USPEA Acknowledges the Combined Efforts of Individuals and Organizations at the 2012 USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage Selection Trials

Kim Keenan and Evin Rattner from Keenan Productions & Events at the 2012 USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championships and 2012 Paralympic Selection Trials.
Photo: Lindsay Yosay McCall 2012

Gladstone, NJ - It was a week to remember at the 2012 USEF Dressage Festival of Champions. Dressage was thrown into national headlines and for the first time there were foam fingers waving "Dressage is #1" at the Olympic Dressage Selection Trials. For two weeks the United States Equestrian Team Foundation hosted the best in Dressage including the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) 2012 Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championships and Paralympic Selection Trials. The United States Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA) would like to thank everyone involved for a successful week of Para-Dressage competition at the beautiful Pine Meadow location at the USET Foundation headquarters.

Just over the hill from Hamilton Farm at the USET Foundation's headquarters is another historic equestrian location called Pine Meadow. For years it has been used for competition and training purposes especially for the Driving discipline. For one week Pine Meadow was transformed into the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championships and Paralympic Selection Trials. The USPEA would like to thank the USET Foundation for hosting the Para-Equestrians and providing the facilities for this event.

The USPEA would also like to express their gratitude to the United States Equestrian Federation. As the National Governing Body of the Equestrian Sport since 1917, they provide an organization to unite the equestrian community by providing licensed equestrian competitions to grow the equestrian sport and maintain a safe and level playing field for both equine and human athletes. The USEF is also crucial in supplying the funding for the United States Equestrian Team.

Rebecca Hart receiving 2012 USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship award from Ann Romney during the 2012 USEF Dressage Festival of Champions.
Photograph taken in Gladstone, NJ (c) Susan Stickle at SusanStickle.com.

President of the USPEA and Paralympian, Hope Hand expressed, "I would like to speak on behalf of all the Para-Equestrians and express my thanks to the many hands that helped transform the show grounds for this FEI event. In acknowledgement of the hours it took, the amount of people that dedicated their time, and the equipment to make this show possible, the USPEA is grateful. I would also like to express my thanks to the USET Foundation and President Bonnie Jenkins, for her kindness and support and for hosting the Trials at Pine Meadow; To USEF and their staff for their dedication to this sport, which has grown substantially over the last few years; To Kim Keenan-Stordahl and Evin Rattner for the many hours of hard work managing the show, the stables, the scoring, and every little question that any rider, owner, spectator, steward, or media person had; To the sponsors that make this show happen, the sponsors that help each rider succeed, the owners of the horses, the trainers, Chef d'Equipe Missy Ransehousen, the stewards, the spectators, the FEI judges, the volunteers and their coordinator Regina Cristo, the announcer Brian O'Connor, and so many more individuals. Thank you to everyone who has supported the Para-Equestrian discipline we are lucky to have a large network of individuals to help grow this high-performance discipline."

For more information about Keenan Productions and Events please visit www.dressageevents.com.