Current Info
We try to keep all our members up-to-date on happenings within the club. Check back regularly!
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Sports Star of the Week
If you watched CTV on July 6th, 2010, you will have seen one of our junior riders, little Miss Katie Mann on the news being featured as the sport star of the week, she evens talks about the DeKeneyers Scholarship and wanting to win it this year. Way to go Katie!
News Release - 04 March 2010:
Dressage Winnipeg is proud to announce that Andrea Kilgour (DW Show Chairperson) has been asked, and has accepted a position on the Dressage Canada High Performance Committee. Specifically, she will be working on the Selection Criteria sub-committee. The purpose of this group is to set the criteria for team selection for riders representing Canada in international competitions, such as the World Equestrian Games, Olympics, Pan American Games, etc. Congratulations Andrea!
"The Kendra McBain Memorial Competition"
Sadly, on December 22, 2009, at the age of 18, Kendra Rose McBain lost her battle with cancer.
Kendra was a remarkable young lady who loved animals, her family and her friends.
Even with the challenges she faced, she never lost her optimism, her grace, and the compassion she had for those around her. Riding was a huge part of her life before she was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer at the age of 15. She was an active member of Dressage Winnipeg, not only as a Junior Competitor, but as a participating Junior Board 
Member as well. Kendra, along with her mother Tammy, (Vice-Chair) sat on the board together from 2005-2006.
(Right: circa 2004 - Judge Joanna Crilly presenting Kendra with one of her many awards.)
Kendra was not only a lovely rider but a strong competitor and along with a little white pony named "Houdini" won Champion and Reserve several times in the three years she competed in the Junior/Open Category. In 2003 she was Junior Training Level Champion (Spring Flowers National Show) and Junior Training Level Reserve (Manitoba Provincial Championships). In 2004 she was Junior First Level Reserve (Spring Flowers National Show) and was awarded the Junior First Level High Score (National) at the Capt. John De Kenyeres Memorial Show in June. In 2005 she was Junior and Open First Level Champion (Spring Flowers National Show). She was also awarded the Junior and Open First Level High Score (Primary); Junior First Level Champion (National); and Open First Level Reserve (National) at the Capt. John De Kenyeres Memorial Show.
We are pleased to announce that Dressage Winnipeg has changed the name of our Spring Flowers show to the "Kendra McBain Memorial Competition" to celebrate Kendra's love of horses and the sport of Dressage. Kendra's favourite colour was purple so a special purple ribbon will be presented, in her memory, to the Junior Champion of this show. Funds raised at this show will go to Cancer Care Manitoba in her name - We hope you will join us in this celebration.
2009 Dressage Winnipeg Year-End Awards
Over 100 guests attended the Dressage Winnipeg Annual Awards Gala at the Greenwood Inn on October 24, 2009. Manitoba Provincial Championship awards and Dressage Winnipeg awards were given out to all of the deserving riders and their equine partners. A Silent Auction raised a little over $1,000 which went to help purchase a dressage ring which can be used at Dressage Winnipeg shows and rented by those who wish to host schooling shows.
Provincial Championships
The following are the rider and horse combinations who are the 2009 Manitoba Provincial Champions in their respective levels. Dressage Winnipeg hosted the Provincial Championships on September 19 & 20, 2009 at the Manitoba Horse Council Equestrian Centre at Bird's Hill Park. Each of the Champions were awarded the Manitoba Provincial Plaque on which were engraved the horse/rider combination.
Here is the list of champions:
Jr. Training Level Champion Stephanie Brick & Noble T Kings Ransom
AA Training Level Champion Mark Essay & Jacqui
Open Training Level Champion Lena Sprague & Wise Allusion
Jr. First Level Champion Cassandra Sinnock & Legend
AA First Level Champion Megan Peterson & Pix Sun
Open First Level Champion Brandy Catton & Welwyn
First Level Freestyle Champion Brandy Catton & Welwyn
AA Second Level Champion Heather Thomas & Marcus
Open Second Level Champion Brandy Catton & Baroque
Open Third Level Champion Melissa Bosma & Simba
FEI Four-year Old Champion Gaetane Manaigre & Apollo S.N
Child Dressage Seat Equitation MacKenzie Ryall & Mr Big
Junior Dressage Seat Equitation Rachel Kilgour & Simba
Gillian Sevier High Point Award - presented to the senior Manitoba rider with the highest average percent in their technical classes at one level at the 2009 Gold Provincial Championship show. Award winners: Brandy Catton & Welwyn
Capt. John De Kenyeres Junior High Point Award - presented to the junior Manitoba rider with the highest average percent in their technical classes at one Level in the 2009 Gold Provincial Championship show. Award winners: Cassandra Sinnock & Legend
Rising Star Award - donated by the Adey Family, this award is presented to the novice Manitoba rider at the Provincial Championship show with the highest average precent in their technical tests in the Provincial Championship Technical classes. Novice riders are those who have not previously competed in recognized shows prior to the current season. Award winners: Hannah Goddard & Aces High
Freestyle Award - riders must have performed a freestyle at one level in at least 3 of the 4 Dressage Winnipeg shows in 2009 and must have earned a score of over 50% with at least one of the tests having a score over 60%. Award winners: Brandy Catton & Welwyn (First Level)
