The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Dressage Department is pleased to announce additional dressage clinic dates and locations for developing horse/rider combinations in the United States. Joining the roster of Olympians conducting these clinics is multiple Olympic, World Equestrian Games and Pan American Games medalist Debbie McDonald of Hailey, ID. McDonald will be teaching a clinic on December 12-13, 2009, at Linda and Michael Fowler’s Epona Farm in Thousand Oaks, CA. This clinic is open to USEF A and B long-listed riders and Developing List combinations, with invitations distributed to qualified competitors directly from the USEF office.

“I am honored to have been asked to conduct a USEF Developing Clinic,” McDonald said. “I have always wanted to give back to the sport that has been so great to me. I love to coach and feel that I can bring my skills in this regard to greatly benefit the future of high-performance dressage.”

In addition, three-time Olympian Guenter Seidel will conduct a USEF Dressage Developing Clinic at Mary Anne and Walter McPhail’s High Meadow Farm in Loxahatchee, FL, also on the weekend of December 12-13, 2009.

“I'm looking forward to helping develop our up-and-coming dressage talent, and am especially excited to travel to the East Coast and see all the great horses and riders from the other side of our country,” said the California-based Seidel.

These clinics are in addition to the previously-announced USEF Developing Clinic with reigning FEI World Cup Final and CDIO Aachen Champion Steffen Peters, which will be held at the USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, NJ, October 30-31, 2009.

East and West Coast athletes currently on the 2009 USEF Dressage Long List for training and athletes on the USEF Developing Rider List will receive an invitation sent by the USEF Dressage Department. Riders attending the clinic will be strongly encouraged to bring their personal trainer to attend the clinic. The purpose of these clinics is to educate, assist and promote both the riders and their trainers in order to further enhance their progress.

These clinics will focus on developing horse/rider combinations in the United States. USEF High-Performance Dressage Committee anticipates continuing similar Developing Clinics into the 2010 year and beyond in order to further identify and advance the dressage talent in the United States. Participation in at least one of the Developing Clinics may be mandatory to remain on the USEF Developing Rider List.

For further information, contact Jenny Van Wieren, USEF Assistant Director of Dressage at [email protected] or (859)225-6949.

ENDS