USDF Congratulates 2026 GMO Award Winners
Lexington, KY (October 21, 2026) - The United States Dressage Federation™ (USDF) is pleased to congratulate all the winners of the 2026 Group Member Organization (GMO) Awards, which will be presented as part of the Board of Governors General Assembly during the 2026 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention, in Lexington, KY. 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, newsletter first person experience and general interest articles, and creative GMO-sponsored program. USDF also recognizes outstanding volunteers at the regional level, as well as awarding one lucky winner a Ruth Arvanette Memorial Fund Grant, to help offset the cost of attending the annual convention.
This year's winners are:
GMO Photography Awards:
Best Amateur Photograph:
| GMOs with less than 75 members: |
First Place: The Velvet Court Society, Facebook/Instagram, August 28, 2026, Photographer: Kai Ekis |
|
| GMOs with 75 to 174 members: |
First Place: St. Louis Area Dressage Society, Hoofprints, October 2025, Photographer: Erica Schwan |
|
| GMOs with 175 to 499 members: |
First Place: Northern Ohio Dressage Association, Facebook Post, June 20, 2026, Photographer: Hanna Donaldson |
|
| GMOs with 500 or more members: |
First Place: Georgia Dressage & Combined Training Association, Inc., Collected Remarks, May 2026 Photographer: Laura King |
GMO Newsletter Awards:
First Person Experience Article:
| GMOs with less than 75 members: | No nominations | |
| GMOs with 75 to 174 members: |
First Place: St. Louis Area Dressage Society, Hoofprints, September 2025: Southern Illinois Dressage Classic: A MUST-ATTEND SHOW by Anne Orcut t Honorable Mention: Utah Dressage Society, Utah Dressage Society Newsletter, October 1, 2025: Someone Had to Lose, and Today It Was Me by Siân Griffiths |
|
| GMOs with 175 to 499 members: |
First Place: Potomac Valley Dressage Association, PVDA Newsletter, March, 1 2026: A Journey Through Veterinary Diagnostics by Lynn Adams Honorable Mention: Central States Dressage & Eventing Association, CSDEA Newsletter, June 1, 2026: Olaf and Anna's |
|
| GMOs with 500 or more members: |
First Place: Georgia Dressage & Combined Training Association, Inc., Collected Remarks, September-October 2025: How Dressage Helped Me Rebuild My Body, My Soul, and My Smile by Beth Briner |
General Interest/Informational Article:
| GMOs with less than 75 members: | First Place: Brazos Association For Classical Horsemanship, BACH Bits, August 31, 2026: PUNCHING ABOVE OUR WEIGHT: An Active Board, A Thriving GMO by Cynthia Werner | |
| GMOs with 75 to 174 members: |
First Place: Southern Eventing & Dressage Association, Off Course Online - The 'Bleep', December 21, 2025: Growing the Future of Dressage by Gerlinde Beckers Honorable Mention: St. Louis Area Dressage Society, Hoofprints, November 2025: To Tip or Not to Tip/em> by Carol Moffatt |
|
| GMOs with 175 to 499 members: | First Place: Central States Dressage & Eventing Association, CSDEA Newsletter, August 2026: Meet Lin Nelson-Mayson by Colleen Colletti | |
| GMOs with 500 or more members: | First Place: Georgia Dressage & Combined Training Association, Inc., Collected Remarks, March 2026: Why do Clinics and Shows have to be so expensive? by Penny Morse |
GMO Website Awards:
Best User Experience:
| GMOs with less than 75 members: | First Place: Brazos Association For Classical Horsemanship (bachdressage.org) | |
| GMOs with 75 to 174 members: |
First Place: Central New York Dressage & Combined Training Association (www.cnydcta.org) Honorable Mention: Southern Eventing & Dressage Association (www.sedariders.org) |
|
| GMOs with 175 to 499 members: | First Place: Northern Ohio Dressage Association (www.nodarider.org) | |
| GMOs with 500 or more members: |
First Place: Georgia Dressage & Combined Training Association (www.gdcta.org) Honorable Mention: Virginia Dressage Association (www.southeastvirginiadressage.org) |
Creative GMO-Sponsored Program Award:
| First Place: | Rocky Mountain Dressage Society - Drop In Dressage | |
| Honorable Mention: | The Velvet Court Society - The Velvet Court Support Circle |
Regional GMO Volunteers of the Year:
| Region 1: | Alison Douglas (Prince George, VA - Virginia Dressage Association) |
| Region 2: | Anna Cluxton (Columbus, OH - Ohio Dressage Society) |
| Region 3: | Laura King (Marietta, GA - Georgia Dressage & Combined Training Association, Inc.) |
| Region 4: | Emily Couch (Ballwin, MO - St. Louis Area Dressage Society) |
| Region 5: | Leslie Sherlin (Mesa, AZ - Arizona Dressage Association) |
| Region 6: | Joan Foley (Yamhill, OR - Oregon Dressage Society) |
| Region 7: | Gary Getz (Portola Valley, CA - California Dressage Society) |
| Region 8: | Suzanne Fraser (Fairlee, VT - New England Dressage Association) |
| Region 9: | Danielle Aymond (Geismar, LA - Southern Eventing & Dressage Association) |
Ruth Arvanette Memorial Fund Grant: Kathryn Hanford – Terrell, TX (Nebraska Dressage Association & Dallas Dressage Club)
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 Group Member Organizations 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.
