[email protected]24 September 2014 • USDF CONNECTION under 21 W hat do USDF’s youth mem- bers want and need? Tat can be a difcult question to answer when, as in most organiza- tions, adults are in control. Tat doesn’t mean, however, that youth can’t have input—and that is why the USDF established the Youth Programs Advisory Subcommittee. Te mission of the YPAS is to rep- resent the thoughts, opinions, and needs of each USDF region’s youth members; and to communicate this information to the USDF Youth Pro- grams Committee, to the USDF Ex- ecutive Board, and to the USDF Board of Governors. Te YPAS’s goals are to increase youth participation in dres- sage; to foster communication among regional directors, coordinators, and each region’s youth members; and to foster communication among the re- gions’ youth in an efort to help them become more aware of youth activities. YPAS members play an impor- tant role in shaping the future of both youth in American dressage and the USDF itself. As YPAS advisor and for- mer USDF Region 6 director Gaye McCabe puts it: “Te YPAS has a direct hand in their success and the pro- grams they develop. Tey can see the work that it takes to create and imple- ment a program because they are do- ing the work. Tis is a wonderful way to train our replacements and bring fresh new ideas to the USDF, to in- crease our youth membership, and to bring a new excitement to programs.” YPAS members must meet the fol- lowing criteria: • Current USDF participating or group member • Between the ages of 14 and 28 • Current or past involvement with USDF youth programs, including one or more of the following: Ju- nior/Young Rider Clinic partici- pant, Youth Team Competition participant, Dressage Seat Med- al Program participant, Shining Star Award recipient, High School Meet the YPAS Tis dynamic USDF youth group is making dressage better for you! By Chelsea Urhahn STAFF PHOTO By Lauren Griffn Chair, USDF Youth Programs Advisory Subcommittee I n 2008, I saw an ad in USDF Connection seeking youth mem- bers to serve on the Youth Executive Board, now known as the Youth Programs Advisory Subcommittee. I took the plunge and decided to run for the Region 2 representative position. To my surprise, I found myself that winter grabbing a plane to Houston for my frst USDF convention, not knowing what to expect but that I was going to the world’s biggest dressage party! Having wonderful people commit to fnding strategies that will make our sport better, and assisting others to help them succeed, is what USDF’s annual convention is all about. Convention is not just for adults but also for young men and women wanting to make a difference. For six (coming seven) spectacular years, I have attended convention and found myself more motivated to be better in the sport of dressage and to contribute to a fourishing society. Youth-participation programs within USDF allow young people to have a role within the organization’s struc- ture where their opinions are valued. USDF gives the youth a pipeline. Attending convention and sitting in discus- sions is the frst step toward becoming active in the federation—and where else to take your frst steps than to join in on the world’s biggest dressage party! I would highly recommend attending convention to any youth member who is interested in having dressage be in their future. The YPAS has made programs and scholarships available to help make the USDF convention ac- cessible to all. So stop waiting and come join the party! Why Should Youth Attend Convention? YOUTH REPRESENTATIVES: Chair Lauren Griffin (front row, center) and members of the USDF Youth Programs Advisory Subcommittee at the 2013 Ad- equan/USDF National Convention in Lexington, KY
Now availablewith optional…Short Back Panel forshorter backed horses
www.albionsaddlemakers.co.uk
INSPIRED BY RIDERS, PERFECTED BY TECHNOLOGY - HANDMADE IN ENGLAND
I loved the SLK Royale from the frst time I sat in it. I believe that Albion are the best in their profession. My saddles are so comfortable, like they are made just for me.
Making perfection look effortless
Albion’s iconic SLK Dressage range now features the NEW Adjusta-Tree™ Technology
Olympic Champion Guenter Seidel and riders worldwide trust that Albion can make their horses more comfortable, achieving the perfect ft for over 95% of horse shapes.
Maximise your performance with Albion’s perfect ft.
i was a member of the 2010 nA-JYRC Region 5 Junior team in Lex-ington, KY, where we placed seventh, and my horse Ruhmann and i placed ninth in both the individual and free-style competitions. in 2011, we were members of the Region 5 Young Rider gold medal team at nAJYRC, and we placed in the top 20 in the individual competition. i am also a USDF bronze and silver medalist.
i have spent the last few show sea-sons out of the ring, as Ruhmann has been rehabilitating from a series of in-juries. However, my trainer, Susan An-derson, has given me the opportunity to work with two of her mares, a Ger-man Riding Pony and a German Rid-ing Pony/Welsh cross, and i am ex-cited to go back down the center line with them this season.
i was a member of the USDF Youth executive Board and remained on the board as we transitioned to become YPAS. i joined the board be-cause i wanted to be more involved in USDF, and i wanted to give back to the dressage community that has giv-en so much to me. Being on the board has helped me to see frsthand the work that goes into the USDF organi-zation as a whole and how important it is to help get the voice of our youth heard. We are the future profession-als as well as the future amateurs, and i think it is important to help guide the younger generations of our sport along the way. i am thankful to have had the opportunity to serve on both the YeB and the YPAS, and it has been wonderful to see our projects come to fruition.
