It was the subject of more than two hours of combined debate at this year’s Adequan USDF Annual Meeting: Where should the U.S. Dressage Finals be held? Their answer, at least for now, is Kentucky. 

For some background, the finals were voted into existence at the 2011 Adequan USDF Annual Meeting, and they came with a caveat then. They’d stay east, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, for three years, and then they’d go west for three years. 

But first the USDF site selection committee, headed up by USDF President George Williams and Janine Malone, couldn’t find a suitable western location and date for the 2016 edition, so they decided that it’d stay in Kentucky one more year. And then, some people started wondering if they shouldn’t stay east for good. The show’s been flourishing from a financial perspective, and the comments in response to it have been overwhelmingly positive. 

“As a participating member delegate, my feeling is that our job as the Board Of Governors, we’re BOG members for USDF, we’re not the BOG for our local GMOs or the Regions,” said Peter Rothchild, of Region 6, expressing several of the arguments made by those wishing to keep it in one location. “Our job is to make the decision that’s best for the association, not for what is in our personal interests or for our GMO’s interests. Some of the major shows [in the world] are in particular areas, and that is in part of what makes them so great. [The finals are] a fabulous show, and I want to thank you for putting on such a fabulous show. Having had such a good show, and it’s doing well—if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” 

So the USDF Board Of Governors sat down for this convention, held Dec. 2-5 in Las Vegas, to make a decision on the future of the finals. The site selection group had proposed the HITS Desert Horse Park, in Thermal, Calif., as its potential West Coast home for 2017-2019, a location that didn’t please even some one the western side of the country since it’s far west and far south in that region. 

The final decision? To keep the finals east—at least for now. The final vote was 992 yes and 459 no for a motion that read: “The USDF Finals will remain in Lexington, Ky., at the Kentucky Horse Park, until such a time as the four western Regions (5, 6, 7 and 9) bring forth a proposal for a western venue and date they agree is the best site for a future western national final.” 

Before that, there was a tally of 569 yes votes and 855 no votes for a motion that stated simply that the 2017 finals be held in the west. 

“There’s no doubt that Kentucky is the best place and the most gorgeous facility in the United States,” said Region 5’s Scarlett Fahrenson in defense of location rotation. “Having said that, you talk about fairness. Four years ago we decided on a national championship with a rotation option because otherwise we have an East Coast championship, with a few riders who dare to to go Kentucky. We are a big community, and the West Coast has a lot to offer and a lot of good riders. Give them the chances they deserve because we promised it, and we should hold ourselves to that.” 

In response to the decision to stay east, the BOG also requested that the USDF Executive Board begin exploring options for travel funds or grants to assist competitors traveling long distances starting for the 2017 finals. That motion passed nearly unanimously. 

Make sure to read the Dec. 21 issue of the Chronicle for a full recap of the discussion.  

Other Convention Happenings: 

(Lloyd Landkamer was honored at the Adequan USDF Salute Gala. Photo by Lisa Slade.)

—There wasn’t a dry eye in the massive banquet room as late show manager extraordinaire Lloyd Landkamer, who passed away in late September after a battle with cancer, was honored with induction a USDF Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday night at the Salute Gala. 

—No one ran against current President Williams, and so he was elected for another three-year term by acclamation. The same for Treasurer Steven Schubert. For BOG Region 2 director, Ken Levy was elected, and Carolynn Bunch was elected for Region 6.  Debra Reinhardt ran unopposed for Region 8, and Anne Sushko was nominated from the floor for Region 4 director, filling the position held previously by Landkamer. 

—The USDF remains on strong financial footing, with a balanced budget.