The American Riding Instructors Association's (ARIA) National Riding Instructors Convention will be held December 2-5, 2007, at the Naples Grande Resort in Naples, FL. The convention is open to all riding instructors, as well as those who want to learn more about the profession. For the first time, the convention has been expanded to give targeted information to stable owners and managers as well as riding instructors. More than 20 speakers from around the world are scheduled.

An awards luncheon will be held midway through the convention, with a special recognition ceremony for America's Top 50 Riding Instructors in 2007 as the spotlight.

ARIA will hold an Instructor Certification Test Center at 9 a.m. on Sunday, December 2. Certification will be offered at three levels: Instructor in Training (Level I), Instructor of Beginner through Intermediate (Level II) and Instructor of Beginner through Advanced (Level III) and in 15 disciplines: hunt seat, Western equitation and pleasure, dressage, eventing, reining, driving, side-saddle, show jumping, saddle seat, distance riding, mounted patrol training officer, riding to hounds, recreational riding, stable management and hunt seat on the flat.

The mission of the American Riding Instructors Association, now in its 23rd year, is to promote excellence in the teaching of horseback riding, based on a solid foundation of knowledge, safety and personal and professional integrity.

For more information about The American Riding Instructors Association and/or The National Riding instructors Convention, visit www.riding-instructor.com or e-mail [email protected] or call (239) 948-3232.