UDS Newsletter: July 2025
- sian9590
- Jul 1
- 5 min read
UDS MEMBER SHOUT OUTS: Congratulations, Adrian Ward, Stephanie Stockton, and Sydni Cook!
June was a banner month for members earning their USDF medals! Here are the ones we know about–
Adrian Ward earned the final score for her bronze medal when she showed her horse No Doubt in Third Level Test 3 to earn an outstanding 65% at Les Bois. Adrian has had No Doubt for about a year and this was only their fourth show together. She works with trainer Morgen Bastow. Beyond the saddle, Adrian has devoted much of her time and effort to creating the new UDS website, for which we are forever grateful.
Stephanie Stockton earned her final score for her bronze medal on her horse Enchanted (“Ted”) with a scores of 65.9% and 60.9% at the Millbrook Farms Summer Dressage Festival. Stephanie trains with Sara Kirby at Creekside and works at Utah Saddle Fitting.
Also at the Millbrook Farms Summer Dressage Festival, Sydni Cook earned her silver medal with distinction on Rosa Red, who she trained herself from training level and who is owned by Leslie Edison of Winter Farms. She also showed Rosa’s baby, Secret Sauce WF, taking her down center line for her first show, and she got the Open high point on on Belialuna RTH in Training test two with an impressive 78.793%.
We are so proud to see our members out there, earning their accolades. Huge congratulations on these wonderful accomplishments! If I have missed any other medalists, please let me know!
We’d like to make the UDS Member Shout Out a recurring feature. If you know of a member who has accomplished something amazing, please email communications@utahdressagesociety.com with your shout out. Feel free to send photos and let me know which photographer to credit.
The L Program
We have had a flood of entries for the L Program and have now received approval of our UDS-approved applications from the US Dressage Federation for their approval. At the time of this writing, we have exactly thirty applications, but if we have any spots open, we will put out an additional call for applications.
In the meantime, we hope to open silent auditor registration very soon. Better still, we plan to offer one reimbursement scholarship for a participant and one for an auditor. Please keep your eye out for those and other amazing opportunities. For more information about all three weekends of the L Program, please see our website.
A Rising Tide
We are pleased to report that, in large part due to the L Program, UDS membership is up roughly 25%, and we’re only halfway through the year! Additionally, we have received new applications for UDS recognition from rated shows in our neighboring states, meaning our members will have even more opportunities to earn scores towards their UDS year-end awards. Better still, this increase in show options does not seem to be diminishing interest in our in-state shows, with Millbrook receiving so many applications for their June show that stabling sold out early. While there may be setbacks along the way, we’re hoping this is the start of a longer trend.
Long story short: The popularity of our sport has never been greater, and we are thrilled to see the numbers grow. There is no sport like dressage for enhancing the strength and welfare of the horse. We are so proud to be working to bolster its popularity and increase educational and competition opportunities for our members.
Eva Adolphi Memorial Short Tour
The UDS was proud to sponsor a spring short tour on June 7 in honor of founding member, Eva Adolphi. It was wonderful to see so many of you out there, showing off what your wonderful partners can do!
We thank everyone who came out to compete, the tireless volunteers who kept things running, our excellent judge Katie O’Neil, and Becca Tolman of Impulsion Images for coming out to take photos. We would also like to extend an extra special tremendous shout out to Christie Bogle, who generously sponsored one of our classes. Additionally, we want to congratulate to our show high points:
JR/YR high point: Sidney Eliot on Zoro, Intro C, 62.75%
AA high point: Kylie Davidson on Creshendo GA, Training Level test 1, 61.73%
Open high point and overall high point: Jaimie Ringger on Nellie, Training Level test 1, 68.46%
June Rated Shows
June was a full month for rated showing! We kicked off the month in Boise at Les Bois Dressage, followed the next weekend by Sage Creek Equestrian, and then a very windy show at C&M and a second Les Bois. We capped off the month with Millbrook Farms’ Summer Dressage Festival. With each weekend offering a new opportunity (or two!), and each show packed with talented horses and riders, it is thrilling to see the continued growth of our sport.
We extend a massive thank you to these host venues in gratitude for their continued involvement. Their efforts make possible these pinnacle showing opportunities.
Bridge Scholarships
Have you been thinking about trying out a rated show, but you’re worried about the extra costs? Consider applying for a Bridge Scholarship. These scholarships are open to applicants with an average Short Tour Series score of 63% or greater, who have not previously competed at a USEF/USDF/USD-recognized show. The scholarship is intended to assist in transition from schooling shows to rated shows, and we would love to see more applicants. For more information about this and other scholarships, please visit our membership website.
Volunteer Opportunities
As you’re out there earning scores, don’t forget to complete some volunteer hours along the way. Between competitions, the L Program, and other events, we need all the help we can get. Please feel free to reach out to show organizers directly to help with those events, or email UDS Secretary Katie Lorens if you would like to help out at the L Program. Even if you are not competing, submitting your hours will put you in the running for our volunteer-of-the-year award.
A full and newly extended list of how to earn volunteer hours is available here. Our fabulous volunteer coordinator Debbie Baxter will also be happy to help you.
Adolphi Scholarship
Congratulations to this year’s Adolphi Scholarship recipient, Ammie Lords! The Adolphi Scholarship is awarded to UDS members who are striving to increase their education and contribution to their GMO and USDF/USEF. Eva asked that past or present UDS board members be given first consideration for the grant, in recognition of their service. As many of you may know, Ammie served the board both as President and Director of Competitions, and we are proud to recognize her efforts with this scholarship, which she will be applying towards tuition for the L Program. We hope that both Ammie and her many students will reap the benefits of the program, and we look forward to sharing her article about the experience.
