ADS - A General Membership Organization (GMO) of the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) serving the dressage riders of Arkansas for over 3 decades!! We are a not-for-profit organization. 

April 13, 2012 The Crestfield Farm schooling show has been postponed due to the tornados in Oklahoma where our judge, Vickie Sharp, is travelling from. We plan to hold the show next Sunday, April 22. Please check your emails for more information. Sorry, folks, for the inconvenience: tornados are a drag!


March 8, 2012
DTR show results are on the "Calendar/Show" page now

March 1, 2012
List of 2011 award winners!!

February 26, 2012
Banquet Report

Last night's banquet was wonderful. We had 53 in attendance and a great time was had by all. The menu consisted of pork loin over rice pilaf, grilled chicken breasts with green beans and penne pasta with cream sauce. There was a lovely mixed field greens salad and, for dessert, tiny cream puffs and cheesecake bites with chocolate and caramel and good hot coffee. I had some of everything. 

Pictures and award winners will be posted when received. Sandra Thompson was awarded the Patty and Jana Dressage Princess in recognition of slogging through all the shows last year with an ornery pony, conquering said pony, and being show mom for a teenage girl to boot.

ADS gave out 30 or so fabulous door prizes (mine got lost - if you have my beanie I want it back) as well as the hi-point and level awards. The hi-point prizes were plaid boot bags and the level champion awards were polar fleece coolers; reserve champs received the saddle pads. All were very, very nice high quality and beautifully embroidered with the ADS logo. There were lots of 60% and 70% medals given out.
Again - when I get the list, I'll publish. Sorry, I know I should already have it but I don't.

The silent auction was the best one yet. There were over 70 items donated ranging from one of Bob Crane's original oils to a dinner cooked by budding chef Jim Pat Beaird. Boots, tack, books, DVDs, appliances, tools, grooming stuff, show stuff, smell good stuff, pretty stuff, fun stuff - you name it, we had it. I got outbid on everything I wanted. I really wanted dinner with Jim Pat!

New board members were duly elected. Marion Franz takes over for Rachelle Summers as Prez. Nancy Blakely and Sandra Thompson are the 2 new Members-at-Large - Nicola Gagliardo is staying to finish Diana Beaird's 1 year remaining spot. Mimi Benton is our new Secretary as Sarah Branscum leaves and Mike Sullivan will take over my post as Webperson. Look for a chance to become acquainted with your new board this show season. They are eager for new ideas and volunteers to help.

There many thanks to be handed out, both for the banquet and for the past show season. If I have overlooked someone who needs to be recognized, please let me know. (I think I have mentioned my diminished brain capacity before).
Margaret Campbell and Michelle Wadley own tack shops which donated heavily to ADS this past year (and for many years) and deserve your patronage.
Diana and Jim Pat Beaird have put in hours of work to make the auction a go the past few years. The silent auction is one of ADS's main fund raisers.
Wayne Krause is this year's Volunteer (the Kari Barber award) in recognition of his hours of work auditing our books and giving advice.
Cindi Sammartano generously donated her volunteer grant money to ADS for the 2nd year to subsidize your show office fees so they don't go up. She also did all the award calculations for you (for free!).
All the volunteers, host farms, and board members who do boring, tedious, nerve-wracking, stressful, hot or cold hours of jobs all year (and year after year) with no recompense other than knowing the work gets done and ADS continues to serve every show season.
Valerie Wheeler donated a laptop for the show secretary.

USDF Region 9 Youth Schooling Show Challenge

A new program being rolled out for Region 9 Youth offers an opportunity to earn a certificate or a patch for competing in schooling shows! Thanks to Anne Kuhns for organizing the program.
Download the participation form.

Also, ADS junior rider, Katie Thompson, has completed the USEF High School Equestrian Athlete Program and earned her certificate. Her mother, Sandra,  would like to encourage all juniors to do that and will be happy to answer any questions. Email Sandra.

USDF Region 9  GMO CHALLENGE

     As all are hopefully aware by now, we in Region 9 are very fortunate to have the opportunity to be hosting the Adult Education clinic this year with top clinician Lilo Fore. Lilo is a gifted teacher and all in audience will gain a tremendous amount of knowledge from Lilo’s eye, teaching techniques and from what a judge and breeder are looking for.

    We would like to encourage a huge audience and participation in this clinic to show how much dressage is important and supported in our Region. USDF recently implemented a National Dressage Championship and being located Centrally in the country we would like to be looked at as a mecca all can come to for dressage participation and support.

    So we would like to challenge ALL Region 9 GMO’s to encourage their members to come audit and participate in this exciting and educational clinic. The GMO that has the largest amount of auditors will be awarded $500.

    The clinic is March 3-4, 2012 in College Station, Texas. Centrally located to all, please see http://www.usdf.org/education/clinics/adult/dates-locations.asp

Look at Region 9 and click under details for more information on lodging and directions if need.

 Lilo will be presenting the Classical System Simplified, “Tricks of the Trade” to enhance a horses understanding of the riders expectations, the importance or half steps in early stages of training to help develop the feel of engagement and collection, the importance of lateral exercises and throughness and the basics as applied to the Pyramid of Training while moving up the levels.

For more information contact: Donna Meyer  onthebitfarm@verizon.net

2012 ADS Membership Year

Hello horse friends!

It is time for our 2012 membership year with USDF.  We must collect dues and submit our GMO membership roster by December 1, 2012 in order to avoid penalty and delivery delays of the monthly USDF Connection. 

Thanks to those of you who have already renewed!  For those who haven't, please click on the link below to open the membership form.  ADS will submit monthly membership update requests to the USDF, to ensure all club members receive the benefits of belonging to the GMO.

There is a members directory available by email from Sarah. If you wish to opt out your info on this list, please notify her. We will not sell, rent, loan or in any way give this info to anyone but members for any reason other than contact info.
Thanks again for supporting dressage and ADS!!

2012 Membership Form
Complete and mail membership form with your check to: 

ADS Secretary 
Sarah Branscum
2013 Capewood Dr
Conway AR 72032