck in the new year!

Marsha