DONT FORGET YOU MUST SUBMIT YOUR 2022 VOLUNTEER HOURS TO QUALIFY FOR YEAR END AWARDS! Volunteer tracking form Four volunteer hours are required to qualify for UDS year end awards (Short tour and UDS/USDF/USEF). This will be the first year of short tour awards presented at the annual awards banquet! We do allow an immediate family member to proxy (e.g., parents, grandparents, child, grandchild, sibling, legal spouse, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece). Do you still need to earn hours?! Send us an email! You can still help obtain items for the upcoming silent auction, reach out to potential omnibus advertisers, write a newsletter article, etc. Do you have experience with Square Space or familiar with Google suite? Graphic design? Social media marketing? We have projects we need assistance with! Volunteer hours can be earned UDS Recognized Shows, UDS Short Tour Shows, UDS Schooling Shows (must be hosted by the UDS or have paid a UDS recognition fee), UDS Clinics (must be hosted by the UDS), UDS Banquet, Banquet Silent Auction, UDS Election, holding a UDS Board Position, holding a UDS Committee positions, or other board approved projects.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT 2 As previously published, elections for certain UDS Board positions will be held in October. The following positions are up for election and the chart shows if there is an “interim” Board member who has been serving in that position. Even if there is an “interim” Board member in the position, other qualified candidates may be considered. Per the UDS ByLaws and Policies & Procedures, eligible nominees will be considered until October 6th and then published. Nominees/candidates must have been members as of July 2022 and be qualified for the position. If you meet the criteria and would like to be included in the election, please email Ginny Sorenson - Attention: Nominating Committee - at vicepresident@utahdressagesociety.com (as previously mentioned, Ginny is vacating the Vice President position and stepping into the President role on an interim basis). See job descriptions below. The Nominating Committee consists of 3 current UDS members - one is a Board member and the others are non-Board members. This year, the Committee includes Ginny Sorenson and two of the Barn Owners’ Advisory Board members: Jan Lawrence and Morgen Bastow. As part of the Committee’s responsibility, it was confirmed that the current incumbents (those currently in positions up for election) have been asked whether they would like to be considered for election/re-election. UDS members who are eligible to be a candidate are urged to contact the Nominating Committee if they wish to run for office. By October 13th, ballots will be emailed (via Survey Monkey) to eligible voters (members as of July 1, 2022). Completed ballots may only be delivered via a response through Survey Monkey. New Board members will be announced and notified at the November Annual Meeting (date tbd) followed by an email blast to the membership. By December 1st, the new Board members will be posted on the UDS website and their terms will start on January 1st, 2023. Please spend time on this important event and participate in creating a valuable and impactful organization. Also, please feel free to ask any questions or ask for more information. Thank you! UDS JOB DESCRIPTIONS: Overall requirements for all Board positions include skills and experience appropriate for the position, the desire to promote and enhance dressage in Utah and surrounding areas, and a collaborative and inclusive style of leadership. Descriptions of all Board positions are located in the UDS ByLaws and additional information is detailed in the Policies & Procedures documents on the UDS website. Here is a brief summary for each position that is currently up for Election (2022): Vice President: The Vice President shall exercise any power or duty of the President in his/her absence. In addition, he/she will oversee designated committees, with an eye for growth of the organization, value to members, and fair and equitable policies, procedures, and practices. Secretary: The Secretary is responsible for minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and of all meetings of the members. In addition, the Secretary shall maintain the permanent records of UDS. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial books of UDS and shall maintain UDS financial records. Director of Communications: The Director of Communications shall inform UDS members concerning matters of interest to the members, including newsletters, social media, advertising, and mailings. Director of Competitions: The Director of Competitions shall ensure compliance, and organize and maintain results' records for any competitions recognized by UDS. Director of Education: The Director of Education shall develop programming to meet the needs of the members, to include: clinics, workshops, and scholarships. Please feel free to contact vicepresident@utahdressage.com if you have any questions or concerns.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT On August 29, 2022, Lindi Kopecki submitted her resignation as President of the UDS Board of Directors. Lindi has held this position for several years and especially helped the organization to weather some extremely challenging years including the worst times of the COVID pandemic. She has sacrificed a lot personally and professionally to head this all-volunteer organization. She has certainly earned the right to reclaim some balance in work and life…and to continue her horsemanship journey. Thanks to Lindi’s passion for dressage, she is leaving a fully staffed Board of Directors, and UDS will remain in her debt for her contributions. Following the UDS By Laws and Policies & Procedures, the current Vice President will step in as Interim President until that position comes up for election (2023). In addition, annual elections will resume effective immediately. Board positions are 2-year terms and the schedule for elections is as follows: (Board members who have been added mid-term are designated as “Interim” Board members) Terms effective January 1st, Even-Numbered Years: President, Secretary, Membership, Events Terms effective January 1st, Odd-Numbered Years: Vice President, Treasurer, Competitions, Communication, Education The annual election will be held in October 2022 for the above positions (in bold) whose terms begin in Odd-Numbered years (term to run (2023-2024). There are Interim Board Members in each of these positions and they will be listed as Incumbents on the ballot - with the exception of the Vice President position. The Interim Vice President will move into the Interim President position until October 2023. So that position is vacant/open for the next 2-year term (2023-2024). More details will be published and sent via email to UDS members. Per the UDS Policies & Procedures, voters and candidates must be on the recognized membership roster by July 1st of the election year (so in this case, by July 1, 2022). The Nominating Committee will be responsible for helping to manage and guide this process. This Committee will include a Board member and 2 non-Board members - Ginny Sorenson, Jan Lawrence, and Morgen Bastow. Please watch carefully for emails and announcements regarding the 2022 Election - the Board is critical to the furthering of the UDS mission to promote dressage in Utah and the surrounding communities. Thank you! UDS Board of Directors

