Lexington, KY (November 6, 2012) - The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to congratulate all of the winners of the 2012 GMO Awards, which will be presented during the Board of Governor's General Assembly at the 2012 Adequan/USDF Annual Convention, presented by SmartPak, in New Orleans, LA.  These awards are given annually to recognize outstanding achievement within USDF's GMO community.  Recognition is given in the following categories: GMO amateur photograph, website user experience, and newsletter first person experience and general interest articles.  USDF also recognizes outstanding volunteers at the regional level along with the recipient of the Ruth Arvanette Memorial Fund grant.

This year's winners are:

GMO Photography Awards:
Best Amateur Photograph

GMOs with less than 75 members:   First Place: Columbia Dressage & Combined Training Association, Direct Rein, December 2011: Christmas Party Information, Photographer: Georgette Harrison
 
GMOs with 75 to 174 members: First Place: Tennessee Valley Dressage & Combined Training Association, TVDCTA Bits, March 2012: At Home with Horsewomen of the Bush Family, Photographer: Sara Groves
 
GMOs with 175 to 499 members:  First Place: Southern Eventing & Dressage Association, Off Course, March/April 2012: Smile…You're on Camera, Photographer: Nicole Landreneau

GMOs with 500 or more members: No nominations


GMO Newsletter Awards:
First Person Experience Article:
 
GMOs with less than 75 members: First Place: Lehigh Valley Dressage Association, Lehigh Valley Dressage Association Newsletter, April 2012: A Day with Hilary Clayton, Gait Mechanics Goddess by Stacey Kimmel-Smith
Honorable Mention: Northeast Florida Dressage Association, NFDA Newsletter, June/July 2012: Free Horse? by Julie Quintrall

GMOs with 75 to 174 members: First Place: Tennessee Valley Dressage & Combined Training Association, TVDCTA Bits, July 2012: Sportallero (Sport) by Linda Wilson
Honorable Mention: NEW Dressage Association, Inc., Forward, August 2012: My First Experience with Western Dressage by Jenny Schmitt

GMOs with 175 to 499 members: First Place: Northern Ohio Dressage Association, NODA News, July 2012: Niki Sackman, the USDF Region 2, 2011 Gifted Grant Recipient Shares Insights Gained through Intensive Training by Niki Sackman
Honorable Mention: Houston Dressage Society, Collective Remarks, July 2012: Festival of Champions 2012 USEF National Dressage Championships by Anna Campbell
 
GMOs with 500 or more members: First Place: Rocky Mountain Dressage Society, The Centaur, November 2011: Put Her on a Horse by Debbie Edmonson
Honorable Mention: Georgia Dressage & Combined Training Association, Collected Remarks, May 2012: Winter with Cesar Parra by Julie Shannon

General Interest/Informational Article: 

GMOs with less than 75 members: First Place: Lehigh Valley Dressage Association, Lehigh Valley Dressage Association Newsletter, March 2012: Excerpts from "The Heritage Course for Classical Riding Concepts with Charles de Kunffy" by Gail Carpency
Honorable Mention: Northeast Florida Dressage Association, NFDA Newsletter, March 2012: Horses in Your Blood (Kate's Corner) by Kate Johnson

GMOs with 75 to 174 members: First Place: NEW Dressage Association, Inc., Forward, September 2011: The Road to Pas de Deux by Paula Roberts
Honorable Mention: Tennessee Valley Dressage & Combined Training Association, TVDCTA Bits, August 2012: Debbie Hill Dressage by Lisa Conroy

GMOs with 175 to 499 members: First Place: Midwest Dressage Association, MDA News and Views, July/August 2012: Ann Arbor Rider, Dr. Dale Dedrick will Ride for the US on the 2012 London Paralympic Team by Jan Macafee
Honorable Mention: Northern Ohio Dressage Association, NODA News, April 2012: Saddle Fit – How Does a Rider Know? by Heather Soones-Booher

GMOs with 500 or more members: First Place: Rocky Mountain Dressage Society, The Centaur, June 2012: Conifer Fire Evacuation by Linda Gaber
Honorable Mention: Georgia Dressage & Combined Training Association, Collected Remarks, May 2012: GDCTA Dudzu Clinic w/Strength Trainer, Anna Anton: Groundwork Exercises for the Rider by Anna Anton


GMO Web Site Awards:
Best User Experience:

GMOs with less than 75 members: First Place: Lehigh Valley Dressage Association (www.lvda.org)
Honorable Mention: Long Island Dressage & Combined Training Association (www.lidcta.com)

GMOs with 75 to 174 members: First Place: NEW Dressage Association, Inc. (www.newdressage.org)
Honorable Mention: Oley Valley Combined Training Association (www.ovcta.org)

GMOs with 175 to 499 members: First Place: Equestrians' Institute (www.einw.org)
Honorable Mention: Southern Eventing & Dressage Association (www.sedariders.org)

GMOs with 500 or more members: First Place: Georgia Dressage & Combined Training Association (gdcta.org)
Honorable Mention (Tie): Potomac Valley Dressage Association (www.pvda.org) and Rocky Mountain Dressage Society (www.rmds.org)


Regional GMO Volunteers of the Year:
Region 1: Michele Wellman (Union Bridge, MD – Potomac Valley Dressage Association)
Region 2:  No Nominations
Region 3:  May Lou Freil (Woodstock, GA – Georgia Dressage & Combined Training Association)
Region 4: No Nominations
Region 5: No Nominations
Region 6: Sharon Knowlton (Tigard, OR - Oregon Dressage Society)
Region 7: Paula K. Langan (Carmel Valley, CA – California Dressage Society)
Region 8: No Nominations
Region 9:  Karen Peacock (Helotes, TX – Houston Dressage Society)

Ruth Arvanette Memorial Fund Grant
Linda A. Priddy (Billings, MT – Big Sky Equestrian Association)

          For more information on GMOs in your area or GMO award programs, please visit the USDF website at www.usdf.org, or contact the USDF GMO Committee liaison at gmoliaison@usdf.org.

Founded in 1973, the United States Dressage Federation is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to education, recognition of achievement, and promotion of dressage. For more information about USDF membership or programs, visit www.usdf.org, email usdressage@usdf.org, or call (859) 971-2277.