UDS Newsletter: July 2026
- Jul 1
- 14 min read
Member Shout Outs
2025 Volunteer of the Year and Junior/Young Rider Sportsperson of the Year
The UDS board had a firm goal to bring back the Volunteer of the Year and Junior/Young Rider Sportsperson of the Year awards to our last banquet. Unfortunately, with board shake ups as well as the whirlwind of chaos and last minute disasters that accompany any major event, these awards sadly got lost in the shuffle, and we were horrified to realize that they had, once again, gone un-awarded. Rather than wait another year, we tracked down the nomination spreadsheets that had gone missing and discussed the nominees, and it is my absolute pleasure to get to announce this year’s winners at long last. Congratulations all around!
Volunteer of the Year: Christie Bogle. If you show dressage in Utah, chances are you've seen Christie's encouraging smile beaming from the judge's box. When her own beloved Thoroughbred aged out of competition, Christie stepped into scribing, and she's been a stalwart of shows ever since. This year, she was at long last able to purchase a new dressage partner for herself, but she continues to split time between scribing and competing herself. Without the dedication of Christie and others like her, our shows could not run, and we are truly grateful for the time she gives.
Junior/Young Rider Sportsperson of the Year. We have a number of truly top notch juniors and young riders in the Utah Dressage Society, and the more the board discussed the nominees, the more we determined that we could not pick only one. Because the distinction has not been awarded in a few years, and because some of these nominees might age out if we were to wait, we decided the only correct course of action was to choose our top three.
Rhyan Andersen. Rhyan is the epitome of grace under pressure. As a working student for Sarah Simmons, Rhyan rides a variety of young horses as well as her own Hungarian Warmblood, Wradiant, who is himself far from a straight forward ride. At this past February’s Steffen Peters clinic, the six-time Olympian commented on just how very impressed he was not only with her riding but with Rhyan’s emotional maturity and generosity with her horse. Rhyan’s assiduous pursuit of learning has been rewarded in the show ring from rated shows to regional
championships. Perhaps because she knows the lows as well as the highs, Rhyan is the first to notice when her fellow competitors have had a rough class, and she is quick with a hug or a word of support. Out of the show ring, she balances her scholastic work as a fulltime college student with an intense riding schedule. Even with the heavy load she carries, she still made time to scribe at last fall’s Pumpkin Event, supporting the Pony Club that has been so foundational to her. She participated in the L Program and attended Carl Hester's event in California, opportunities she funded herself to continue her dressage education.
Isabella Querciali. Not one but two UDS members nominated thirteen-year-old Isabella. One wrote to say, “She has been riding the last four years and this summer earned her training level USDF rider certification award. She is the first to help anyone and everyone with absolutely any task at hand, whether it’s cleaning or grooming. She is a hard, hard worker who is always cheering on everyone on our team, as well as other riders from other barns.” her co-nominator added, “She is just so amazing how she supports others. She has overcome huge fears and succeeded this show season. The way she keeps herself happy and calm is she roots for others. She always shares how proud she is no matter what her score is. She creates a happy atmosphere at shows just by being herself.” This generosity of spirit for people and horses alike is what makes a true sportsperson.
Alyna Taylor. If you have had the pleasure of meeting Alyna, you know that her smile not only lights up a room, it lights up an entire show ground. Whether making a friendship bracelet for Steffen Peters or demo riding in the L Program, nine-year-old Alyna approaches her riding with joy and a sincere desire to learn. As her nominator wrote, “She is always ready to lend a hand with providing water and boot cleaning to most anyone who is in the warm up ring before they go out to show. She cheers on her team mates and loves the whole show environment.”
Our entire community is enriched by these phenomenal young riders. They make sure that the future is bright for Utah dressage!
Nina Halvorson Earns Dressage Foundation Scholarship
UDS member Nina Halvorson was awarded a grant to participate in the USDF Instructor/Trainer Development Program. Whether competing in both classical and western dressage or demo riding for the L Program, Nina shows the versatility and athleticism of her equine partners. (In fact, rumor has it that S judge Cindy Canace was repeatedly wowed by Nina’s ride at Millbrook this past weekend, earning “with distinction” scores on her Quarterhorse.)
Congratulations, Nina!! You are truly an asset to our community.
