Tag Archives: Anne Gribbons

Gribbons Will Not Continue as Technical Advisor to the U.S. Dressage Team

Lexington, KY – Anne Gribbons, the Technical Advisor to the U.S. Dressage Team since December 2009, has informed the USEF she does not wish to be considered for the position after her contract expires November 30, 2012.

“It has been a privilege and my pleasure to spend the past three years working with the greatest of our American dressage athletes,” stated Gribbons. “I wish them all the best of luck and much success in the future.”

Gribbons served as Technical Advisor to the U.S. Dressage Team at three international championships during her tenure with the USEF. At the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Gribbons guided the U.S. to a fourth place team finish and assisted Steffen Peters in winning two Individual Bronze medals with Four Winds Farm’s Ravel. At the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, the U.S. Dressage Team had a historic medal sweep of all three Individual medals in addition to winning Team Gold. In the summer of 2012, Gribbons led the U.S. to a sixth place finish at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

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USET/USEF Dressage Pre-Olympic Games Training Sessions Wrap Up in Florida

George Williams, Anne Gribbons, Steffen Peters and Betsy Juliano (Photos by Brigitte Voelk)

Lexington, KY – Preparations continue for the 2012 Olympic Games for the United States’ top dressage riders with USET/USEF pre-Olympic Games Training Sessions conducted by USEF Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons and Olympian Steffen Peters. The training session schedule in Florida, which kicked off January 6-8, also included sessions February 10-12 at Walter and Mary Anne McPhail’s High Meadow Farm in Loxahatchee, FL and concluded last weekend at Betsy Juliano’s Havensafe South Farm in Royal Palm Beach, FL.

The USET/USEF pre-Olympic Games Training Sessions have given Gribbons and Peters the ability to work with the majority of the country’s top contenders; the two have a dynamic partnership that lends itself greatly to guiding both horse and rider and elevating the level of performance from both. In preparation for the inclusion of the Olympic Grand Prix Special in the team competition at the 2012 Olympic Games, the training sessions allow riders to perform the test for Gribbons, who is also an FEI 5* judge, and then review film of the tests as a group.

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USEF Report from First Pre-Olympic Games Dressage Clinic

David Wightman on Partous with Anne Gribbons and Steffen Peters (Photo: USEF Archives)

Lexington, KY – The first of six pre-Olympic Games Dressage Clinics kicked off at beautiful Epona Farm in Thousand Oaks, CA. These clinics, a joint effort by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the USET Foundation will help prepare horses and riders for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Linda and Michael Fowler were gracious hosts at Epona Farm. Nine horses (with seven riders) worked with USEF Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons and Olympian Steffens Peters. For two days the riders focused on schooling the Grand Prix and then rode a test in front of Gribbons. Gribbons is also an FEI 5* judge.

“Going into 2012 it was useful for the riders to practice the new Olympic Grand Prix Special test,” said Jenny Van Wieren-Page USEF Director of Dressage, High Performance. “Another important aspect of these clinics is planning the 2012 competition and training schedules with Anne.”

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USEF Developing Dressage Clinic at Hassler Dressage at Riveredge

L-R Sharon McCusker on Wrigley, Jenny Van Wieren-Page, Debbie McDonald, Anne Gribbons and Stacey Parvey-Larson with Benidetto (Photo: Richard Malmgren)

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) ran a Developing Dressage Clinic with Debbie McDonald in Chesapeake City, MD at Hassler Dressage at Riveredge right before the Thanksgiving holiday.

McDonald, one of the most successful U.S. dressage riders in history, travelled from her Idaho home to this spectacular facility, which is the base for Hassler Dressage, to teach seven horse/rider combinations.  USEF Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons was also there to advise and observe.

Two of the horses who were very successful at the USEF National Dressage Championships this summer at Lamplight Equestrian Center showed continued progress in their training.

Sharon McCusker (Ashby, MA) rode Wrigley, who was third in the 2011 USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship (sponsored by the Dutta Corporation and Performance Sales International, PSI) and Silva Martin (West Grove, PA) rode Aesthete, who was third in the 6-year-old Championship at the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Championship.

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USEF and USET Foundation Set to Host Six Olympic Games Preparation Dressage Clinics

Anne Gribbons at a 2011 Training Session (Photo: USEF Archives)

Lexington, KY – Beginning in December, the USEF and USET Foundation will host six Olympic Games Preparation Dressage training sessions/clinics. Riders will have the unique opportunity to work with USEF Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons and U.S. Olympic, World Equestrian Games and Pan American Games medalist Steffen Peters. These clinics will focus on preparing potential team riders for the 2012 Olympic Games Selection Trials and Olympic Games.

The clinics are by invitation only, based on criteria set forth by the USEF High Performance Dressage Committee and concentrating on athlete/horse combinations with international competition experience and the prospect of contributing to a Team or Individual medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. For more information please see the USEF website. Clinics will take place December 2011 – April 2012 with three being held in California and three in Florida.

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Through a Gift from Betsy Juliano, USET Foundation Provides Funding for Dressage Elite High Performance Clinics

Clinics to be administered by United States Equestrian Federation

Gladstone, NJ – May 23, 2011 – The USET Foundation is pleased to announce that four Elite Dressage Rider Clinics are to be held this fall. Two clinics will be held on the west coast and two on the east cost, both with U.S. Olympic athlete and World Equestrian Games medalist Steffen Peters and USEF Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons. The clinics will be by invitation only for horse and rider combinations on the USEF Grand Prix Long List and are designed to provide guidance and instruction for the top U.S. Dressage horses and riders in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games. The USEF Dressage High Performance Committee will develop specific invitation criteria for the clinics based on recommendations from Anne Gribbons.

“We are so pleased to be able to offer these clinics thanks to the generosity of Betsy Juliano,” stated USET Foundation President, Jane Forbes Clark. “Betsy has made a gift commitment through 2014, which will ensure that these important clinics take place, helping to prepare our horses and riders for international championship competition.  Betsy truly understands the value and importance of making sure our riders receive the high level of training and guidance that will continue to make the United States competitive among the top Dressage nations,” Clark remarked. Juliano, the owner of Havensafe Farm, is a member of the USET Foundation National Advisory Committee, a competitor in the adult amateur division and the owner of international prospects.

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Top International Judge Featured at Tonight’s Dressage under the Stars

Marsha Kulak and last week's judges at Dressage under the Stars. Photo Credit: Top Shelf Dressage

Wellington, FL – March 9, 2011 – Tonight marks the sixth week for the exciting Dressage under the Stars, held at the world famous Players Club in Wellington, Florida.  Festivities begin tonight 7:00pm, with delicious drinks and fine dining available both patio-side, upstairs on the porch and as always inside the Players Club.  The beautiful event will continue for two more weeks and is held each Wednesday at the luxurious venue. This week’s performances will feature top international judge Anne Gribbons and choreographer Ruth Hogan-Poulsen.

Last week’s Dressage under the Stars was great event featuring three Eventing riders performing musical freestyles. Eventing riders do not usually perform freestyles, but their incredible efforts did not disappoint.  Last week’s Dressage under the Stars, sponsored by PRO aligned with the Derby Cross event held Saturday night, March 5, during Nations Cup week.  Riders from last week included Marsha Kulak, Sara Kozumplik and Ronald Zabala-Goetschel. Olympian Karen O’Connor served as one of the judges for the evening, alongside Mason Phelps, Jr.

“Tonight was a great event for our event riders,” noted O’Connor.  “The evening was very interesting, exciting and enthusiastic.  They do a wonderful job presenting different disciplines to the public and the music is just so much fun.”

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