Para Dressage Newsletter - January 2023

 

WANTED: USEF Para Dressage is seeking able-bodied dressage riders who may have a permanent, measurable physical disability to join our sport 

 

For more information on how you may be qualified to join our medal-winning para dressage athletes, please contact the USEF Director of Para Dressage, Laureen Johnson, at lkjohnson@usef.org or 908-997-3008. You may be a future medalist at the Paralympic Games or World Championships!

 

USEF Para Dressage webpage may be found at https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/para-equestrian/para-equestrian-dressage-programs-forms.

Qualifying Criteria for Para Dressage Programs

 

2024 Paralympic Qualifying Memo:  https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/para-equestrian/para-equestrian-dressage-programs-forms/2024-paralympic-games
2023 Festival of Champions Para Dressage Qualifying Criteria: https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/para-equestrian/para-equestrian-dressage-programs-forms/us-dressage-festival-of-champions-para
2023 Para Dressage Athletes of Honor Award Program Criteria: https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/para-equestrian/para-equestrian-dressage-programs-forms/athlete-of-honor-awards-program-information
CPEDI3* Qualifying Requirements: https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/para-equestrian/para-equestrian-dressage-programs-forms/qualifying-criteria-for-cpedi3
U.S. CPEDI Team Selection Criteria: https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/para-equestrian/para-equestrian-dressage-programs-forms/us-cpedi-team-selection-criteria
Criteria to Compete in Foreign CPEDI:  https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/para-equestrian/para-equestrian-dressage-programs-forms/para-dressage-criteria-to-compete-in-foreign

USEF Announces 2024 Paralympic Selector Panel

 

Robin Brueckmann
Barbara Grassmyer
Gary Rockwell
Tina Wentz
Regina Cristo, alternate

 

FEI and USEF Proposed Classification Schedule

 

Classification Information may be found at https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/para-equestrian/para-equestrian-dressage-programs-forms/classification or contact Laureen Johnson at lkjohnson@usef.org or 859-225-7693.

 

2023 FEI Rule Changes

 

2023 FEI Para Dressage Rules can be found at https://inside.fei.org/sites/default/files/FEI_Para%20Dressage_Rules_2023_clean.pdf.

 

Please note important rule changes below. It is highly recommended that you review the entire Para Dressage Rules at the link above.

 

Effective January 1, 2023 the FEI Para Dressage Test Names will change.  Please note the tests are the same, just the name has changed.
Novice A & B Tests – Old Intro A & B Tests
Intermediate A & B Tests – Old Novice Tests
Grand Prix A & B Tests – Old Team and Individual Tests
FEI Para Dressage Tests can be found at https://inside.fei.org/fei/your-role/organisers/p-e-dressage/tests.

 

Athletes are required to have achieved a minimum score of 60% in a CPEDI2* in any single test once in a lifetime. Scores obtained in CPEDI3* and above prior to 2023 will count as satisfying this requirement, so long as the 60% has been obtained. Such qualification only needs to be obtained once in a lifetime.

USEF Para Dressage Centers of Excellence (COE)

 

The USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage Centers of Excellence (COE), founded in 2015, are designed to grow the sport of para dressage throughout the United States, playing a critical role in pipeline development - from grassroots all the way through to elite levels of athlete and coach education and support. By providing multiple centers of instruction and technical dressage training throughout the United States, the COE initiative provides athletes with disabilities the opportunity to discover competitive para dressage at both the national and eventually CPEDI level, at locations convenient to them.

 

COE Directory and information on becoming a COE can be found at https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/para-equestrian/para-equestrian-dressage-programs-forms/centers-of-excellence.

 

COE Clinic Calendar

April 29-30 – Thorncroft Therapeutic Riding Center

May 27-28 – Carlisle Academy 

Para Dressage Virtual Judging Program

 

USEF is pleased to announce that 5* Para Dressage judge, Sarah Leitch, has agreed to continue to serve as a virtual judge again in 2023. For virtual judging specifications, please see https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/para-equestrian/para-equestrian-dressage-programs-forms/para-dressage-virtual-judging-specifications.

