|
|||||||||
|
 |
I learned to ride as a child, starting out on American Saddlebreds and moving on to hunters and jumpers with a little dressage thrown into the mix. Since I grew up in Chicago I can recall the days when there were a dozen stables in the city, several of them below ground, and when the running paths along Lake Michigan were all cinder bridle paths. There were horse shows in Lincoln Park during the summer and the season culminated with a huge indoor show at the International Amphitheater near the famous Chicago Stockyards. When George Morris laments the passing of outdoor hunter courses that more closely resembled the hunt field I can close my eyes and re-ride those courses at Bloomfield Hills, complete with rolling green hills, ditches and banks. I hung up my spurs for a number of years to raise my three children and returned to the horse world in the early 80’s. I knew that dressage was the discipline that I wanted to pursue and soon became an active competitor. I found the test results and written comments very educational and decided to pursue a career in judging as well. No Learner Judges program existed then so prospective judges were told to turn in a dozen references and to judge at least 10 schooling shows before submitting an application. I contacted a local organizer and said “I’d like to judge one of your schooling shows…No I’ve never judged before but this is what I need to do before I can apply to become a licensed judge.” We were definitely flying by the seat of our breeches back in those days. Imagine telling a prospective doctor to perform 10 appendectomies and then, if all went well, to apply to medical school. I’ve been a USEF Licensed Dressage Judge for 20 years and have held a Senior License for 8 years. I judge an average of 16 shows per year and instruct several “L” Sessions as well. Becoming a member of the USDF L Program Faculty was an honor and teaching new judges inspires me to become a better judge myself. During the winter show season in Wellington I conduct “Ride-A-Test” sessions with horses and riders at all levels. I’ve owned and competed a variety of horses, earning my USDF Bronze and Silver Medals along the way. I showed extensively throughout the mid-west and then in New England and Florida. Over the years I've had the opportunity to work with many excellent trainers and judges all of whom have shared their knowledge and understanding of the sport with me. |
|
||||||
|
|||||||||