34 July/August 2011 • USDF ConneCtion

Put Me in, Coach!From scouting to training, the US national dressage coaches are shaping the sport’s future

By LiSa Kemp

MAKING HISTORY: During an early-morning training session at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, USEF technical advisor Anne

Gribbons looks on as groom Rafael Hernandez helps prep Steffen Peters and Ravel for a ride

USDF ConneCtion • July/August 2011 35

With a mission to identify and develop dres-

sage talent both human and equine, the

United States equestrian Federation’s

(USeF) national Dressage Coaching pro-

gram is intended to help up-and-coming riders and horses

get the assistance they need—the long-range goal being na-

tional and international competitive success for the USa.

Unlike in europe, with its equestrian traditions and well-

structured support for horse sport, a comprehensive devel-

opmental program for high-performance and prospective

high-performance dressage competitors is new to the US.

We’ve had national dressage coaches before, but there was no

“pipeline” to help talented riders and horses come up through

the levels. and american dressage has suffered for the lack,

with many promising young adults having left the sport, cit-

ing a lack of support and advancement opportunities.

Te holes in the safety net had even been felt at the in-

ternational levels. prior to some past olympic Games and

World Championships, for example, the pickings were slim

in terms of selections for the US dressage team, says anne

Gribbons, of Chuluota, FL, the USeF national dressage

technical advisor and coach since 2009.

“We have had many very capable coaches teaching our

riders and horses, but none of them lived here except for

Col. Bengt Ljungquist in the 1970s,” Gribbons explains.

Referring to such past coaches as her predecessor, olym-

pic gold medalist Klaus Balkenhol of Germany, she says:

“Tey’d fly in, do their magic, and go home. my feeling is

that it’s time for us to have management over here for the

whole program: to be able to identify our talent, monitor it,

and then have riders get the help they want.”

Gribbons, a Fédération Equestre Internationale (Fei) 5*

(formerly “o”) dressage judge whose contract runs through

the 2012 London olympics, is the hub of a wheel that now

includes coaches specializing in young horses, youth, and

developing horses. in this article, we’ll meet all four coach-

es and learn how they are working to change the fabric of

american dressage.

The Coaches and Their Roles

Te program’s linchpin is Gribbons, who says her focus is

on improving the teaching and training of dressage in this

country.

“i care about our riders getting better. i’ve judged for

over 30 years, so i can stand with an instructor and listen to

them teach, and know what score that rider would get,” she

says, adding that while at first some instructors were defen-

sive, most are now coming around. “Tey see that i want

what they want: for their riders to improve.”

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in her position, Gribbons is responsible for the wide-an-

gle view: assessing the state of the sport across the country

and advising on a strategic level. “i can recommend which

shows to go to and which to wait for. i can tell someone

where that rider or that horse stacks up. and everyone gets

the best advice i can give.”

part of Gribbons’ mission is to enrich the american tal-

ent pool such that our medal hopes won’t be so dependent

on one or two star performers. “if we have depth in our pro-

gram, when there’s a problem there will be someone stand-

ing ready, and we don’t even have to think that there would

be consequences in the results,” she says.

in the more visible part of her role, Gribbons was ring-

side and backstage with the US dressage squad at the 2010

alltech Fei World equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky.

She’ll accompany the team to the pan american Games in

mexico this october, and next summer she’ll be in London

for the olympic Games.

Te longest-running of the four current national dres-

sage coaches is Scott Hassler, of Chesapeake City, mD, who

has been the USeF national young-horse coach since 2005.

now in his second term, Hassler, who also co-chairs the

USDF Sport Horse Committee, primarily works with our

sport’s equine protégés: talented four- to six-year-old hors-

es that, through the markel/USeF young Horse Dressage

program, are being groomed for the USeF Four-year-old

and the Fei Five- and Six-year-old classes. in that realm,

the brass rings are in the markel/USeF national young

Horse Championships and in the Fei World Breeding Dres-

sage Championships for young Horses, the latter held each

summer in Verden, Germany.

