Lendon Gray’s Youth Dressage Festival (YDF), to be held in Saugerties, NY, August 12-14, 2005, is pleased to introduce the inclusion of ParaEquestrian competition in 2005. ParaEquestrian has recently been accepted by both the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) as a full discipline, providing national and international competition in both dressage and driving for individuals with a disability. Both sports have been developing for many years, holding world championships since 1984. Dressage has been part of the Paralympic Games since the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. The Paralympic Games are the second largest sporting event in the world, after the Olympic Games, and take place immediately after the Olympics in the same city and venues. This past year, American Lynn Seidemann and Phoenix B rode to an Individual Silver medal at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games, and Seidemann was most recently honored with an Equestrian of Honor award by the USEF.

Young riders with a disability have had the privilege of competing for the past several years at the North American Young Riders Championship (NAYRC) in the Mill’s Team Challenge. ParaEquestrian has also been included in past USET Festival of Champions and Selection Trials, and will be a part of the Dressage Championships again in 2005.

However, these opportunities mentioned above serve only the very elite athlete, and very little opportunity has developed to date for the young and developing rider. YDF is pleased to include two new ParaEquestrian divisions that will provide quality competition, education and inclusion, and provide the pipeline that these athletes need to develop to be the best that they can be.

ParaEquestrian Division A is an entry level division, allowing riders to compete at either the walk/trot (with minimal trot), or the walk only. Modeled on YDF’s Training Level Division A, riders in this category may compete only in this category.

ParaEquestrian Division B allows a rider with a disability to choose the intermediate level walk, walk/trot or walk/trot/canter test that best suits their current skill level. Riders in this division are also allowed to qualify for another division at the competition.

For other national and international competition, riders must be classified--a process that defines their physical disability and places them with others of the same level of disability. For participation at YDF, riders are encouraged to ride at the highest skill level that they are able to achieve, regardless of their level of disability. In order to qualify to compete in either of the ParaEquestrian divisions, riders must only provide proof of a permanent physical disability. Compensating aids and special equipment required in order for the athlete to compete fairly and safely will also be allowed. Riders with a disability are also allowed an extra few years to develop their skills as a young rider, to the age of 25.

In addition, the Miss Jane Marple Perpetual Award will be presented to the rider with a disability who scores the highest, regardless of the division in which they compete. Miss Jane Marple, retired in 2004, carried many of our U.S. athletes to championship honors, including two Gold medals in Atlanta in 1996, several championships at the USET Festival of Champions, and participation at every NAYRC competition through this past year.

For more information visit www.dressage4kids.com~~~