Kathy Groves -Born: November 16, 1960 -Hometown: Columbus, North Carolina Kathryn Groves of Columbus, North Carolina is very active in the sport of para-dressage. Groves competes on two horses successfully in Grade IV competitions. With her own Westphalian gelding, Freispruch, Kathryn had a strong 2009 season. In February 2009, the pair competed at the Zada Cup in Orlando where they scored a 64.52%. The following month, Groves and Freispruch improved their score to 67.74% at the Twice As Nice 2... Read More
Barbara Grassmyer -Born: May 7, 1972 -Hometown: Placerville, California Barbara Grassmyer was born with Aperts Syndrome, a congenital birth defect that results in poor rotation of all joints, syndactylism of hands and feet, head and face anomalies caused by bone fusion in the skull and face, and speech impediments. Grassmyer was horse crazy from childhood on. Her riding career began in a therapeutic riding center in Sunol, CA where she competed in horse shows for the disabled throughout Califor... Read More
Laura Goldman -Born: June 12, 1945 -Hometown: Highland Heights, Ohio -Grade 1a level Goldman has teamed up with Trudy Phillips’ skewball Irish Sport Horse Carlingford JD in 2010 to earn very strong results. At the WindReach International Para-Dressage CPEDI3* they swept the Grade 1a division winning all three of the tests. In the team test they scored a solid 71.765%. In the individual test they built on their previous performance, this time scoring 72.16%. Goldman and Carlingford JD’s imp... Read More
Wendy Fryke -Born: October 13, 1964 -Hometown: Parker, Colorado Fryke started riding as an adult in the hunter and jumper rings and then moved on to eventing at the lower levels. It was the dressage phase of horse trials that led Wendy to para-dressage. While riding in Para-Dressage Fryke applied for a dispensation so that she could ride with a hood on her right stirrup iron to secure her foot. In 2009, Fryke competed in the 2009 Cavalor/USEF National Para-Equestrian Dressage National Champions... Read More
Kim Decker ▪ Grade I Para-Dressage ▪ Hometown: Centreville, VA ▪ Born: May 20, 1968 ▪ Rode the Hanoverian Dasher’s Destiny owned by Paul Decker. Decker suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury in an automobile accident in May of 1986 two weeks before her eighteenth birthday. She was comatose for more than three months after the accident. After gaining consciousness she underwent years of speech, occupational, vocational, and physical therapy at various rehabilitation facilities in Vi... Read More
Robin Brueckmann ▪ Grade IV Para-Dressage ▪ Hometown: Summerfield, NC ▪ Born: January 4, 1958 ▪ Acquired reflex sympathetic dystrophy in her right leg as a result of a fall on ice, and subsequently developed paralysis. Brueckmann can be seen riding with out stirrups while showing. ▪ must ride without stirrups. ▪ Brueckmann has trained multiple World Championship horses and can be seen judging when she is not riding ▪ Brueckmann has earned her USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold ri... Read More
Holly Bergay -Grade IV Para-Dressage -Hometown: Castle Rock, CO -Born: October 5, 1992 Bergay was born with her left arm ending just below her elbow. She has obtained her USDF Bronze and Silver Medals and in 2007 was nominated for the USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year award. In 2009 Bergay earned the USEF Para-Dressage reserve championship on Grand Ballerina In 2010 was nominated for the 2010 World Equestrian Games on Robin Garrett’s mare Grand Ballerina For more information on Bergay ple... Read More
Jennifer J. Baker -Grade IV Para-Dressage -Hometown: Loveland, OH -Born: November 10, 1963 -Qualified for the 2010 World Equestrian Games (WEG) on a Rhinelander gelding named Duel. -Competed at the WindReach International Para-Dressage CPEDI3* in Ontario, Canada. -Rode Akiko Yamazaki’s horse Kranak at the 2010 WEG. Article from The Cincinnati Enquirer: Date: Sunday, August 1, 2010 Written by: John John ston jjohnston@enquirer.com Website: Cincinnati.com After Crash, Dressage Rider Gets Bac... Read More
During the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Kentucky Equine Research graciously donated their facilities and sponsorship to the United States Para-Equestrian Association. This video is courtesy of Kentucky Equine Research and showcases how thankful each of the United States Para-Equestiran riders are for KER’s support. For more information please visit Kentucky Equine Research or KER’s educational website at www.equinews.com. *If video does not play the sound right away please ... Read More