Awards of Excellence - presented to riders who have competed in at least 3 of 4 Dressage Winnipeg Bronze or Gold shows in 2009 under three different judges, in one level/division and must the same horse/rider team. Gold Level: 66% or higher; Silver Level: 63-65%; Bronze Level 60-62%
Training Level Award Winners
Gold:
Mackenzie Ryall & Mr. Big
Silver:
Kayla Kuebler & Mary Poppins
Jade Warkentin & Genesis
Bronze:
Mariah Applemans & William
Tiffaney Pass & General Amber Lynes & Braveheart
First Level Award Winners
Gold:
Melissa Bosma & Veralinda
Silver:
Cassandra Sinnock & Legend
Megan Peterson & Pix Sun
Bronze:
Kayla Kuebler & Mary Poppins
Cheryl Heming & Matryx
Merelyn Hunkin & Beijing
Third Level Award Winners
Silver:
Gaetane Manaigre & Caylixx
Melissa Bosma & Simba
FEI Advanced Award Winners
Silver:
Melissa Bosma & Abraxas
Best Seat in the House (Dressage Seat Equitation Award) - presented to the rider (junior or senior) who has competed in equitation classes in at least 3 of 4 of the 2009 Dressage Winnipeg Gold or Bronze shows who has the highest average score in these classes. Award winner: Rachel Kilgour
Dressage Winnipeg Year End High Point Awards - presented to a rider at each level who has obtained the most points within the current season. Award winners:
Walk-trot: Kaitie Mann & B.C. Bill
Training Level: Lena Sprague & Wise Allusion
First Level: Cassandra Sinnock & Legend
Second Level: Heather Thomas & Marcus
Third Level: Gaetane Manaigre & Caylixx
Fourth Level: Tara Levandoski & Shimmer
FEI Advanced: Melissa Bosma & Abraxas
FEI Four-year Old: Gaetane Manaigre & Apollo S.N
The Spirit of Dressage Award is the highest honour bestowed by Dressage Winnipeg on its volunteers. It is presented annually to someone who aActs as an ambassador for Dressage Winnipeg as well as the sport of Dressage, shows concern and awareness for the needs of equine partners, exemplifies good sportsmanship and provides support to other members and competitors (excluding paid coaching and training). The 2009 Spirit of Dressage Award was presented to Dayna Oulion
Wikipedia defines volunteering as the practice of people working on behalf of others without being motivated by financial or material gain. The winner of this year's Spirit of Dressage Award is the embodiment of this definition. Her expertise in Public Relations and Marketing was a welcomed addition to our club and even though she has only been our Sponsorship Chair for a year her accomplished are many. Dayna has a dogged determination to increase the profile of Dressage in Manitoba and to make Dressage Winnipeg a household word!!! Her enthusiasm is contagious and her energy enormous. No challenge is too big or idea too small, not in her mind. All you need to do is make a suggestion and it's done. The show committee briefly discussed the use of trucks for the Judges booths at our RRX show in August and before we knew it, she had contacted the Marketing Director of the Point West Auto Mall. She was able to secure 2 Land Rovers from the BMW Dealership. This was quite an accomplishment considering the Marketing Director, in their initial conversation, suggested that "she just use picnic tables!"
Dayna is a tireless volunteer and here is just a sample of what she has done and is doing for your club this year.
- She's using her media contacts to begin to raise the profile of our Coaches on "Global's Coach of the Month".
- She phoned over 100 businesses and personally picked up many of the promotional items that were in the Tote bags handed out at the RRX August Show. She did all this while working full time.
- She solicited prizes and sold raffle tickets at the RRX August show
- She secured the Greenwood Inn as the official host hotel for all our judges this year
- She continuously recruits sponsors and sends personal invitations inviting them to attend our shows and provides refreshments
- She helped to set the dressage rings for every show as a member of the Ring Crew.
- She is actively working with a Winnipeg Travel Agency to get groups rates for Dressage Winnipeg and is also working with contacts at WEG for hospitality options in Kentucky
- She helped out in the Canteen at our June show.
- She set up the tables at the RRX for our Pig Roast
- She persistently encourages all DW members to provide her with their rider biographies. These biographies help promote Dressage to various sponsors
- She organized this Awards Dinner and recruited this evenings Motivation Speaker
- She is helping to organize our Annual General Meeting
- She comes to our shows even though her position on the board does not require her to do so.
And if doing all this for our club isn't enough to keep her busy, she volunteers for another club - "Manitoba Riding for the Disabled". Dressage Winnipeg has been extremely fortunate to have Dayna on our team. Her expertise and professionalism are an invaluable asset. Dayna has returned to school full time to complete her degree in Public Relations and Marketing while continuing to work full time as well. She hasn't decided whether she has the time to commit to a 2nd term as Sponsorship Chair for DW and Manitoba Riding for the Disabled would like her to help with their marketing and fund raising as well. After Graduation, Dayna hopes to start her career working for a non-profit organization and I know that any organization that is smart enough to offer her a position will be very fortunate should she choose to accept it.
Congratulations Dayna, this award is well deserved.
