Dear members and the American Warmblood community,

As 2017 comes to a close, we are looking back amazed at how AWSSR has grown and it’s all because of you. It’s because of every breeder, rider, owner and American Warmblood lover that we have been able to accomplish all that we have this year.

In 2017, we registered 82 new horses and welcomed 50 new members into our ranks. Thanks to Kaitlyn Keegan who helps with our social media and Emma Fete for the new website and revamped database, AWSSR is reaching sporthorse people far and wide! We have received many positive remarks regarding our visibility and accomplishments and we have kept our standards competitive. Our open registry welcomes horses of all bloodlines and heritages, both known and unknown, with the emphasis on performance and/or potential to excel in our sports.

We also launched our Sporthorse Spotlight blog this year to help highlight what some of the horses in our registry are doing and who they are!

In 2017, we held 3 on-site inspections and hope to hold more in 2018. Six members took advantage of our video inspection process as well.

Two horses represented AWSSR in the USA National Dressage Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park. Sara Stone’s Gotham won the 2nd level Freestyle and the AWSSR National Amateur trophy and she also won a USDF 2nd level Freestyle Horse of the Year. Collingwood and Michelle Baker were 4th in the Grand Prix Freestyle at National Dressage Championships.

At National Dressage Pony Cup, we were represented by Amy Burkemper’s 2-year-old filly Fairy Gold, who was Best Young Pony in the Breed Show and went on to win the 2-year-old Jump Chute championship at the Young Horse Show series Final at the Tryon International Equestrian Center where the World Equestrian Games will be in 2018. Jane Pride’s Ilja, a Dutch pony, was Prix St George Champion of the National Dressage Pony Cup.

We also added Western Dressage to our awards program this year.

Our Inspection Horse of the Year was the yearling colt Vesuvius, owned and bred by Alyssa Schmitt.  Pik Ravenclaw/*//*/*/*/ was Sire of the Year for the third time. FEI Dressage Horse of the Year was Candace Platz’s Fynn*/*/*/*/*/ and National Dressage Horse of the Year was Renee Criss’s Sir Winston.

Looking to 2018, we hope to reactivate the Stallion Service Auction and already a number of stallion owners are piling up to participate!

We cannot wait to see what you do with your American Warmblood and with that, we wish you a happy New Year and will see you in 2018!