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National
Disability Sports Alliance to Host Forum on Judging Dressage
Riders With Physical Disabilities
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Kingston,
RI—January 26, 2004—The National Disability Sports Alliance
(NDSA), in association with US Equestrian, will host a forum on
judging dressage riders with physical disabilities at Brookside
Equestrian Center in Walnut, CA, March 26-28, 2004.
The
forum is designed to provide judges with an in-depth review of judging
dressage for riders with disabilities. It will include lecture,
discussion, and demonstration, as well as practical judging of riders
with disabilities.
Open
to all US Equestrian or foreign dressage judges and “l”
graduates, the forum will allow for a maximum of 30 participants
accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Judges with a dressage
“R” rating or above will be given priority and may attend
the course free of charge. There is a fee of $50.00 per person for
judges at the lower levels, foreign judges and for observers.
Qualified
judges who show competency during the practical segment of the forum
will be eligible to become International Paralympic Equestrian Committee
(I.P.E.C.) international candidate, provisional, or national level
judges.
I.P.E.C.
Dressage Committee Chairman and Master Judge Inger Bryant and I.P.E.C.
International Judge Anita Owen will lead the forum, and all dressage
tests will be performed in accordance with I.P.E.C. guidelines.
In
I.P.E.C. classes, riders with disabilities are judged with able-bodied
rules, but allowances are given for compensating aids. For example,
in an I.P.E.C. class, special reins that can be held in one hand
would not be penalized.
The
NDSA hosted a similar judges’ forum in March 2003 at Quiet
Oaks Farm in Winter Garden, FL. The forum was a tremendous success,
leading to the call for more such as the forum now planned again
for this coming March.
The
I.P.E.C. is the international governing body for equestrian sports
for riders with disabilities. It is responsible for international
rules, sanctioning of international competitions, and for Paralympic
Games and World Championships. For more information about the I.P.E.C.,
please visit their website at www.ipec-athletes.de or contact IPEC
Chairman Mrs. Jonquil Solt by email at jonquil@solt.demon.co.uk.
The
National Disability Sports Alliance is the national governing body
for equestrian sport for riders with disabilities. The non-profit
organization is responsible for the development and selection of
riders for national championships and international competitions,
including World Championships and the Paralympic Games, and provides
training, competition and advocacy for riders of all levels with
physical disabilities. For more information about NDSA and opportunities
to support the programs, please visit our website at www.ndsaequestrian.org
or contact Denise Avolio at (914) 949-8166 or diavolio@ndsaonline.org.
To
register for the judging forum, please contact Andrea Ice at USA
Equestrian at (859) 225-6977. All other inquiries regarding the
course should be directed to Denise Avolio.
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