Loxahatchee, FL --
The USDF Trainers Conference featuring Kyra Kyrklund of Sweden was held January 8 and 9, 1997 at Walter and Mary Anne McPhail's High Meadow Farm in Loxahatchee, FL. This conference was a unique opportunity for top trainers in the United States to meet and learn in a cordial atmosphere. Invitations were extended to USET Long Listed Riders, select trainers, and USDF Certified Instructors.
The focus of the conference was developing FEI horses. The conference leader, Kyra Kyrklund, a veteran of an impressive list of international competitions, offered to the group strategies to produce brilliance in difficult movements. She encouraged riders to bring their horses into a very deep, round, loose frame and repeat movements in this very relaxed and unconstrained manner. Once the horse accepted this, she would bring the horses back up to a show-ring frame and again repeat the movement but only as long as looseness and relaxation was maintained. The use of haunches-in or counter-flexion to improve straightness was a common thread through nearly all gymnastics. She used her "Go-Stop-Turn" exercise from her video with several of the horse and rider teams. Her acute eye was not only focused on the horses but refreshingly on the riders' seats as well. This focus was repeated by correcting the rider's position and noting the obvious effect the correction had on the team.
The conference was organized by the USDF Instructors/Trainers Council which is chaired by Lilo Fore. Trainers and Instructors play an enormous role in the development of the quality of dressage in the United States. USDF's support of these types of programs is the backbone of the growth of our sport.
Demonstration riders and horses: Susan Jackson Dutta, NY, riding Ballyduff; Diana F. Miller, WV, riding Halerus; Tami Fleming Crawford, TN, riding Dakota; Debbie Bowman, VA, riding Ladamo; Garth Harrison, OH, riding Wolkensong; Christopher Hickey, MA, riding Dwight. There were approximately 70 participants in all.
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