Tis fall, i will be a junior at Provi-dence College in Rhode island, where i am studying global studies, Spanish, and business studies. i enjoy being a member of my college’s community, and i participate in the freshman ori-entation program, campus ministry, and Colleges Against Cancer.
Jessica Foschi, 22, Virginia, MN
i discovered my love for horses and dressage at age nine and have never looked back. i am a USDF bronze and
silver medalist. For the past few years, i have ridden a wonderful Welsh Cob gelding, Crescent Moon’s Lancelot, competing through intermediate i in 2013. Currently, i am focusing on and developing my four-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, Calypso. it has been an amazing journey thus far, and i cannot wait to see what the future will bring.
Te USDF youth programs have ofered so much to me as a rider and competitor, and i have found YPAS to be an incredible opportunity to give back and be involved in the communi-ty that has opened many doors for me. in 2010, i was the bronze medalist at the USeF Dressage Seat Medal Finals (14-18); and in 2011, i was one of four recipients of the USDF Youth Conven-tion Scholarship, which enabled me to travel to the Adequan/USDF Annual Convention that year.
Te support that i received as a young rider has inspired me in many ways, including a strong commitment to developing the youth programs for the talented young riders in our sport. Te programs that i have participated in have not only shaped my vision for the future but have also given me the tools to make that vision a reality, for which i am entirely grateful.
Lauren Grifn, 24, Whitestown, IN
My love of horses started when i re-ceived a riding certifcate for my ninth birthday, and from that point on there was no turning back. Te real obses-sion started when my mother bought me a fve-year-old Quarter Horse that was barely broke, but was sane and safe (two key words in my mother’s book).
Nicole DelGiorno, B-Dressage
on Lamborghini Dane
Shore Riders Pony Club
Delmarva Region
Where it all begins For 60 years, Pony Club has been the leader in world-class equestrian education for youth in the United States. Pony Club fosters superb horsemen, extraordinary citizens and lifelong friendships.
LEARN MORE AND
LAUNCH YOUR FUTURE!
Call us, visit us on Facebook or on the web. We’ll help you get started!
Check out all of the ways to be a member,
from online E-membership to traditional!
The United States Pony Clubs, Inc4041 Iron Works Parkway
together we grew to an all-around partnership that showed in every dis-cipline from gymkhana to eventers. But for some reason a 12-year-old girl found her fascination with dressage, and from that point on i was hooked. A couple years later my second horse, Maillet, a KWPn gelding, helped me step into the big leagues of dressage, and we started qualifying for nAJYRC multiple times.
After a tough decision, as i was getting closer to aging out of youth competition, i sold Maillet and looked into getting a young horse. After a year of searching i found the horse of my dreams, Zebastian. At the time he was a gangly four-year-old KWPn gelding in europe, but something about him was too good to pass up. So he found himself with me in indiana. today i plan on competing him in the Prix St. Georges Developing Horse division, with intentions of fnishing him of at Grand Prix.
My love for the sport brought me to diferent organizations, from 4-H to lo-cal GMos. As i grew older i found that i really wanted to get involved with the sport and be part of history. After years of Pony Club and 4-H, i sat on my lo-cal GMo’s board of directors, organiz-ing the Youth Committee for several years. And in 2009 i started campaign-ing to represent Region 2 in the USDF Youth executive Board (now the YPAS). Four years have fown by, and being part of USDF’s YPAS has truly been a dream come true in helping to progress the sport for other zealous riders. i’ve always lived by the motto “Be the change you want to see,” and i hope to continue that for many more years down the road.
Jessica Hainsworth, 17,
Mount Morris, NY
i started riding at age seven and com-peted through 4-H in hunter seat, Western, and dressage and joined Pony Club by age nine. i became focused on dressage after winning the new York State 4-H Championship in 2010.
Te following year, i was select-ed as an emerging Dressage Athlete Program (eDAP) rider and given op-portunities to ride with Lendon Gray, Courtney King Dye, and Lilo Fore. i
Co
URtEsY o
f L
aU
REN
GRIf
fIN
; C
oU
RtEsY o
f J
EssIC
a h
aIN
sW
oRth
Visit usdf.org/awards/preliminary to fnd out where you