Para Dressage Pathway Program

 

USEF and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs

 

The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. (USEF) supports Paralympic-eligible military veterans in their efforts to represent the USA at the Paralympic Games and other international sport competitions. Veterans who demonstrate exceptional sport skills and the commitment necessary to pursue elite-level competition are given guidance on securing the training, support, and coaching needed to qualify for Team USA and achieve their Paralympic dreams.

 

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the VA National Veterans Sports Programs & Special Events Office provides a monthly assistance allowance for disabled Veterans of the Armed Forces training in a Paralympic sport, as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 322(d) and section 703 of the Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2008.

 

Through the program, the VA will pay a monthly allowance to a veteran with a service-connected or non-service-connected disability if the veteran meets the minimum VA Monthly Assistance Allowance (VMAA) Standard in his/her respective sport and sport class at a recognized competition.

 

Athletes must have established training and competition plans and are responsible for turning in monthly and/or quarterly forms and reports in order to continue receiving the monthly assistance allowance. Additionally, an athlete must be U.S. citizen OR permanent resident to be eligible. Lastly, in order to be eligible for the VMAA athletes must undergo either national or international classification evaluation (and be found Paralympic sport-eligible) within six months of being placed on the allowance pay list.

 

Evaluative criteria differ from sport to sport and can vary from open tryouts, invitation-only tryouts, world rankings, achievement standards, or a combination of standards and tryouts. The VMAA Standard for each sport is determined by the respective National Governing Body (NGB) or Paralympic High Performance Management Organization (HPMO), in partnership with the USOPC, based on the sport and/or discipline/event international competitive analysis and existing athlete pipeline. Generally, the VMAA Standard is 25% back from the respective sports’ national team criteria or equal to the USEF determined Minimum Qualifying Standard (MQS) where applicable. To learn more about the specific sport standards, the VMAA, or sport pipelines, contact the USEF Director of Para Dressage, Laureen Johnson, at 859-225-7693 or lkjohnson@usef.org.

 

The allowance rate per-month for an athlete approved for the VMAA is based on dependent status as explained by 38 U.S.C., Chapter 31.

 

For application and VMAA Performance Standards, please see https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/para-equestrian/para-equestrian-dressage-programs-forms/veterans-monthly-assistance-allowance-program.

 

Para Dressage in the News

 

Kate Shoemaker

Shout out to Para Dressage athlete Kate Shoemaker for being awarded the USEF Becky Grand Hart Trophy, which puts her in the running for the USEF International Equestrian of the Year. Congratulations, Kate! Also, Kate's 2022 World Championship mount, Quiana, is in the running for for USEF International Horse of the Year. 

 

The International and National Equestrians of the Year will be announced at the 2022 Pegasus Awards Dinner on Thursday, January 12, and the International and National Horses of the Year will be announced at the 2022 SmartPak/USEF Horse of the Year Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 14, at the 2023 US Equestrian Annual Meeting in Lexington, Ky.

 

Hope Hand

USPEA's Founder and Paralympian Hope Hand (1949-2022) will be honored with 2022 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award! Paralympian, 11-year USEF Board member, and the United States Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA) founder Hope C. Hand of Newtown Square, Penn., will be honored with the 2022 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award. Hand died June 12, 2022, of pancreatic cancer in her home surrounded by her family before being honored with this title. An accolade that envelopes a passionate career and personal journey for Hand. An honor she would accept with a large smile and laugh. Hand was the Executive Director of the U.S. Para-Equestrian Association, a two-time U.S. Paralympian, and an international board member representing the para-equestrian sport. The USEF Lifetime Achievement Award will be given during the Pegasus Awards Dinner at the 2023 US Equestrian Annual Meeting, Thursday, January 12, 2023, held at Hyatt Regency in Lexington, Ky.

Follow US Equestrian

Stay up to date with the Adequan® U.S. Para Dressage Team by following USA Para Dressage on Facebook and USA Dressage on Instagram. Follow US Equestrian on Facebook, TwitterTikTok, and Instagram. Use #USAParaDressage.

The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOPC, and USEF sponsors and members.

 
 
 
 
 
 

US Equestrian Federation

4001 Wing Commander Way

Lexington, KY 40511
859 258 2472

 

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