The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) named Veronica Holt of Elizabeth, CO, the 2006 USDF Volunteer of the Year at the annual Salute Gala in Kansas City, MO, on November 30, 2006. Winners of the USDF Volunteer of the Year award receive their name on a perpetual trophy housed in the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame, a trophy to take home and a $500 gift certificate, all presented by The Paddock Saddlery, sponsor of the USDF Volunteer of the Year Award.

The winner of this award is selected by the USDF Executive Board from a field of nominees meeting the criteria of five years of membership with the USDF as either a group member, an intercollegiate/interscholastic member, or a participating member, logging a minimum of 25 volunteer hours during the current year at the local, regional or national level within USDF, and all the while, promoting USDF’s mission of education, recognition of achievement and promotion of the sport of dressage

Holt, in addition to being the chairperson of the USDF Technical Delegate (TD) Council, initiated the review of the TD checklist, researched the issue of liability insurance to cover dressage show officials and served on the committee to evaluate the USDF council/committee structure.

At the regional level, HOlt served as the chef d’equipe for the second consecutive year for the Region 5 teams at the North American Junior/Young Rider Championships. These teams received a Team and Individual Bronze medal in 2005 and Individual Silver and Gold medals in 2006. In accordance with her other work at the regional level, Holt has also designed and maintained the USDF Region 5 website over the past five years.

Locally, Holt has served as president of the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society (RMDS), developed the RMDS TD program, managed Region 5’s first CDI, and serves as an advisor to other CDI managers and as a mentor to TDs. She goes beyond the call of duty when officiating and teaches show managers, TDs and competitors about the rules, rationale and history of dressage, as well as being a passionate advocate for the horse.

For more information on the USDF Volunteer of the Year award, or for nomination forms, please contact Cindy Vimont, Senior Director of Member Services, at (859) 971-7317 or via email at [email protected].


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