CDS Regional Adult Amateur Competition -RAAC

            The mission of these competitions is to provide an opportunity for all CDS Adult Amateur riders to qualify and compete against others of similar skills and experience. The regional nature of these shows will help provide our membership with a developmental path to gain competitive experience, to promote excellence and increase awareness of and support for CDS Chapters.

            Three Regional Adult Amateur Competitions will be held each year. There will be one in the North, Central and South regions as defined in the CDS Standing Rules. Qualifying season started September 6, 2016 so your scores from this fall count for 2017. CDS Championship scores do not count toward qualifying. Cut off for qualifying will be 12 days before the competition. Don’t forget to send in your qualifying fee of $25 (per horse and rider team / per level) to the CDS Central Office, or sign up online at wwww.california-dressage.org. Scores earned before paying your $25 fee will count toward qualifying.

            Winners of each level, Training through Intermediaire 1, Novice and Elite, will automatically be considered qualified for the current year CDS Championships.

Shows selected for 2017

NORTH –Valley Oaks Chapter and Starr Vaughn (Elk Grove) August 25-27 (***).

CENTRAL - San Luis Obispo Chapter (Paso Robles) August 12-13 (***).

SOUTH – Cornerstone Event Management (Burbank) August 25-27 (***).

2017 CDS Linda O'Carroll Memorial Adult Amateur Clinics

            The CDS Adult Amateur Clinics are named the Linda O’Carroll Memorial Adult Amateur Clinics in honor of Linda O’Carroll who donated an endowment fund to CDS to help fund Amateur Riders’ Dressage Education.

            Linda O’Carroll participated in one of the early CDS Amateur Clinics as the representative of the Foothills Chapter of CDS. She loved the experience, commenting often on the wonderfully helpful lessons she personally enjoyed and the wealth of knowledge she picked up from watching all of the other lessons.

            As has often been pointed out, the base of that pyramid that represents the discipline of dressage is filled with the Adult Amateurs who juggle work, home, finances, health and any number of other impediments to participation. Linda was such an individual; her choices were always for the good of the horse, for the benefit of the sport.

Linda O’Carroll Memorial Adult Amateur Clinic Clinician – Hilda Gurney

Regional organizers:

Central – April 28-30 – (Golden Hills, Paso Robles) Ellen Corob 805-544-7151

South – May 5-7– (W Farms, Chino Hills) Nicole Bhathal 805-750-0065

North – June 9-11 – (Pacific Equestrian Center) Mari Naten 916-687-8035;

Amateur Clinic selection protocol

            • After sufficient publicity early in the year, each Chapter Chair shall request that all interested members submit a written application to the chapter secretary.

            • The Chapter Chair and one other Chapter Board Member should put the names in a hat and the rider be selected by a draw. An alternate rider should also be drawn. The rider(s) should be notified immediately as well as the regional organizer.

            • Chapter Chairs / Treasurer should send a check for $150 to the Central Office made out to CDS. The selected rider is responsible for confirming that a check has been sent.

            • The present clinic format starts with a required introductory lecture session the evening prior to the first day of the clinic and two days of riding sessions.