Lexington, KY (December 15, 2011) - The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce that 47 USDF members successfully completed the USDF "L" Education Program in 2011.
          The USDF "L" Education Program is designed to prepare candidates to enter the United States Equestrian Federation "r" Judges Training Program, to qualify individuals to judge schooling shows, and to give competitors, trainers, and instructors greater insight into the evaluative techniques of judging dressage. The program also serves to provide continuing education for licensed judges.  The "L" Program is an excellent opportunity for all USDF members to learn from licensed judges in order to improve their scores and view other rides from a judge's perspective, whether or not they plan on becoming licensed judges themselves.  "L" Programs are conducted by a faculty of USDF-approved United States Equestrian Federation "S"-licensed dressage judges who have experience in teaching judge-training programs.
          USDF congratulates the following new graduates of the USDF "L" Education Program:

Region 1:
*Timothy Mellott, PA
*Krister Swartz, VA

Region 2:
*Rachel High, IL
  Sara Justice, OH
 *Caryn Vesperman, WI
*Noel Williams, OH

Region 3:
 Robin Tardy Ginn, GA
 Betsy La Belle, FL
 Caryl D Stephens, FL
 Sara Warner, FL
 Karen Licciardi, FL
*Erin Brinkman, FL
 Laura Bowman, FL
 Sharon Jerdeman, FL
 Elaine Sherer, FL
*Karen Abbattista, FL
*Danielle Perry, GA
*Kari Garber, FL
*Matthew McLaughlin, FL
*Brian Mac Mahon, FL
*Megan Fischer- Graham, FL

Region 5:
 Ursula Conway, AZ
*Alexandra Curnutte, CO
*Nathalie Eikel-Baughman, AZ
*Mary Jane Parmentier, AZ
*Gillian Slayter-Voigtlander, NM

Region 6:
 Mary Jo Kapust, WA
 Wendy Ellestad, ID
*Amanda Wilgenburg, WA
*Nichole Charbonneau, WA
*Teresa Stewart, WA
*Allison Allbaugh-Cino, WA
*Meredith Crawford, WA
*Jessica Rattner, OR
*Nadine Schlonsok, ID

Region 7:
  Betsy Shelton, CA
*Martha Goodney, CA
  Rebecca Armstrong, CA

Region 8:
*Dorothy Morkis, MA
  Linda Saba, NH
  Patti Swan, ME
  Holly Whitney, CT
  Lisa Weis, MA
*Fie Andersen, MA
*Adam Cropper, NH
*Rita Brown, MA

Region 9:
 Gerlinde Beckers, LA

*Denotes those that graduated with distinction from the "L" Program.

          For more information about the USDF "L" Program, to contact a USDF "L" graduate, for a calendar of USDF "L" education programs, or for details on hosting an "L" Program education session, visit www.usdf.org, call (859) 971-2277, or e-mail lprogram@usdf.org.  

Founded in 1973, the United States Dressage Federation is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to education, recognition of achievement, and promotion of dressage. For more information about USDF membership or programs, visit www.usdf.org, email usdressage@usdf.org, or call (859) 971-2277.