WDAA Honors

Welcome to the WDAA Honors page, we are proud to highlight the top achievers and benchmarks in western dressage.

WDAA Top Hand Award

This is presented to a volunteer whose contribution to WDAA and its educational mission was outstanding during the current award year.

2014 – Neide Cooley

2015 – Joyce Swanson

2016 – Debbie Riehl-Rodriguez

2017 – Ann Marie Avansino

2018 – Cliff Swanson
            Kelly Coldiron
            Katharina Nowotny-Boles

WDAA Hall of Champions

A horse who has passed but has won a Western Dressage World Championship or Reserve World Championship at the Western Dressage World Championship Show, or an alliance partner’s World or National Championship.

2014 – Sontree Golden Oscar – Morgan

2015 – JBS Raising The Bar – Missouri Fox Trotter

2017 – Blondasaurus Ruth – Belgian

2018 – Canabar Kokopelli – Morgan
            Mountain Rose Charisma – Appaloosa

The Dressage Foundation and Western Dressage

Several years ago, as interest in Western Dressage was growing around the country, The Dressage Foundation (TDF) started to receive requests for grants to help the growth of Western Dressage and the education of its riders.  At that time, TDF’s Board of Directors offered to support Western Dressage because they agreed that classical dressage principles are beneficial to all riders and horses. 

Since then, grants have been awarded to dressage clubs hosting events dedicated to Western Dressage.  For example, the Western Dressage Association of Oklahoma teamed up with the Oklahoma Dressage Society in 2012 to host a “Classical Dressage meets Western Dressage Clinic and Workshop.”  The event was awarded a $2,000 grant from TDF’s Violet Hopkins Fund.  Since Western Dressage was relatively new at that point, the goal of the event was to introduce Western riders to the correct basics of dressage.

Around that time, TDF also started welcoming Western Dressage riders into the Century Club.  To join the Club, the ages of horse and rider must add up to at least 100 years and they must ride any level test at a dressage show or event.  As of May 2020, eleven Western Dressage riders from across the country have joined the Century Club!

Century Club Rides

2012 Team #113

Cayce Black and TLP Liquid Asset (Paint)
86 and 15
Jupiter, FL

2014 Team #161

John Fitzgerald and Jacks Host (QH)
72 and 32
Hakalau, HI

2015 Team #199

Thomas Faylor and Wildmoon (Morgan)
83 and 20
Ann Arbor, MI

2016 Team #232

Yan Ross and Merlin (TB)
73 and 27
Prescott, AZ

2016 Team #246

Suzanne Hall and April’s Cricket (QH)
70 and 30
Winchester, OR

2016 Team #259

Harry Alban and MNK Made to Play (Morgan)
76 and 25
Grand Junction, MI

2016 Team #263

Leanna Bellinger and Fleeting Chance (Arabian)
76 and 24
Hayes, VA

2017 Team # 320

Isabel Surrey Saylor and Conclusions Shadow (QH)
77 and 24
Reddick, FL

2017 Team #324

Stella Gordon and Madoc Best Regards (Welsh)
75 and 25
Conroe, TX

2018 Team #341

JoAnne Percy and King’s Sunny Doll (Paint)
66 and 34
Wenatchee, WA

2019 Team #382

Carol Pizor and Finest Five (Paint)
71 and 29
Columbus, OH

To learn more about TDF’s grants for educational events:
http://www.dressagefoundation.org/grants-and-programs/apply/educational_clinics_seminars_symposia/

To learn more about TDF’s Century Club:
http://www.dressagefoundation.org/grants-and-programs/century-club/

About The Dressage Foundation

The Dressage Foundation, located in Lincoln, Nebraska, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit donor-driven organization that is dedicated to educating, supporting and advancing the sport of dressage.  The organization solicits contributions, appropriately allocates the donations and awards grants and scholarships to dressage riders, judges, instructors, breeders, high performance teams, nonprofit equestrian organizations and more.  For more information, please visit www.dressagefoundation.org.