You can find the full Dressage Foundation article here.
Medals and Bars
Kathryn Blair earned the final score for her USDF Silver medal on BA Kamarade, “Kami,” a 2009 14.3 hand Egyptian Arab. Well done, Kathryn!
Amber Russell and Dana Dennison earned the scores for their Bronze Freestyle Bars. Amber is quick to add that she managed this with tests ridden on Gypsy Vanners. Margaux earned two scores at first level, Sir Kimber earned two scores at second level, and Kelly earned two scores at third level. Even more amazingly, they earned this achievement in the first freestyles they performed, earning the six scores required.
Additionally, many riders are earning “with distinction” scores and many are on the cusp of pushing their USDF medals to the next level. Way to show up and show out!
If I have missed any riders who earned their freestyle bars or USDF medals, please reach out! It’s not always easy to get a full list, and I would love to shout you out in the next newsletter.
UDS News
Show Season Starts
This year’s show season is off to the races, with UDS-recognized short tours and rated shows happening across the state and in neighboring Idaho and Nevada. The season has already brought incredible highs and lows, both on systemic and personal levels. Competitions have struggled to fill this year, and show managers have shared their concerns about the economic viability of maintaining high quality shows, whether those be rated shows, short tours, or schooling shows.
This year’s Millbrook Summer Dressage Festival had the added challenge of the Iron Fire burning an uncomfortably close ten miles away. Jan Lawrence stayed in daily contact with the local mayor, who understood that the facility would need an advanced heads up were evacuation orders to come so that all horses could be removed safely. Luckily for all concerned, the firefighters did a heroic job, the air in Fairfield stayed clear, and the show, while still beset by some fairly significant winds, was a triumph.
This year also saw a brand new UDS Short Tour in northern Utah, put on by Mindy Simmons and Bethany Wilhelmsen at Buffalo Ranch in Farmington. Riders welcomed the chance to haul in and compete in a new, fun venue, with a full Western town staged in the indoor arena behind the judge. Multiple participants raved about the event, expressing sincere hopes that more short tours will be returning to the venue in the future.
UDS’s own Eva Adolphi Memorial Short Tour in Spanish Fork saw riders earning top marks, with high points in both classical and western dressage all in the seventies! Utah’s riders, whether Open, Adult Amateur, or Junior/Young Rider, were uniformly showing what they can accomplish in the sand box.
It is truly inspiring to see our UDS members putting their hard work to the test (quite literally), challenging themselves to new heights in front of top tier judges. Utah continues to show itself to be a real hub for dressage, and we hope you will continue to get out there and test your training. We are fortunate to have such outstanding show venues, and we hope you will join us in continuing to support them.
Phase One of L Program Concludes
The final weekend of the first portion of the L Program took place in April, with classroom sessions at Southern Belle and ridden sessions at Rockin’ Horse Ranch. Debbie Riehl-Rodriguez was joined by fellow USDF Senior (“S”) judge Teresa Stewart, as she certifies to become one of the L Program faculty herself. The two made a powerful combination, discussing both the videos and the demo rides to explain their scoring and methodology. L Program participants were often on the hot seat, judging alongside the faculty and being called on to report their scores and explain our reasoning. Both faculty members continually remarked on what a strong group of participants we had, and the future of judging looks bright in Utah.
Participants and auditors have been quick to express their gratitude and praise the learning they gained through this program. In particular, many felt the program demystified many aspects of judging, clarifying what the scores mean and how the judge arrives at each. To offer just one example, we learned that the collective marks at the end of a test should reflect the scores throughout the test itself, so if the rider earns mostly 5s and 6s on their movements, they will likely see similar numbers for gaits, submission, position, aids, and so forth. This helps with overall scoring consistency.
While it would be impossible to go into the full content of the three weekends of learning in this one short article, our L participants and auditors seem eager to share their learning and answer questions. We suspect that the benefit from this program will extend far beyond those who were able to attend–so if you have a question about your score sheet, why not ask one of our L program attendees? They may be able to shed some light.
The UDS board is now busily working to ensure that we are able to offer part two of the program in the next year. Participation will be extremely limited, and the logistics are tricky, as USDF has strict criteria to ensure the program’s continued high quality. Luckily for us, UDS Director of Education Katie Lorens is on the job, working to make it happen. The board is united in our wish to have many more L graduates in Utah, and we hope to see them judging schooling shows and short tours once part two is complete.
