The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) and the US Equestrian Federation (USEF) announced that, effective January 1, 2025, USDF will become the USEF Recognized Affiliate Association for Para Dressage.
Leading up to this transition, representatives from the United States Para Equestrian Association (USPEA), USEF Para-Equestrian Sport Committee, and USDF representatives formed a taskforce that worked in tandem with the USEF executive arm to identify necessary changes, edits, and additions to USDF Policies & Procedures and Bylaws to reflect the assimilation of para dressage into the USDF structure and outline the duties and responsibilities that come with the corresponding affiliate role.
With the support of USPEA, USEF approved the USDF request to become the Recognized Affiliate at their fall meeting, and the motion was approved by the USDF Board of Governors at the USDF Annual Convention in Houston.
“The logical combining of para and able-bodied dressage representation under the USDF umbrella is just one more step forward in USDF’s mission and to make even more clear the parallels between both disciplines,” said USDF President George Williams.
“We are so grateful to have the support of both USPEA and USEF in this affiliate change and believe it will allow USPEA to shift their focus to fundraising and education efforts related to para-equestrian sport, in accordance with their recently updated mission and vision. USDF is primed to incorporate para dressage fully into the USDF fold, represent its interests with USEF, and fulfill all associated responsibilities with this official designation. We look forward to the opportunity to represent and support para dressage and grow recognition and participation in the sport going forward.”
Just as it has in its role as Recognized Affiliate for Dressage, the role of USDF will be to represent para dressage in the same national context, with USEF retaining responsibility for high performance and FEI representation.
As of January 1, 2025, the newly established USDF Para Dressage Committee will begin work on its mission to foster, encourage, and advocate for the full integration of para dressage into the USDF structure and mission in a way that effectively embraces and represents the true ‘parallels’ of dressage and its benefits, as well as serving as a resource to outside entities on para dressage related topics and opportunities.
Photo © Dirk Caremans