On December 1, 2005 in Burbank, California, USDF honored Paul Cormier of Acushnet, MA as the 2005 recipient of the USDF Volunteer of the Year Award.  The award winner was announced at the USDF Salute Gala, by Sam Barish, USDF President.  Cormier is well-known in New England as a volunteer, serving in many capacities, both at the local and national level.  He has been a competitor, a volunteer, a president of two GMOs, a technical delegate, and an event organizer. This year, he became the first male president of the New England Dressage Association - USDF's second largest GMO with more than 1800 members, and has served on their board for the past 11 years. He also served as president of the Heritage Dressage Association for 18 years, from 1986 to 2004.  Cormier has served as the Region 8 Coordinator for the Technical Delegates Council, a member of the Adult Clinics Implementation Committee, and a GMO delegate to the Annual convention, for many years.

The presentation at the Salute Gala included a personal speech prepared by Dr. Barish; a picture collage of Cormier in his many volunteer roles; and a presentation of a beautiful bronze perpetual trophy known as "Exuberance", a keeper trophy and a $500 gift certificate.  Assisting in the presentation was Lisa Gorretta of The Paddock Saddlery, the sponsor for this prestigious award. 

The USDF Volunteer of the Year award is a prestigious award honoring one outstanding volunteer who has contributed on a national basis to USDF's mission:  "dedicated to education, the recognition of achievement, and the promotion of the sport of dressage."

Nominees must have volunteered at least 25 hours during the current year on any USDF-related project at the local, regional, or national level. They should have demonstrated consistent and cumulative volunteer activities over the past five years at USDF-recognized events, and have been a USDF group, intercollegiate/interscholastic, or participating member for at least five years.

For more information about the USDF Volunteer of the Year, please contact Cindy Vimont at cvimont@usdf.org, 859-971-2277, or the USDF Web site at http://www.usdf.org/competition/voy.asp.

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.