Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival
The flagship event of Dressage4Kids, Inc.
www.Dressage4Kids.com

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Welcome back to returning competitors and welcome to newcomers!  The Youth Dressage Festival (YDF) is a unique equestrian competition and educational event conducted annually by Dressage4Kids, Inc.  It is traditionally held on a weekend during July or August.  Click on the toolbar to the left for an Overview of the Youth Dressage Festival’s exciting events and activities. 

How do you prepare for the Festival?  To get started, click on the toolbar to the left to read the 2010 Prize List.  The Prize List contains all the information you’ll need, including qualifying requirements, rules and a tentative schedule for the weekend.  It is full of so much essential information that Lendon has included quest ons on the Written Test which cover material found only in the Prize List. 

Next, talk with your trainer and parents to determine which divisions and classes would be best suited to you and your mount.  

Now that you’ve decided to set the Festival as your goal, go out and earn your qualifying score.  You do not even need to go to a recognized show.  You can earn the score at a schooling show or a Pony Club competition.  You can even bring a judge to your home barn and ride the test there as long as the judge is a USDF 'L' graduate, USEF or FEI Dressage judge.  

Begin reading the required books for the Written Test.  Click on the toolbar to the left for the Required Reading List for the Written Test and to order your books. Practice your individual Dressage test.  Prepare for the Equitation phase by riding with other horses working as a group to get your horse used to working at the trot and canter in an arena full of other horses.  If you’re showing in Second Level and above, also practice doing the mandatory (but unscored) practice vet jog.  Click on the toolbar to the left for a description of the Vet Jog.  And practice your stable management skills as well.  If you are one of the top two scorers in age group 11 to 21 in the Written Test, you will be eligible to participate in the Stable Management Challenge.  Go the Overview of the Youth Dressage Festival to learn more about the Stable Management Challenge.    

In addition to the division competitions, there are lots of fun classes you can enter, and most have no qualifying requirements.  They are the Leadline class for aspiring riders aged 4 to 8; the Dressage Trail class; the Musical Freestyle class; the Pleasure class and the Prix Caprilli class, a dressage test with jumps.  Descriptions of all these classes are found in the Overview of the Youth Dressage Festival.  Click on the toolbar to the left for the actual tests for the Leadline
class, the Dressage Trail class and the Prix Caprilli classes.

Do you ride a Thoroughbred or Quarter Horse or any kind of non-traditional dressage horse breed?  Are you an Event rider or a Hunter Equitation rider?  Do you ride a pony?  Your division scores can count towards one of many Special Awards.  Click on the toolbar to the left to read a description of all the Special and Breed Awards and their qualifying requirements.    

We also have several competitions that don’t involve you getting on a horse.  Enter our Cover Art Contest for a chance to have your drawing on the cover of the 2010 YDF Show Program.   There are also a Turn-Out Inspection which begins early Saturday morning and a Stall Area and Tackroom Decorating Contest which runs from late Saturday morning to early afternoon.  More details on these contests and ompetitions can be found in the Prize List and the Overview of the Youth Dressage Festival.  

But the weekend isn’t just about competitions. Saturday evening festivities begin with the Parade of Teams and often continue with exhibitions by top international riders showcasing the athleticism and grace of the horse.  Dinner on Saturday evening includes free pizza for the riders.  There is also a separate buffet dinner for the adults at a nominal cost, and it features comments from the judges that are both instructive and inspirational.  

Getting yourself to the Festival involves some practical matters, too.   Work to get your expenses covered.  Click on the toolbar to the left to learn how you can Earn credits towards stabling expenses.

Send in your Entry Form and fees as early as possible and neatly written.  Click on the toolbar to the left to download and fill out the 2010 Entry Form

Book your hotel accommodations.  A list of hotels can be found in the Prize List.  Request your RV Hookup on the Entry Form.  There is also a place on the Entry Form to reserve your golf cart (for licensed drivers only).    

Check your and your horse’s “wardrobe” to make sure everything you and your equine partner will need to wear fits correctly and is in good condition.  

If your trainer can’t come to the Festival to help you, that’s not a problem.  We have Roving Trainers on hand to coach you before your class.  These young professional riders, veteran competitors at the FEI levels, donate their time so there is no charge for their service.  You can sign up for the Roving Trainers at the show grounds, after you have checked in.    

Also, if you need some extra practice before your official classes begin, you might want to enter the Friday Schooling Show or do a Practice Ride on Friday.  You can find more information about the Schooling Show and the Practice Ride in the Prize list.    

Plan to volunteer, and get your family to join you.  To keep expenses to a minimum, we run the Festival on almost 100% volunteer-power.  We require all competitors to donate a minimum of two hours of volunteer service during the weekend.  After you have checked in at the show, sign up for your volunteer service.  Family and friends who accompany you are requested to volunteer as well.  We have lots of jobs to be done, and we even provide clearly written job descriptions. No job is very hard, but all the jobs done by the volunteers help the Show Committee do their jobs better and result in a more smoothly run Festival for everyone.  In appreciation for their service, we provide welcome gift bags and other perks throughout the weekend.  Click on the toolbar to the left for more information about Volunteer requirements and positions.    

Bringing a younger or non-riding sibling along?  We even have special horse-themed activities for younger kids each day.  Click on the toolbar to the left for a description of Activities for Younger Children.    

Stay informed. There are lots of ways to do that.   Scroll down to the bottom of this page to sign up for Lendon’s email newsletters about the Festival.  Anytime you have a question, reread the Prize List.  Check the website periodically for updates.  You may also email Lendon at graydressage@optonline.net .  Once you arrive on the show grounds, read the show program you’ll receive when you check in.  The program is packed with important show-related
information.  In it you’ll find schedules for the weekend, instructions to competitors from Lendon and information about our wonderful sponsors and other programs conducted by Dressage4Kids. Throughout the weekend, visit the Information booth, check the bulletin boards near the show office and listen for announcements for the most up-to-date information.  

From all of us members of the Show Organizing Committee, welcome to the 12th Annual Youth Dressage Festival!  

Lendon Gray
graydressage@optonline.net
      

 

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