Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the provisional approval of eight new USEF Para Dressage Centers of Excellence (COEs), pending fulfillment of required background checks and U.S. Center for SafeSport Trainings.
The USEF COE program, founded in 2015, is designed to grow the sport of para dressage throughout the United States, playing a critical role in pipeline development, from grassroots through the elite level of athlete and coach education and support. By providing multiple centers of instruction and technical dressage training throughout the United States, the COE initiative provides athletes with disabilities the opportunity to discover competitive para dressage at both the national and eventually CPEDI level, at locations convenient to them. This year, COEs will work alongside USEF Para Dressage Development Coach, Lisa Hellmer, to further develop their programs.
“I am extremely excited to be working with the COEs across the United States to broaden the development of the sport of para dressage,” said Hellmer. “These COEs provide riders access to excellent dressage instruction and are a place to build a foundation in the sport of dressage. I am looking forward to working with each COE and encouraging their grassroots riders in order to continue to build the pipeline for the sport in this country.”
The following programs have been provisionally approved as USEF Para Dressage Centers of Excellence and are listed in alphabetical order.
- Carlisle Academy (Lyman, ME)
- Healing Strides of VA (Boones Mill, VA)
- North Texas Equestrian Center (Wylie, TX)
- Para Equestrian Athletes, LLC at Llyod Harbor Equestrian Center (Llyod Harbor, NY)
- Ride On Therapeutic Riding (Chatsworth, CA)
- Therapeutic Riding, Inc. (Ann Arbor, MI)
- Thorncroft Therapeutic (Malvern, PA)
- Wheatland Farm (Purcellville, VA)
US Equestrian provides COEs with marketing, outreach, and program support along with access to USEF funding (budget permitting.) Click here for more information on the USEF Para Dressage Center of Excellence program.
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