Member Articles
Why We Leave Home
Sydni Cook
This winter I had the incredible privilege of spending four months in Florida as the recipient of the Debbie McDonald FEI Grant through The Dressage Foundation. On paper, I went for lessons and horse shows. In reality, I went because sometimes you have to leave home to truly grow.
Utah has an incredible dressage community, and I am proud to call it home. But there comes a point in every rider’s journey when you realize that if you want different results, you need different experiences. Growth requires stepping outside of what is familiar. It requires surrounding yourself with people who know more than you do and being humble enough to start over.
For four months, Leslie Edison and I immersed ourselves in that process. We brought four horses, rode six days a week, competed at four different venues, attended symposiums, watched CDIs with Olympic judge Anne Gribbons, and even had the opportunity to learn long-lining from legendary Swedish coach Bo Jenå. Every day was another chance to ask questions, make mistakes, and improve.
The funny thing is, the biggest lessons weren’t complicated. They were often delivered in a single sentence.
“When in doubt, shoulder-in.”
“You can’t feel when your mouth is moving.”
“Sometimes it feels worse on the road to better.”
Those little Anne-isms became daily reminders that progress isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes the horse feels worse because you’re asking them to move in a way they’ve never been strong enough to before. Sometimes you have to stop analyzing every stride, trust your training, and simply ride.
One phrase has stayed with me more than any other:
“You don’t know what you don’t know.”
It sounds blunt, but it’s incredibly freeing. It reminds us that there is no shame in not having all the answers. The only mistake is believing you’ve learned enough.
Watching the best riders in the country was perhaps the greatest education of all. They weren’t searching for shortcuts. They weren’t chasing flashy movements. They were obsessing over basics, riding countless transitions, perfecting shoulder-in, and quietly doing the work that no one applauds. Excellence wasn’t built on talent alone. It was built on repetition, humility, and patience.
I returned home with better scores, but that’s not what mattered most. I came back with a different eye, a different feel, and a deeper appreciation for classical dressage. My horses are better because of it, my students will benefit from it, and I hope, in some small way, our Utah dressage community will too.
Leaving home isn’t about proving that what we have isn’t enough. It’s about bringing something back.
For that opportunity, I will always be grateful—to The Dressage Foundation and the Debbie McDonald FEI Grant Committee for believing in me, to Leslie Edison for making the journey possible, and especially to Anne Gribbons for reminding me every day that this sport is less about finding the perfect ride and more about showing up, doing the work, and trusting the process.
Explaining the L
Ashley Adams
Thank you, Utah Dressage Society board members, for putting on the USDF L-program part I! Are you confused by the process to become a judge? You are not alone! Even though the path is long and a little bit confusing to me still, what I’ve learned through this process and attending the L-program part I, is how much effort our USDF Dressage judges put into becoming a judge. A word of caution: While I’ve done my best to portray accurate information, I am not a USDF official and there are updated resources on the USDF website. If you are considering beginning or continuing the process, please look up all the current requirements.
Many competitors and enthusiasts may not know, but the L-program does not make you a (licensed) judge. The “L” appropriately stands for learner, and as such, the L-program is for people who are interested in learning about the judging of dressage. With that being said, it is the start of the (long) process to becoming a licensed judge!
In the US, there is a system of judge ranking to identify which levels someone is licensed to judge:
• L graduate (can not judge at recognized events)
• r, aka small r, recorded (can judge up to 2nd level)
• R, aka large R, registered (can judge up to 4th level and some FEI Jr, pony, and para tests)
• S, aka large S, senior (can judge all nation and FEI level classes)
• FEI- uses their own system
The L-program consists of 2 parts:
Part 1 occurs over 3 weekends.
Requirement: Must be USDF member (any type of membership).
Part 2 occurs over 3 weekends.
