News

TVDCTA is the Tennessee Valley Dressage And Combined Training Association

February's newsletter is on the web at this link.

Lori Hoos Set to Judge March TVDCTA Show

Lori Hoos, "L" will be judging our first schooling show of the new year on March 31 at Steel Prize Stables in Madison, AL. Closing date for entries is March 16th.

Hoos is a 1976 graduate of William Woods College in Fulton, MO with an Equestrian Major. She graduated the "L" Judging program "with distinction" in 1997 and received her r judges card in Eventing in 2008. She is also a graduate of the USDF Instructors program taught by Major Anders Lindgren and completed George Morris’s Instructors Program. She and her husband Bill are active participants with the Hillsboro Hounds where Lori received her colors.

Those interested in eventing and combined training will want to check out Bills impressive credentials on their web site.

Nellie Stallsmith wins the United States Dressage Federation Arts Contest

from February's TVDCTA Bits

Long time Junior TVDCTA member Nellie Stallsmith has won the United States Dressage Federation Arts Contest in the age category of 15 and under. Her charcoal drawing of herself and her horse Raisin will be published in the USDF Connection Yearbook soon to arrive.

Nellie is a sophomore at Walker High School in Jasper, Alabama. She is an honors student and on the Walker Viking Math Team. One of her favorite activities is volunteering with the "Equines Assisting Special Individuals (EASI)" organization located in Jasper. She has been a member of TVDCTA for 4 years and owns one 8 year old American Quarter horse gelding, whose name is "Zeke’s Last Chance" aka "Raisin". "When he was born he looked wrinkled and his color was purple and black, just like a California Raisin!" says Nellie. She has owned Raisin for a year.

Nellie tells us "My papa, who lives in Ohio, raised Shetland ponies and Haflinger horses all of his life. Naturally, I fell in love with them too. 4 1/2 years ago my family met Kathy Miller, who became my dressage trainer." Nellie has been riding dressage ever since and says she likes it because "As a true analytical thinker, I enjoy the uniqueness of the sport and the thought process a rider must achieve during training and competing. I competed in the 2011 Regional Championships held in Cincinnati, Ohio, therefore my short term goal is to return to the Regional Championships this year. My long term goals are to complete each of the riding medals (bronze, silver, gold) and to major in Equine Science after graduating from high school. Her favorite horse supply? "Mane and Tail Detangler! Raisin can hide a bag of shavings in his tail."

Watch for "Best Friends" to be published this month in the TV. We are soooooo proud of you Nellie!

2011 TVDCTA Awards Banquet

Debi Gilbert from February's TVDCTA Bits

TVDCTA held its 2011 Awards Banquet on January 21, 2012 at the Port of Madison Holiday Inn. We had a really big group this year. There was a combined total of 48 members and guests that attended. For those of us who came, I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we had a really good time along with great food. Everything started at 6:30 in the lounge for drinks and mingling. At 7:30 I got everybody’s attention, with the help of my husband’s booming voice and we all went into the beautifully decorated dining room. Everyone found a place to sit and Trent Gilbert got up and welcomed everyone to the 2011 Awards Banquet.

Dinner began with a nice salad and was followed by a wonderful main course. It was a yummy main course too, which was followed by a desert. After food was done, any way most of it, Trent Gilbert got up and amused us with his story of the support given to us, the riders, by the husbands, fathers or wives. He also covered the cost of starting out with a riding lesson, to buying that first horse and how, for most of us, it graduated to multiple horses, to buying a truck and trailer, to even buying a farm. He ended it with saying how much the husbands, fathers or wives support us and how they enjoy seeing the smiles on our faces when we bring home that hard earned ribbon.

Bill Fiorentino got up and talked about all the wonderful volunteers we have had in 2011 and how important they are to help the club put on our shows. He also talked about the club’s library and thanked deciBel Research for their support and for letting TVDCTA hold their monthly meeting there. I would like to thank Bill and Trent for getting up in front of our members and guests and talking to us.

The awards presentation followed. The awards this year were outstanding! Each person who won was called up to receive their Ribbon and Engraved Plate from Judith Fiorentino, our President, as Joanne Lowery took pictures of our smiling faces with our awards. Then there was a door prize drawing and that in itself was very funny. If your name was called you came up and picked a bag. The next name got to pick a bag or got to go and take a prize from the person before them. A pair of pink socks was a hit of the night. The last person’s name called was Trent Gilbert and he took the pink socks from Sonja Rich! He then gave the socks to me...pink is not his color. The next time you see Marsha Laitinen tell her thank you for the wonderful job she did with the awards and the door prizes. Way to go Marsha!!

For those of you, who didn’t attend, please plan on it next year. Marsha and I have talked about adding something new. I hope that you will come and enjoy the end of the year and the beginning of a new year at 2012 Awards Dinner.

Revised Year End Award Rules Posted

Year end awards are based on cumulative points earned during the current show season & earned after membership dues are paid. The rider (Junior, Adult AA, Open) must be in good standing with TVDCTA and have completed 4 (four) hours of volunteer work and reported them on the official volunteer form (see Volunteer Coordinator). Junior volunteer hours maybe fulfilled by a parent, guardian, or immediate family member (brother or sister). AA & Open volunteer hours are NON-transferable to other TVDCTA members. The rider must have competed in 50% of TVDCTA shows during the season & earned qualifying scores. More...

TVDCTA Officers Elected for 2012

A new set of officers and committee chairs for TVDCTA were elected at the November meeting:

President: Judith Fiorentino
Vice President: Sabrina Byram
Secretary: Sally Colocho
Treasurer: Paulette Harrell
Bylaws/Grievances: Lisa Conroy
Nominating: Andrea Pappano
Awards: Marsha Laitinen
Clinics/Shows: Sabrina Byrum
Meetings/Programs: Sabrina Byrum and Sally Colocho
Budget/Fiscal: Cynthia Moore
Newsletter/Website: Joanne Lowery/Bob Duncan
Membership: Penny Lee
Librarian: Jean Stuart
Publicity: Kaleah Foley
Volunteer Coordinator: Lisa Foley