“everything started with the need,” Hassler says of the

program’s founding. “Te young horses weren’t being fo-

cused on at the national level, but after the World Breeding

Championships started, we turned a corner.”

While Hassler’s three colleagues work primarily with

“known” horses and riders who have made their way onto

USeF lists as a result of competitive success, he functions as

more of a talent scout.

“often, these young horses haven’t competed yet; they’re

usually still at the farms where the trainers are working with

them,” Hassler explains. “i’m always looking for informa-

tion about where they are in order to get them on our radar

screen.”

Hassler expresses pride in what the program has accom-

plished in just six years.

“at our young Horse Championships, we’re now consis-

tently seeing US-bred horses in addition to european-bred

ones. We’re also seeing a lot of ‘graduates’ from the markel/

USeF young Horse program moving into the Developing

Horse program; those are both good markers for us to ana-

lyze how we’re doing.”

When those talented youngsters ascend to the Develop-

ing Horse ranks, they come under the mentorship of ida-

ho-based olympian Debbie mcDonald, the USeF national

developing-horse coach since January 2010.

YOUNG-HORSE COACH: Scott Hassler at a training session with

Lauren Sprieser and the five-year-old Oldenburg gelding Stratocaster

(Sir Donnerhall – Alabama)

SpEAK SOfTlY, BUT CARRY A BIG STICK: USEF developing-horse

coach Debbie McDonald is all business at a clinic

USDF ConneCtion • July/August 2011 37

Like the young horses, the developing horses have a

competitive benchmark and a championship. Te USeF

national Developing Horse Dressage Championship, spon-

sored by the Dutta Corporation and performance Sales in-

ternational, is for seven- to nine-year-olds competing at the

prix St. Georges level.

Horses listed for the Developing program include prom-

ising six-year-olds, USeF national young adult “Brentina

Cup” Dressage horses (whose test is roughly equivalent in

difficulty to intermediate ii), and those qualifying for the

national championships. Horses and riders may also get

into the Developing pipeline by invitation from the USeF

High performance Dressage Committee.

mcDonald keeps a watchful eye on america’s future

dressage stars. “i just did an observation clinic with anne

[Gribbons] in Florida, with high-performance Grand prix

riders and horses trying for the pan american Games,” she

says. “Tese are riders that are closer to representing the

US, with scores of 65 percent or better.”

Scheduling the various observation sessions is a com-

plicated affair, with considerations ranging from training

needs to weather. “everyone has their unique schedule,” says

mcDonald. “Where Scott’s schedule revolves around cer-

tain shows, we found out last year that doing the developing

clinics in between shows interfered with a horse’s training,

so this year we’re starting them later.” [

YOUTH MENTOR: Jeremy Steinberg at the USDF Region 2 FEI Jr/YR

clinic in March

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as it turns out, the coaching position has come to mc-

Donald at the right time in her life, with her fall from a horse

in march spelling the end of her riding days.

“[my doctors] told me my neck couldn’t stand another

bad fall, so i’ve been phasing out of the everyday training

and focusing more on these clinics and making sure every-

one stays on the right track. it’s a way to be helpful and im-

pact the sport in a different way,” she says.

Te newest member of the coaching team is Jeremy

Steinberg, of Kirkland, Wa, who became the USeF nation-

al dressage youth coach last august, working with riders

aged 21 and under. Steinberg, the 1996 Fei north ameri-

can young Riders’ Championships dressage individual gold

medalist, is now a Grand prix-level competitor and was a

2010 inaugural albers award recipient for his efforts as the

Region 6 naJyRC chef d’équipe.

Steinberg says that he views his role not as training

youngsters to win naJyRC medals, but to help them devel-

op into exceptional horsemen and -women and, eventually,

into top Grand prix-level riders.