2021 Year End Awards were distributed on Friday, August 12 at Millbrook Farms! UDS would like to congratulate all of the award winners. Accumulating the scores to just be eligible for these awards is a feat in itself, so winning the award is definitely cause for congratulations. UDS would also like to thank the entire membership for their patience and understanding as we struggled to get the 2021 Year End Awards calculated and handed out Scores were quite late coming from USDF and the board was still recovering from the difficult past two years. UDS is on track to have the 2022 Year End Awards Banquet as a full banquet in early 2023. Look for a Save the Date coming soon. Congratulations again and deepest thanks to all our members, Your current UDS Board of Directors

The Utah Dressage Society is pleased to announce a new scholarship opportunity for UDS members that could use some support bridging the gap from schooling/short tour shows to the USEF/USDF/UDS rated shows! There will be a few more short tour shows coming up in Utah county if you still want to qualify! Also, don’t forget that starting this year the UDS will be doing year-end short tour awards at the annual awards banquet. *Make sure you have a current UDS membership! UDS Bridge to Rated Shows Scholarship: Deadline - November 1st UDS is dedicated to furthering the education of any UDS member committed to improving their dressage knowledge and expertise regardless of age, experience, riding level, and accomplishment. Once a year the UDS will award a scholarship of ($500), to an applicant with an average Short Tour Series score of 63% or greater, that has NOT previously competed at a USEF/USDF/USD recognized show Opportunity classes are exempt. This will be used to assist in transition from schooling shows to rated showing. Award Criteria: Awards will be based on an average of the STS scores with a minimum average of 63% from three (3) scores from two (2) different shows and two (2) different judges. One (1) of those scores must be from the highest test of the level. Applicant must NOT have previously competed in USEF/USDF/UDS show, with opportunity classes exempt. Applicant MUST have 4 hour of recorded and approved volunteer hours. Applicant must include a 500 word essay detailing their show aspirations, and volunteer contributions. Funds must be used to attend a USEF/USDF/USD rated show within twelve (12) months of receipt. Applications must be RECEIVED no later than the application deadline, preferably by e-mail. Applications will be scored by the UDS board. E-mail completed applications to Education@utahdressagesociety.com. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Utah is unbelievably lucky to have access to the Racewood Riding Simulator. It is one of a handful in the USA and the ONLY one in the west! Work with a certified instructor to find better seat balance and leg stability. The sensors under the saddle measure front back left and right motion through all three gaits. The leg sensors measure left and right pressure in three different locations! Do you use one leg "harder" than the other? Come find out! Read more about the USU simulator Learn more!

Special thanks to The Dressage Foundation! The UDS was awarded a grant from the Violet Hopkins Fund to help reduce costs for our members. This is a two day, two location clinic so you can choose the best location for you! Each Session is about an hour long. Stephanie will asses your current bridle/ bit and then have you test a multitude of bits to find the right fit for your horse. Auditors welcome! Learn more About Stephanie Read about other’s experience.. Questions? Send us an email!