Requirements: Must be USDF PM member, meet the riding requirements (2 scores from 2-3 65% or higher and 1 scores from third level 62% or higher; or any combination such as 3 scores at 3rd level of 62% and higher would count), and complete sitting hours (60 tests: 20 at each training, first, and second level) and scribing hours (12 at any level) at shows. (Hint- you can be working on your scribing hours now!) Then, you test over two days. Candidates complete a written test, which is an untimed exam of true/false and multiple choice questions that takes approximately 1/2-2 hours. The second day, they judge 6 tests (2 at each training, first, and second level), complete oral judging, and answers questions from examiner,
Our judges are extremely invested in their license! It’s hard to put an exact number on the cost of becoming a judge, but here’s an idea of some of the costs incurred:
• Enrollment fee for each session of the L-program
• Shows to earn required scores if not already achieved
• Travel at least 6 times for L-program sessions plus more to finish scribing and sitting hours
• Hotel for at least 12 nights minimum for educational sessions, plus more for scribe/sitting
• Food while traveling
• L-program materials purchased on USDF
• Purchasing books
• Hiring a scribe, paying for scribe’s travel, lodging, and food
• And, if you pass- 8 hours of continuing education each year
Becoming a judge is not only a financial investment, there is also quite a time investment! According to an article in “USDF Connection” by Amy Bradley (“The Road to Becoming a Dressage Judge”), the timeline is as follows: approximately 1 year to complete the L-program, then 1-3 years wait for an r-program, 1 year to complete the r-program, and then 2 years for R. That’s a total of 6 years, and that’s on the fast-track, if you have already met all the riding requirements.
All of this- and you still are not a judge! So- how DO I become a judge???
The next step after L-grad to become a recorded judge (small r). To even apply for the r program, you must be 21 or older, a competing member, have graduated from L program with distinction within 5 years, and have 5 scores of 65% or higher from 4th level or above. If accepted, you have two years to complete the judge training program- online lectures, quizzes, 6-8 hours of classroom, practice judging via video and in person, judge’s clinic, and a final exam. You must also complete an apprenticeship.
Our judges are extremely invested and very well educated in judging before they become licensed. Learning about the process to become a judge has given me great respect for the ladies and gentlemen who sit in the booth. I am thankful that in our sport, we can be confident that we are getting accurate feedback when we go to recognized events.
Putting a UDS Scholarship to Work
Paula Bailey
In the fall of 2025, shortly after receiving the UDS Educational Scholarship, I stopped riding. I was transitioning from one barn/coach to a location closer to where I live. I wanted to increase my riding to three days a week. It was proving difficult to find a horse to lease as I don’t own my own. I am an adult amateur with a full-time job, so riding must be fit into life. Finding a coach, who has or knows of a horse for lease, with a covered/lit arena, was a challenge and to be honest it left me feeling frustrated.
As it happened, I had been speaking with a friend and mentioned my struggles, feeling defeated and I was thinking about giving up riding altogether. She graciously offered one of her horses to ride until I found my way again. Unfortunately, winter happened and I was unable to ride due to weather. My last ride was December 14, 2025. Fast forward to mid-January 2026. I texted my new coach explaining I was experiencing mental health issues. Her response “let’s get you on a horse and see if that helps”. So, my journey back began. Shortly after, she matched me with a great horse, Chance and an awesome lease opportunity.
I have since used the scholarship money in a couple of ways. First, I am a participant in the L Program and during this time we had Session A and Session B. One of the big take-aways was evaluating the “essence of the test movement,” judging the core purpose or intent of the movement. This is where you start then consider the modifiers that adjust the score either up or down. As a rider I should concentrate on improving the most important or the basic part of the movement on the test. This will help increase my score. It’s the details that matter.
Second, I recently had the chance to audit the Steffan Peters clinic to further my education. I was struck by his kindness for the rider but more notably the horse, encouraging riding with finesse. Big movements by the rider are not required to get the desired result. I was glad for the reminder to encourage the horse to go forward 2-3 strides to help “unstick” so to speak as needed. Also, as riders I think we forget sometimes to reward the horse for good performance. I use my voice and of course, walk breaks but physical touch such as pats on the neck are important too! I left the clinic feeling more focused and ready to work.
I’m learning to be kinder to myself too. I’m refocusing on enjoying the journey. It is totally different as an adult! I think we work so hard towards perfection and obtaining goals in dressage that we sometimes lose sight of the love and grace we need for ourselves and of course our equine partner!
