USDF Congratulates 2013 GMO Award Winners

For Immediate Release
Friday, November 15, 2013

Lexington, KY (November 15, 2013) - The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to congratulate all of the winners of the 2013 GMO Awards, which will be presented during the Board of Governor’s General Assembly at the 2013 Adequan/USDF Annual Convention, presented by SmartPak, in Lexington, KY. These awards are given annually to recognize outstanding achievement within USDF’s GMO community. Recognition is given in the following categories: GMO amateur photograph, website user experience, and newsletter first person experience and general interest articles. USDF also recognizes outstanding volunteers at the regional level along with the recipient of the Ruth Arvanette Memorial Fund grant.

This year’s winners are:
GMO Photography Awards:
Best Amateur Photograph:
GMOs with less than 75 members: No nominations
GMOs with 75 to 174 members: First Place: Southern Eventing & Dressage Association, off course, May/June 2013: SEDA…Live!, Photographer: Anthony Landreneau
Honorable Mention: Lehigh Valley Dressage Association, Lehigh Valley Dressage Association Newsletter, June/July 2013: Getting Phyler in Foal, Photographer: Nancy Krial
GMOs with 175 to 499 members:First Place: Kentucky Dressage Association, Impulsion, May/June 2013: OTHER NEWS/Dawn before dressage, Photographer: Jennifer Harber
GMOs with 500 or more members: No nominations
GMO Newsletter Awards:
First Person Experience Article:
GMOs with less than 75 members:No nominations
GMOs with 75 to 174 members:First Place: Lehigh Valley Dressage Association, Lehigh Valley Dressage Association Newsletter, November 2012: Dressage horse goes the distance! by Sherry Morse
Honorable Mention: Northeast Florida Dressage Association, NFDA Newsletter, May, June, July, August/September 2013: WHEN YOUR HORSES FIND YOU by Kate Johnson
GMOs with 175 to 499 members:First Place: Central States Dressage & Eventing Association, Cross Country, May 2013: Surviving Colic Surgery - A Personal Story of the Unprepared by Carolyn von Hauck
Honorable Mention: Central Vermont Dressage Association, Inc., The Half Halt, December 2012: The Story of Rhythm The Rescue Horse Who Found Her Way to a Dressage Barn by Lindsey Quinn
GMOs with 500 or more members:First Place: New England Dressage Association, A Tip of the Hat, May 2013: The 2012 USDF Convention Through the Eyes of a First-Timer by Christine Shea
Honorable Mention: Rocky Mountain Dressage Society, Centaur, May 2013: Love, Devotion and Dressage: The Story Behind the Capt. Michael D. Jablonovsky Trophy by Amy Jablonovsky
General Interest/Informational Article:
GMOs with less than 75 members: No nominations
GMOs with 75 to 174 members:First Place: Northeast Florida Dressage Association, NFDA Newsletter, February 2013: Get the MOST out of Training by Lisa Beardsley, RN, BSN
Honorable Mention: Lehigh Valley Dressage Association, Lehigh Valley Dressage Association Newsletter, June/July 2013: The Power of Placenta! by Emily Goense and Doreen Noto
GMOs with 175 to 499 members:First Place: Northern Ohio Dressage Association, NODA News, March 2013: Barn Fire Prevention by Dr. Jeni Gaffney, DVM
Honorable Mention: Oklahoma Dressage Society, Oklahoma Dressage Society Newsletter, May 2013: The Learning Process by Sherry Guess
GMOs with 500 or more members:First Place: Rocky Mountain Dressage Society, Centaur, May 2013: Exceptional George Williams Clinic Clarifies Training Scale by Janet “Dolly” Hannon
Honorable Mention (Tie): Oregon Dressage Society, Collective Remarks, April 2013: Training Column: As the Horse Turns by Leslie T. Chapman and Potomac Valley Dressage Association, PVDA Newsletter, March 2013: The Trainer’s Take, Position, Position, Position by Carolyn Del Grosso
GMO Website Awards:
Best User Experience:
GMOs with less than 75 members:First Place: Southwest Florida Dressage Association, Inc. (www.swfda.org)
Honorable Mention: Michiana Dressage Club (www.michianadressageclub.org)
GMOs with 75 to 174 members:First Place: GLASS-ED (www.glass-ed.org)
Honorable Mention: NEW Dressage Association, Inc. (www.newdressage.org)
GMOs with 175 to 499 members: First Place: Central Vermont Dressage Association, Inc. (www.cvda.org)
Honorable Mention:
Northern Ohio Dressage Association (www.nodarider.org)
GMOs with 500 or more members:First Place: New England Dressage Association (www.neda.org)
Honorable Mention: Rocky Mountain Dressage Society (www.rmds.org)


Regional GMO Volunteers of the Year:
Region 1:Kris R. Daniel (Louisburg, NC – North Carolina Dressage & Combined Training Association)
Region 2:Bonna L. McCuiston (Sheridan, IN – Indiana Dressage Society)
Region 3:TEAM: Mary Jane Benson and Ruthanne Faine-Gardner (Cottondale and Madison, FL – Deep South Dressage & Combined Training Association)
Region 4:Cecilia McConnell (Cedar Rapids, IA – Iowa Dressage & Combined Training Association)
Region 5:Alison Child (Park City, UT – Utah Dressage Society)
Region 6:Sally A. Temple (Noti, OR - Oregon Dressage Society)
Region 7:Diane L. Muravez (Fallbrook, CA – California Dressage Society)
Region 8:Wendy Hunter-Higgins (South Woodstock, VT – Central Vermont Dressage Association, Inc.)
Region 9: No nominations

Ruth Arvanette Memorial Fund Grant
Michelle (Shelly) Bigler (Sandy, UT – Utah Dressage Society)

For more information on GMOs in your area or GMO award programs, please visit the USDF website at www.usdf.org, or contact the USDF GMO Committee liaison at gmoliaison@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.