The Dressage Foundation proudly announced, following a special meeting of its Board of Directors, that Lendon Gray will become the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Dressage Foundation, effective September 1, 2008.

"Her appointment grows out of a Management Transition Plan that has been conducted over the past year by the Foundation's Board and Staff, to replace John Boomer, President and CEO, and his wife, Lynn, Administrative Director, who, as sole staff members, have led, administered and managed The Dressage Foundation for the past ten years," said Major General Jonathan Burton, Chairman of The Foundation Board. "And, the Boomers have done an outstanding job, in the opinion of the Board and the dressage community," Burton added.

John Boomer stated, "We are so excited about Lendon taking the leadership reins of The Dressage Foundation, as she has just piled one high accomplishment on top of another for so many years now, and has deservedly reached an exalted pinnacle in our beloved sport." Boomer and the Foundation Board have assigned Lendon Gray the principal function of leading The Dressage Foundation to a higher plateau, financially and programmatically, thereby enabling it to make an ever-larger footprint on the sport of dressage.

"I am a bit intimidated to try to step into the shoes of Lowell and John Boomer,” Gray said. “For the past 19 years through their efforts and contacts with many of dressage's greatest supporters, The Dressage Foundation has made it possible for so many people of all ages and levels of riding to be inspired, to improve their riding, to elevate their teaching, and to gain appreciation for the challenges and value of dressage. I am however exhilarated by the opportunity to expand on the base that The Dressage Foundation has provided for the advancement of amateurs, youth, and instructors as well as elite riders. Some of my first goals are to create opportunities to educate our instructors in teaching skills and to bring dressage opportunities to riders from other disciplines and 'alternate' breeds."

ENDS