The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced the winner of the 2008 USDF Volunteer of the Year Award, presented by The Paddock Saddlery, at the 2008 Adequan/USDF Annual Convention. This award recognizes a USDF member who, through consistent and cumulative volunteer activities, has demonstrated exceptional commitment towards carrying out USDF’s mission. As the winner, Jenkins was presented with a perpetual trophy, which is permanently on display in the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame, will be featured in the yearbook issue of USDF Connection, and received a “keeper” trophy and $500 gift certificate from The Paddock Saddlery.

Jenkins has managed the New England Dressage Association (NEDA) Fall Festival of Dressage CDI-W, the largest single recognized dressage competition in the U.S. on a volunteer basis since 1990. In 2002, Region 8 requested the Great American/USDF Regional Dressage Championships be held during the Fall Festival, and Jenkins agreed to take that on. At the request of the NEDA Board and the Sport Horse Committee, she agreed to expand the NEDA Breed show and host a Great American/USDF Breeders’ Championships at the Fall Festival. In addition to her year-round commitment to the fall shows, Jenkins has been an active NEDA board member since the early 70’s serving in a number of capacities, including as a member of the NEDA Sport Horse Committee; a NEDA Delegate to the USDF convention, a member of the NEDA Liaison Committee to the USDF on the initial data integration project for computer generated membership and as a consultant to the USDF FEI Managers Committee.

For more information on the USDF Volunteer of the Year Award, presented by The Paddock Saddlery, visit www.usdf.org or email [email protected].