The Utah Dressage Society is thrilled to announce we are hosting the USDF Instructor/Trainer Program Workshop Series! The workshops are a 3 part series of clinics; lunging, riding, and teaching. The workshops are meant to educate amateurs and professionals who wish to further their knowledge with the classical system of dressage. They are designed to provide ALL dressage enthusiasts the opportunity to learn about theories of riding, training, teaching and lunging of the horse and lunging of the rider. Space for participants is limited but accommodations will be made for as many auditors as possible. For those who do wish to obtain USDF Instructor certification the workshop series is recommended but not mandatory for certification at Training-Fourth levels. More information can be found at https://www.usdf.org/education/instructor-trainer/ Upcoming dates/locations will be announced soon!

The Utah Dressage Society (UDS) is looking for additional Board members! There are two positions currently available - Secretary and Director of Events. We would love to find some folks who are willing to be part of a team of dedicated individuals who are passionate about educating, promoting, encouraging and inspiring UDS members and the general public about Dressage. Secretary: Looking for someone who has experience and proficiency in an administrative role taking and maintaining meeting Minutes, scheduling meetings, recordkeeping, organizational skills, and using Google Platform (Docs, Sheets, Meet, etc.). The best candidate for this position will also have a track record of being collaborative and communicative when working in a group, and can be seen as someone who helps to keep others on track. Director of Events: Looking for someone who has experience with event planning and coordination, and who is able to lead in a way that others can follow! The Board has committed to further engage with the membership going forward and in addition to the largest event - the UDS Year End Banquet - other smaller events need to be planned and scheduled. All UDS events will need help from the rest of the Board as well as the membership and it will be key for this position to be seen as an organized, detail-oriented, event planner. Additionally, this individual will need to be someone who seeks thoughts and ideas from others, as well as contributes expertise. Other benefits of being on the UDS Board include: - belonging to a legacy of Board members who have worked tirelessly to perpetuate Dressage in Utah - special consideration for some scholarships/grants - volunteer hours for lifetime These two positions would be joining the following, current Board Members: Lindi Kopecko - President Ginny Hsu Sorenson - Vice President Mindy Simmons - Dir. of Education Sandra Rivero - Dir. of Membership Jasmine Beckstead - Dir. of Communication Susan Helier - Treasurer Ammie Lords - Dir. of Competition If you are interested in either or both of these positions, please review the information above and email vicepresident@uthahdressagesociety.com for the job description and further conversations. If you are interested in helping UDS, but are unable or unavailable to commit to a Board position, we still need your help on Special Projects! Your efforts will be greatly appreciated and may count as Volunteer Hours (required for Scholarships and Awards). PLEASE consider supporting UDS with some of your skills and expertise. PLEASE consider giving some of your time and energy by being a Board Member, or to volunteer for one of the special projects. You can email vicepresident@utahdressagesociety.com for more information.

Click the button below to learn more about our educational scholarship program! Learn more

In 2022, the UDS Board is determined to be engaged and transparent with the dressage community in Utah. The Board feels strongly about tapping into the expertise of its members and appreciates a forum to explore new ideas. To these ends, the Board has decided to create three (3) Advisory Boards (“ABoards”) to provide a resource for knowledge and guidance, as well as input and feedback. Beginning in May, 2022, the following groups will be created. The guidelines for the formation and guiding principles of these groups will be included in the Policies & Procedures of the UDS. Barn Owners’ ABoard - Ginny Sorenson, UDS Board Sponsor Trainers’ ABoard - Mindy Simmons, UDS Board Sponsor Jr. Riders/Young Riders’ (JR/YR) ABoard - Ammie Lords, UDS Board Sponsor For the inaugural formation of the ABoards (2022), individuals representing each of the group populations will be invited to participate (between 5-8 members). Guidelines for applications/nominations for future ABoard participation will be determined in 2023. There will be two (2) ABoard meetings each year and communication throughout the year. Major initiatives and changes to Board structure and/or policy will be discussed at the meetings. ABoard members are not voting members of the UDS Board as it pertains to corporate or fiduciary matters. However, many organizations choose to have advisory boards in order to benefit from the knowledge of others. Stay tuned for more information on the UDS Advisory Boards - members will be announced in the next few weeks.