“trainers have their ideas, but the kids have ideas of

their own, many of them very good,” Steinberg says. “Tis is

one of those things where you just have to start somewhere,

and right now it’s about accumulating information and get-

ting feedback about what people are needing, then sifting

through until we notice similarities and trends.”

Steinberg talks with as many youngsters and their trainers

and parents as he can in his travels to clinics and shows, but

he acknowledges that it can be easy to miss a good prospect.

“it’s very hard, because the country is so big,” he says.

“Riders can slip under the radar because they’re in the middle

of the country as opposed to either coast; that’s why we’re

relying on everyone to help us identify the best talent.”

Developing an American System

Te european system of identifying and developing dres-

sage talent is the envy of many, but the US coaches point

out that the enormity of our country requires a somewhat

different approach.

“i would say the simple fact is that geography really helps

europe because everything is closer together,” says Hassler.

“equestrian sport is so big there, in every single category,

and they have greater attendance at events. plus, the breed

organizations are an important part of the established train-

ing and competition pipeline. overall, everything is much

more tight-knit.”

“in europe, the best trainers are always at the shows

and seeing the up-and-coming talent,” says Steinberg. “We

THE DRESSAGE FOUNDATION

Telephone: 402/434-8585

info@dressagefoundation.org

www.dressagefoundation.org

Donations of all sizes are greatlyappreciated!

he Lindgren Scholarship Fund has

historically been available to instruc-

tors to travel to and train in Europe.

The grant amount was increased in

2010 to $10,000, and realizing that this

isn’t even enough to cover the cost of

transporting a horse to Europe, the

Foundation researched other options.

The Dressage Foundation wanted to stay with

the spirit of the Fund, and honor Major Lindgren

and his vision.

The fund is now available to provide funding

in a couple different ways. Funding is now

available to provide one $6,000 scholarship to

an instructor to train for a concentrated period

of time away from home, but not necessarily

in Europe. Preference is given to those in

the USDF Certified pool, Training through

Fourth Levels.

The fund can also award two $2,000

scholarships to instructors to spend a

concentrated amount of time of at least one

week away from home. Applicants for these

two scholarships do not need to be Certified

Instructors but it is suggested that they use

the money to train with a Certified Instructor

or USDF Certification Program Faculty Member.

The application deadline is September 30th.

Visit our website atwww.DressageFoundation.org,click on Funds and Programs, then Help for Dressage

Instructors – you’ll find additional information about

the Lindgren Scholarship as well as the application

requirements.

Major Anders Lindgren Scholarship Changes!

T

USDF ConneCtion • July/August 2011 39

might have the same number of good riders, but we’re in a

country eight times the size of western europe, so it’s much

harder to get eyes on everybody.”

in the past, americans who wanted exposure to the gold

standard of the sport felt obligated to train in europe, some-

times for months or years at a time. Gribbons, who spent

two and one-half years in Germany, is one of them, but to-

day she wants our riders to be able to train at home.

“many riders have instructors overseas, but they miss

out on continuity unless they’re working with them on a

daily basis, and it’s very expensive to stay in europe,” Grib-

bons explains. She’s not a fan of dressage “distance learning,”

either: “you can’t teach using videos because the moment is

gone.”

“We’re grateful to europe, and we certainly need to go

there and compete for the excellent competition they give

us, but there are differences in the way we do things, and

that can become a strength for us,” Gribbons says.

Te USeF national Dressage Coaching program plans

to address the geographic and other issues through clinics,

evaluations, and additional types of support. Te team be-

lieves that, over time, changes will lead to more dressage-

career opportunities on american soil, such as for young-

horse trainers and for dressage instructors and coaches.

All Together Now

Te four dressage coaches recognize that they must work

together to achieve their vision of success.

