Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian would like to remind eligible competitions of updates made to the USEF Lite Grants, which provide funding to USEF Lite licensed competitions. Lite licensing is designed to give competition organizers and athletes a lower cost, more relaxed competition environment which still has the benefits of US Equestrian’s rulebook and oversight. 

USEF Lite Grants provide further savings by offering financial assistance to competitions to hire necessary staffing, with up to $300 available for one- and two-day competitions and up to $500 for shows that are three days or longer. The grant may be used toward the hiring of required Qualified Medical Personnel or hiring a USEF Applicant Steward or Technical Delegate to officiate the competition.  

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 28, 2026 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today announced that it will postpone the effective date for the Horse Protection Amendments final rule. Previously scheduled to take effect on February 1, 2026, several provisions of the rule have been vacated by the courts, and the non-vacated provisions will now become effective on December 31, 2026. This postponement follows ongoing legal developments and legislative directives aimed at providing regulatory clarity for the horse industry and federal inspectors.

The final rule, originally published in May 2024, was designed to strengthen the Horse Protection Act (HPA) by replacing the industry-led inspection model with USDA-authorized Horse Protection Inspectors (HPIs) and implementing stricter prohibitions on soring—the cruel practice of using chemicals or mechanical devices to induce an exaggerated gait in horses.

The Dressage Foundation (TDF) is pleased to announce the 2025 recipients of a grant from its Judges’ Licensing Fund. Thanks to the continued support of the Shannon Foundation, donations in memory of Carter Bass, and gifts from donors who wish to support the education of U.S. dressage judges, TDF’s Judges Licensing Fund is awarding $2,000 grants to Margaret Boyce, Michell Combs, Kendra Hansis, and Erin Hurley.

Margaret Boyce (NY) will use her grant funding to apprentice for her Western dressage "R" status and to apprentice for her Level One FEI Para license. 

August 16–17, 2025, will be remembered as a turning point for Western Dressage in the Carolinas. With growing calls for more USEF Lite and USEF Western Dressage shows, Sandhills delivered—bringing opportunity, mentorship, and momentum to our region at the timeless Pinehurst Harness Track. 

I had the privilege of organizing an apprenticeship for upcoming “r” and “R” Western Dressage judges, including myself, Heather, as an “R” candidate. Thanks to the incredible collaboration with show managers of Sporting Services—Cassidy Oeltjen and Patti Hildreth— ran a smooth, friendly, and timely show despite the sweltering NC summer. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Calling all Western Dressage Enthusiasts!

Horse Protection Act (HPA) Update

Washington,D.C. – Julie Broadway, President of the American Horse Council, released the following statement on the pending implementation of the revised Horse Protection Act (HPA) regulation:

“The American Horse Council (AHC) has formally requested that the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) delay the implementation of the revised Horse Protection Act regulation for 60 days. The AHC finds the agency is not ready to implement and/or enforce the revised regulation in a fair and consistent manner. The regulation is currently scheduled for implementation on February 1, 2025.”

Each year, hundreds of thousands of horses are transitioned from career or ownership. A number of these horses end up at risk of inhumane treatment. The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) Right Horse program was developed to unify horse industry professionals, equine welfare advocates, and the broader horse loving public to improve the lives of horses in transition.

ASPCA Right Horse promotes horse adoption as a trusted method for finding your next horse and operates an equine adoption platform, myrighthorse.org. The Western Dressage Association of America’s partnership with the program commits time, talent, and resources to promote horse adoption through education, training, and public awareness on a national level. Together, alongside over 100 industry partners and equine shelters and rescues, we will work to achieve our shared goal of massively increasing the number of horse adoptions nationwide.

FROM Dini Swanson WDAA Executive Director,

Addressing concerns from participants at the 2023 World Show.

Thank you WDAA Family for your many insightful and supportive messages to the WDAA Board of Directors regarding the recent discussion of what constitutes a standard American Western stock saddle.

The WDAA Board of Directors has determined to use the rest of 2023 to evaluate the definition of permitted saddles within the USEF discipline of Western Dressage by conducting research and WDAA member surveys.

If these activities indicate a change should be made, a rule proposal could be developed for implementation no earlier than the 2025 competition season.

We, the WDAA Board of Directors, will find a way forward that continues to uphold the WDAA Mission:
To build an equine community that combines the Western traditions of horse and rider with Classical Dressage.
We honor the horse.
We value the partnership between horse and rider.
We celebrate the legacy of the American West.

Sincerely,
The Western Dressage Association of America Board of Directors

By Sue Hughes and Mary Lynne Zylstra

Show season is almost here. Are you nervous? First time in the dressage ring or working hard to get those scores up from last year?

WDAA is very proud to announce the 1st Annual WDAA Harmony Award.

CONTACT: JENNY JOHNSON, THE DRESSAGE FOUNDATION
TEL (402) 434-8585, EMAIL: [email protected]

April 20, 2021 – Thanks to the continued generosity of Lynn Palm, grants for individual riders are now available through her Grant Fund at The Dressage Foundation (TDF). The Lynn Palm Western Dressage Fund was established in 2019 to provide grants for Western Dressage
educational events, and now individuals riders are also able to apply for financial help for their Western Dressage education.

2020 Year in Review video produced by WDAA Board Secretary Thallia Blight.

Easily store and share your horse’s medical documents

by Katie Navarra

Relying on paper copies to track vaccination records, health certificates, registration, and microchip numbers is cumbersome. The more horses you have, the more challenging it becomes.

What does the judge want to see in a successful test?

By Dolly Hannon

· Regular and free gaits and paces (variations of the gaits) that have no rhythm issues and are elastic and expressive, with reach and springiness. Horse covers ground without speed or loss of balance.

Every year WDAA receives a Youth Grant from USEF that can be used by horse and youth related outreach programs. Last year WDAA chose Operation Wild Horse (OWH) a new Extraordinary Partner of WDAA to receive this grant. OWH shared this wonderful letter with us from one of their Veteran families. We feel this puts our commitment to Military Veterans and their families into sharp perspective.