USDF Congratulates 2018 GMO Award Winners

For Immediate Release
Thursday, October 18, 2018

Lexington, KY (October 18, 2018) - The United States Dressage Federation™ (USDF) is pleased to congratulate all of the winners of the 2018 GMO Awards, which will be presented during the Board of Governors General Assembly at the 2018 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention, in Salt Lake City, UT. These awards are given annually, to recognize outstanding achievement within USDF's GMO community. Recognition is given in the following categories: GMO amateur photograph, website user experience, newsletter first person experience and general interest articles, and creative GMO-sponsored program. USDF also recognizes outstanding volunteers at the regional level along with the recipient of the Ruth Arvanette Memorial Fund grant.

This year's winners are:

GMO Photography Awards:
Best Amateur Photograph:

GMOs with less than 75 members:

First Place: Columbia Dressage & Combined Training Association, Direct Rein, July 2018, Photographer: Leah Strid

GMOs with 75 to 174 members:

First Place: Southern Eventing & Dressage Association, Off Course Online-The Bleep, August 2018, Photographer: Nicole Miller

GMOs with 175 to 499 members:

First Place: Central States Dressage & Eventing Association, Cross Country, July 2018, Photographer: Ann McMillan

GMOs with 500 or more members:

No nominations

GMO Newsletter Awards:
First Person Experience Article:

GMOs with less than 75 members:

First Place: Eastern Iowa Dressage & Eventing Association, "On the Bit", March 2018: Members Unearth Free Digital Content for Riding at February EIDEA Meeting by Donna Hammond
Honorable Mention: Long Island Dressage Association, The LIDA Extension, November/December 2017: My New Life by Mary Mulcahy

GMOs with 75 to 174 members:

First Place: Central Tennessee Dressage Association, The Half Halt, December 2017: A Bigger Stage: "More" is a four-letter word by Jody Wilson
Honorable Mention: All Dressage Association, All Dressage Association, May 2018: My Experience at The Great Lakes Regional Schooling Show by Leana Tank

GMOs with 175 to 499 members:

First Place: Central States Dressage & Eventing Association, Cross Country, November 2017: The Case For Pony Club: What today's young eventers are missing by Jennifer Selvig, DVM
Honorable Mention: Northern Ohio Dressage Association, NODA News, August 2018: My Dressage4Kids TEAM Dressage Clinic Experience by Maria Sandy

GMOs with 500 or more members:

First Place: Rocky Mountain Dressage Society, The Centaur, July 2018: RMDS Adult Amateur Clinic with Bill McMullin by Judi DeVore
Honorable Mention: Georgia Dressage & Combined Training Association, Inc., Collected Remarks, May 2018: I Threw Out Everything I Thought I Knew & Rebuilt My Riding by Karen Kreider

General Interest/Informational Article:

GMOs with less than 75 members:

First Place: Long Island Dressage Association, The LIDA Extension, October 2017: The Value of Showing Locally by Lucille Sullivan
Honorable Mention: Three Rivers Equestrian Association, Three Rivers Equestrian Association Newsletter, February 2018: It's -11 degrees today! How is my horse staying warm out there? by Renee Shiska

GMOs with 75 to 174 members:

First Place: Lehigh Valley Dressage Association, The LVDA CenterLine, February 2018: Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone: Taking a Lesson with a New/Different Clinician or Trainer by Patty Weston
Honorable Mention: Wisconsin Dressage & Combined Training Association, eQuester, December 2017: A Simple Little Goal by Diane Brault

GMOs with 175 to 499 members:

First Place: Central States Dressage & Eventing Association, Cross Country, July 2018: Choosing the Right Horse: How Equine Personality Plays a Role by Ingrid Henry
Honorable Mention: Northern Ohio Dressage Association, NODA News, July 2018: Shipping Your Show Horse, Q&A with Brett A Berthold, DVM  by Arielle Brodkey

GMOs with 500 or more members:

First Place: Georgia Dressage & Combined Training Association, Inc., Collected Remarks, July/August 2018: Mustangs at Wills Park by Caitlyn Bennett
Honorable Mention: Rocky Mountain Dressage Society, The Centaur, May 2018: If The Shoe Fits: How The Right Shoe and A Trained Farrier Can Make The Difference by Amber Clark

GMO Website Awards:
Best User Experience:

GMOs with less than 75 members:

First Place: Eastern Iowa Dressage & Eventing Association (www.easterniowadressageandeventing.com)
Honorable Mention: Long Island Dressage Association (www.lidressage.com)

GMOs with 75 to 174 members:

First Place: Nebraska Dressage Association (www.nebraskadressage.org)
Honorable Mention: Southern Eventing and Dressage Association (www.sedariders.org)

GMOs with 175 to 499 members:

First Place: Central States Dressage and Eventing Association (www.csdea.org)
Honorable Mention: Northern Ohio Dressage Association (www.nodarider.org)

GMOs with 500 or more members:

First Place: California Dressage Society (www.california-dressage.org)
Honorable Mention: Georgia Dressage & Combined Training Association, Inc. (www.gdcta.org)

Creative GMO-Sponsored Program Award:

First Place:

Inland Northwest Dressage Association - The Judge's Eye

Honorable Mention:

Eastern Iowa Dressage & Eventing Association - Taste A Wine/Ride A Test

Regional GMO Volunteers of the Year:

Region 1: Gary Maholic (Doylestown, PA - Eastern States Dressage & Combined Training Association)
Region 2: No nominations
Region 3: Judy Downer (Ocala, FL – STRIDE)
Region 4: Elizabeth Hotchkiss (Columbia, MO – Columbia Dressage & Combined Training Association)
Region 5: No nominations
Region 6: Julie Loudon (Cheney, WA – Inland Northwest Dressage Association)
Region 7: Ellen Corob (San Luis Obispo, CA – California Dressage Society)
Region 8: Karen Steffy (Freeville, NY – Cayuga Dressage & Combined Training, Inc.)
Region 9: Judi Dauterive (Folsom, LA – Southern Eventing & Dressage Association)

Ruth Arvanette Memorial Fund Grant
Kathryn P. Kostenbader (North Liberty, IA – Eastern Iowa Dressage & Eventing Association)

For more information on GMOs in your area or GMO award programs, please visit the USDF website at www.usdf.org, or contact the USDF Group Member Organization Committee liaison at gmoliaison@usdf.org.

Founded in 1973, the United States Dressage Federation is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to education, recognition of achievement, and promotion of dressage. For more information about USDF membership or programs, visit www.usdf.org, email usdressage@usdf.org, or call (859) 971-2277.