Lexington, KY (September 12, 2013) -The United States Dressage Federation (USDF)  is pleased to announce that Marilyn Heath will be presented with the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Salute Gala & Annual Awards Banquet, on December 7, 2013, during the Adequan/USDF Annual Convention in Lexington, KY. Award winners are those who have shown a lifetime of dedication to USDF through volunteering, and developing programs, projects, and committees that have contributed to USDF's mission. They also have a long history of membership in USDF.

Marilyn Heath, of Naples, FL, has been a long and faithful volunteer to USDF through her dedication to judge education and involvement with USDF's “L” Education Program and the Delaware Valley Combined Training Association (DVCTA). After becoming a USEF “S” Judge in 1989, Marilyn could have worked towards becoming an FEI dressage judge. She chose, instead, to focus on judge education and became an “L” faculty member in 1992. As the co-chair and chair of the “L” Education Program, Marilyn exhibited strong leadership in updating the program and its materials, promoting consistency among other judge education programs, and providing accessibility to judge education to a wider audience. The DVCTA has also recognized her devotion to the sport, by creating the Marilyn O. Heath Judges Education Fund, in honor of her enthusiastic commitment to improving dressage judging education in America. Marilyn's passion for judging, personal integrity, and leadership have positively impacted USDF's judge education program, USDF's education mission, and the development of consistent and correct dressage education for all.

USDF President George Williams said, “In her quiet unassuming way, Marilyn Heath oversaw the USDF “L” Program with a diligence and expertise that ensured it remained one of the best judges' training programs in the world.”

For more information about the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame, visit the USDF website, or contact the USDF office at halloffame@usdf.org. 

Founded in 1973, the United States Dressage Federation is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to education, recognition of achievement, and promotion of dressage. For more information about USDF membership or programs, visit www.usdf.org, email usdressage@usdf.org, or call (859) 971-2277.