on April 29, 2022
The American Warmblood Society and Sporthorse Registry is proud to announce our new partnership with the Western Dressage Association of America as a Breed Affiliate.
AWSSR began accepting western dressage as a discipline in 2017. Since then, we have awarded dozens of year end winners with special belt buckles since 2019.
The WDAA was established in 2011 with “the mission of building an equine community that combines the western traditions of horse and rider with classical dressage.” Recognized as the only organization representing the discipline of Western Dressage through the United States Equestrian Federation, we look forward to this alliance.
Sharon Booth, the AWSSR Western Dressage coordinator, will be heading up our alliance with WDAA.
Sharon goes back to the 1980s with the American Warmblood Society. She joined the society in 1985 when her first mare was approved for breeding. She was a member of the Board of Directors and served until the late 1990s – also being named the Texas State Director for AWS.
Sharon finds herself in the center of an emerging discipline once more – western dressage.
“The people are wonderful,” Sharon said of the competitors at the WDAA World Championships. “You go into every barn and you see all different breeds of horses. Everyone is helpful and so excited. It’s a competitive, laid back attitude.”
She was especially happy to find that the WDAA supports physically-challenged riders in the World Show.
Sharon stressed that western dressage is all about the horse.
“It’s all about our relationships with our horses,” she said. “It’s a wonderful way to truly school your horse up the levels and gain that control the right way.”
It’s all about the journey couldn’t be more true for Bonnie Gorichan and her horse Zamara and for Kaitlyn Keegan and her horse Intimidating LJSR Jim.
Bonnie and Zamara were not an immediate match made in heaven. A former Amish horse, Zamara had sustained injuries in an accident. She was distrustful and reactive. Bonnie and her trainer began working with her in eventing and classical dressage. She went on to win multiple awards in classical dressage through AWSSR until Zamara was hurt while eventing. Her jumping career over, Bonnie discovered western dressage in 2019.
“It celebrates the partnership between horse and rider and the overall harmony. All breeds are welcome; you do not need to ride a six figure horse to be successful. The tests are just as challenging as Classical Dressage and sometimes require more difficult movements at lower levels,” Bonnie said.
In 2021, she competed in the WDAA Online International Challenge and had her sights set on the WDAA World Show when Zamara went lame. Bonnie hopes that 2022 will be their year to get to the World Show!
Kaitlyn and Intimidating LJSR Jim began their partnership four years ago. Kaitlyn had been a bit lost in her equestrian journey, unsure of what goals she had. With her former horse she had begun western dressage and had joined AWSSR. As she nurtured her new partnership with Jim, she found she enjoyed the harmonious riding that came from western dressage. Hitting the movements just so brought a smile onto her face.
“There’s just something about hitting that salute at the beginning of your test,” Kaitlyn said. “It’s like everything else in the world erases and it’s just you and your horse. Jim knows when we enter a ring for a test; he just loves to show off!”
Kaitlyn and Jim competed in the 2020 WDAA Online World Show and the 2021 Online International Challenge. She hopes one day to make it out to Oklahoma for the World Show!
There are many benefits for our AWSSR Western Dressage riders and horses in this partnership. Some of the benefits will be the showcasing the AWSSR organization on their website, sharing mutual programs, articles, press releases and announcements, along with photographs of AWSSR horses and owners/riders participating in the sport.
We invite all members to log on to the WDAA website/home page : westerndressageassociation.org
2021 AWSSR Western Dressage Winners
GOLD-Zamara-Bonnie Gorichan 70.577
SILVER-Intimidating LJSR Jim-Kaitlyn Keegan 70.333
BRONZE-The Big Ace-Jennifer Triumph 67.857
4-Roush-Anika Sadler 66.667
5-Northern Dazzle-Lani Wicks-Reilly 64.72
6-Consider the Source-Jennifer North-Bacon 64.5
