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Announcing the USEF High Performance West Coast Para-Equestrian Driving Clinic

by United States Para-Equestrian Association | May 18, 2015, 12:49 PM

The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. (USEF) is pleased to present a 2 day Para Equestrian Driving Clinic at the Golden State Dressage CPEDI3*, Rancho Murieta, California on June 14-16, 2015, 9:00 AM.
Hardy Zante (Courtesy of USPEA)
Hardy Zante (Courtesy of USPEA)

The featured clinicians will be Driving Judge Hardy Zantke and USEF Para-Equestrian Driver Diane Kastama. Topics include what judges are looking for on the Dressage Field, Dressage demonstration by Diane Kastama followed by individual Dressage lessons with Hardy and/or Diane. Discussion on adaptive equipment used in carriage driving and competing Internationally and Nationally. Additionally, there will be discussion on how to walk a cones course and then drive the course. Schooling cones at home and group lessons in cones.  

Featured Clinicians (see below for complete bios) 
• Hardy Zantke 
• Diane Kastama

Meals
• lunch will be provided each day for Drivers. Please specify if you have special dietary requirements.
Diane Kastama (Courtesy of USPEA)
Diane Kastama (Courtesy of USPEA)

Facility
The clinic will be held at Rancho Murieta, which is located at 7200 Lone Pine Drive, Rancho Murieta, CA 95683.

For more information on the details of this symposium, please contact Laureen Johnson, High Performance Director, Para Equestrian & Vaulting, United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. Phone: (908) 326-1155 Email: [email protected]

USEF High Performance
Para Equestrian Driving Clinic

Download Application Here
 
 
Featured Symposium Clinicians

Hardy Zantke learned to drive horses as a youngster with draft-teams at his grandfather's drayage company in East Germany. He later had a formal riding education in the West German army. After immigrating to the U.S. with his wife Jutta and settling in Torrance, CA they became one of the top competitors in Combined Driving in the USA in the 80's and 90's with their pairs of 17 hand bay Holsteiner geldings. They competed regularly throughout the entire U.S. and Canada and were first alternate of the U.S. team at the 1993 World Pair Driving Championship. They brought up two pairs from importing them as three year olds to being longlisted with the USET. They also competed with a four-in-hand and reached the USET List of Developing Drivers with the team. They retired from active competition in 2005. They were co-organizers of the California Classic Combined Driving Event from 1990 - 2000.

Hardy is a retired transportation executive, has represented a German carriage manufacturer for many years and is a well know clinician. He is a licensed FEI Driving as well as Para Equestrian Driving Judge, both on the FEI Three Star Level and actively judges here and abroad. He judged at two Para Equestrian Driving World Championships. He is a Board member of USDFD - United States Driving for the Disabled, an Honorary Director of the American Driving Society and serves on various committees of ADS as well as on the USEF Para High Performance Committee. With his background as competitor, organizer & judge he has served as Chef d'Equipe from 1996 to 2006 for thirteen U.S. Teams, which brought home five medals. These included two Para World Driving Championships with medals in each. Hardy writes for various driving magazines and his articles are published in Australia, Germany, Italy, Canada and the USA. In 2000 he received the ADS Presidents Award for his contributions to driving.


Diane Kastama, FEI Para-Driving Medalist; Vice President of United States Driving for the Disabled; USEF ParaEquestrian Technical Committee Member. A resident of California, Diane has represented the United States of America six times at the Para-Equestrian World Championships from 2002-2014 bringing home 6 medals, 1 Individual Gold, 2 Silvers( Individual and Team) and 3 Bronze medals (1 individual, 2 Team). Within the United States, Diane competes at the National Advanced level and the FEI level, both single and pair. She has competed at two National Singles Championships and one Pair National Championships against all drivers whether they are disabled or not. Diane has been awarded the 2006 Chronicle of the Horse's Driver of the year and was recently awarded the 2014 Becky Grand Hart Trophy at the USEF's Pegasus awards.

Diane continues to educate and mentor upcoming drivers with disabilities as Vice President of United States Driving for the Disabled and serving on the USEF Para-Equestrian Technical Committee. In 1991 a car crash left Diane paralyzed from the waist down. Although a lifelong horse person and dressage enthusiast, riding without the use of her legs was not much fun and she soon turned to driven dressage and then the exciting sport of combined driving. Diane started competing with her home bred Appaloosa's moving on to a series of Section D Welsh Cobs, Rupert, Jasper and George. She drives them single, pair, and tandem. Diane has recently added a Dutch Harness horse cross as her future FEI horse Cavalier and drives him in the pair with Rupert. Diane has demonstrated her skills at Rolex, Horse Expo in Sacramento, the "Night of the Horse" in Del Mar, Equine Affair, and various therapeutic horse programs throughout California. Diane is always willing to share her skills and knowledge and bring driving to the forefront of equine sports.

Download Application Here