UDS Newsletter: October 2026
Member Shout Outs
Regionals Represent!
Utah had a HUGE presence at the Great American/USDF Region 5 Championships!
UDS members Sydni Cook, Lori Barrett, Amber Russell, Rhyan Anderson, Justin Giles, Alexis Fairbanks, Amelia Lords, Nina Halvorson, Sarah Simmons, Bethany Wilhelmson, Brittani Frade, Ashley Adams, Elise Lesko, Leslie Edison, Cassie Jones, and Alice Macleod all competed (--and hopefully I haven’t missed others as I scrolled through Horse Show Office).
These riders made the trek to the Colorado Horse Park and showed Region 5 just what special things have been going on in arenas around Utah--and what a show they put on. Multiple riders claimed top spots and earned their qualifications to compete in the USDF Finals. From the looks of the photos posted on line, a few of these riders may have needed to bring an extra truck and trailer to tote home all their ribbons.
If there was any doubt that Utah
dressage was a force to be reckoned with, those doubts have now been laid to rest. Well done, all!
More UDS Members at Lamplight!
TWO more members competed this past August at the 2026 Festival of Champions. Cassie Benson took her horse Halegro (“Hal”) to compete in the Developing Prix St. George and Lori Barrett took her homebred mare, Barbarella, to compete in the Five-Year-Olds. We’ve got some seriously magical things going on in Utah Dressage these days, and it is a delight to see the work of two such dedicated and talented riders paying off on the national stage!
Medals and Bars
The entire UDS board hopes you will join us in celebrating a few members who hit major milestones this past show season:
Cindy Yager earned her final score for her USDF silver medal on her Quarterhorse gelding JF Blackjackman at Millbrook.
Sydni Cook earned her final scores for her bronze and silver freestyle bars this summer. She earned her bronze score on Secret Sauce WF and silver score on Rosa Red.
Leslie Edison earned her final score for her USDF bronze medal at Sage Creek in July riding Rosa Red.
Amelia “Millie” McCandless earned her final score for her USDF bronze at Millbrook in August riding PRE gelding Gamarro Font.
Siân Griffiths earned her final score for her USDF bronze at Millbrook in August riding Larimer Square, her Holsteiner gelding.
Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to this fall’s Education Scholarship winners:
JR/YR Ila Smith
AA Bonnie East
Open Dana Denison
Each of these riders will be writing about their learning experiences in a future newsletter, so keep your eyes peeled for more to come!
Ava Adolphi Memorial Clinic Grant Awarded
Congratulations to Sara McCandless for her excellent proposal to bring International Irish Grand Prix rider Abigail Lyle to Utah! She’s currently at work to make this clinic a reality, and we could not be prouder to support her efforts.
UDS News and Events
Jennifer Williams Clinic
We are thrilled to be following up last year’s Steffen Peters clinic with another world class learning opportunity–this time, with 2020 Grand Prix national champion Jennifer Williams! Jennifer will be flying in from Wellington, Florida to teach during the first weekend of October. She is especially supportive of junior and young riders, and we worked with her to ensure they had the first available spots, and filled in the clinic from there.
Worried that you’re missing out? Come audit! You can sign up online to reserve a spot, or come out to Winter Farms on the day. A UDS board member will be happy to sign you up as an auditor on the spot. One-day auditors will pay $30, or you can save by buying a weekend auditing pass for $50. Please bring a chair and make yourself comfortable for a day of learning. A light lunch will be included for those who sign up ahead of time.
SAVE THE DATE!
Our Annual Banquet will be held March 5, 2027 at Hidden Valley Country Club in Sandy, UT. Be sure to mark your calendars for a night of fun, prizes, and celebration!
Sponsor Highlights
We hope you will join us in continuing to support these businesses whose contributions have been so crucial to our organization.