“For example, there might be a really talented youth or

junior or young rider who’s got a super seat and great promise

but who just isn’t getting national attention,” Hassler says. “Jer-

emy and i could work to get that rider involved with breeders

and sponsors and get them going.” He adds that helping rid-

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AMERICAN INGENUITY: Peters and Gribbons talk strategy at the

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40 July/August 2011 • USDF ConneCtion

ers to see the “big picture” view of the sport is another facet of

the program’s search for diamonds in the rough.

“i didn’t understand all the levels of this business at a

young age, but when i moved to europe it hit me in the

face,” Hassler continues. “Tat’s when i paid more attention

to the whole system. it’s another way we can blossom all this

talent, by waking them up to what’s possible.”

Providing counseling for a horse’s training team, offer-

ing alternative perspectives, and relieving any pressure to

advance a horse more quickly are other ways that the coach-

ing team can help, Hassler adds.

Likewise, the organizations that support our sport—

namely, the USeF and the USDF—must find innovative

ways to cooperate in order for the coaching program to

realize maximum benefits. it’s already happening, as at

March’s USDF Region 2 Fei Junior/Young Rider Clinic at

tempel Lipizzans in northern illinois. it was the first joint-

effort USDF/USeF clinic, with USDF organizing the event

and procuring the eight riders from five states, and USeF

supplying Steinberg as the clinician.

Gribbons hopes that the 2011 Adequan/USDF national

Symposium in Del Mar, CA, will showcase the USeF/USDF

collaborative spirit, when the USeF dressage coaching team

will headline. (For more on the symposium, see “Unity in

education: Te 2011 Adequan/USDF national Symposium”

above.)

“We plan for it to be both educational and entertaining,”

Gribbons says. “other than [the fact that] it could be a good

seminar with all four of us, and draw an enthusiastic audi-

ence, it will also show that it’s really happening—that the

USeF and USDF are now working much more closely to-

gether. We’re excited about the team and what this program

can bring to American dressage.” s

Lisa Kemp is an award-winning writer and public-relations

consultant for the horse industry, blogging about equine-

business marketing at KempEquine.com. She lives on Chi-

cago’s north side.

This year’s Adequan/USDF National Dressage

Symposium will present an unprecedented

opportunity for dressage riders of all levels to

work with and learn from the four US Equestrian

Federation national dressage coaches: Anne

Gribbons, Scott Hassler, Debbie McDonald, and

Jeremy Steinberg.

“It’s exciting that the USDF is showcasing the

USEF teaching staff,” says Gribbons, the USEF

dressage technical advisor and high-perfor-

mance coach. “We are working together as

a team and moving in the same direction.

It’s historic. So the theme [of this year’s

symposium] is really Unity in Education.”

Working within that theme, Gribbons

explains, the symposium leaders will pres-

ent the new system of teaching horses and

riders that they are developing. Although it has no

official name and will be a dynamic work in prog-

ress, some have dubbed it “the American system”

because, as she says, “It’s all American.”

“We have always before had some type of

foreign influence, which has been very important,”

Gribbons says. “But there comes a time when you

have to stand on your own two feet. So part of our

focus is to teach America to teach itself.”

What About the Amateurs?

Gribbons wants America’s amateur dressage riders

to know that they are a key part of the program’s

ongoing development.

“Everybody is born an amateur. We’ve all been

amateurs at some point, and amateurs are why

we do this [symposium],” she says. “We want

to involve them in what we are doing. And

we hope that [through the symposium], they

will be there at the very beginning of some-

thing that, in ten to twenty years, will create

an even stronger American dressage rider at all

levels—from amateurs to people who will form

a team that will one day win the gold medal.”

In addition, it’s her hope that those who

attend the symposium will find the teaching

team approachable. So, in addition to the usual

blend of lectures and live demonstrations, Gribbons

hopes to include “meet and greet” sessions where

attendees can get to know the coaches better.

“I hope [participants] will come with an open

attitude and be ready to ask questions and partici-

pate,” she says. “And, of course, I also hope they

learn something from us!”

—Sushil Dulai Wenholz

Unity in Education: The 2011 Adequan/USDF National Symposium