UPPER MARLBORO, MD (June 23, 2012) \u2013 The Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB), a program within the Maryland Department of Agriculture, presented its June Touch of Class Award tonight to three U.S. Dressage Federation gold medalists, a national coach and one horse who have helped propel Maryland\u2019s dressage community into the national spotlight. The awards were presented during the Potomac Valley Dressage Association\u2019s (PVDA) Ride For Life and Dancing Horse Challenge \u2013 a fundraiser for the Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation for Breast Cancer, held at the Show Place Arena at the Prince George\u2019s Equestrian Center.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe five recipients we honor here today not only represent some of the best trainers and competitors in dressage, they represent our state with pride and distinction on the national and international stage,\u201d said MHIB Chairman Jim Steele. \u201cWe congratulate them for their accomplishments and look forward to many more years of success from each of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dressage, sometimes referred to as \u201cdancing horses,\u201d develops the horse\u2019s natural athletic ability. At the peak of a dressage horse’s development, the horse will respond smoothly to cues from a skilled rider. Competitive dressage involves nine progressive levels incorporating multiple tests within each level. Special tests are also written for musical freestyle, sport horse breeding and performances incorporating multiple horses and riders. Tests are revised every four years by the United States Dressage Federation (USDF), the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the International Equestrian Federation.<\/p>\n
The five award recipients are:<\/p>\n
(1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scott Hassler (Cecil County) \u2013 National Coach for the U.S. Dressage Federation (USDF). Mr. Hassler, having already served as national coach for three terms, recently signed a new contract to remain as national coach through 2015. He founded the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) Young Horse program that has been producing excellent results over the past decade. Since 1999, Mr. Hassler has been a member of the USEF Dressage Committee, the USEF Breeding Committee, and, since 2001, has chaired the USDF Sporthorse Committee. As the sole representative for the sport of dressage, he now serves on the USEF Strategic Planning Committee, assisting in the long-term planning for the country’s national horse sport organization. He, along with his wife Susanne, are developing Hassler Dressage at Riveredge, a world class training, breeding and education operation in Chesapeake City, into an international venue. (For more information about Hassler Dressage and Mr. Hassler, see: www.hasslerdressage.com <\/a>and www.hasslerdressage.com\/team\/scotthassler.html<\/a>)<\/p>\n (2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Royal Prince, who is stabled at Hilltop Farm (Cecil County) and owned by Jane MacElree, has been the USEF Dressage Breeding Sire of the Year every year from 2008 to 2011, a distinction awarded based on the success of his early offspring in the show ring. Royal Prince was a successful dressage competitor and finished fourth at the FEI World Championships for Young Horses in Germany and winning with high-scores through Prix St. Georges. Royal Prince\u2019s oldest offspring are now winning under saddle in dressage, eventing, and hunter competitions. For a complete history of Royal Prince, see: www.hilltopfarminc.com\/stallion_royal_prince.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n Maryland’s three 2011 USDF\u2019s Gold Medalists also received Touch of Class Awards. To qualify for a USDF Gold Medal, riders must earn at least four scores of 60 percent showing in Intermediaire I, Intermediaire II, and Grand Prix classes. Those three gold medalists are:<\/p>\n (3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Christine Betz of Thurmont (Frederick County) \u2013 Ms. Betz is a USDF Gold, Silver and Bronze medalist. She has trained and competed successfully in all the sport horse disciplines and regularly coaches riders who compete in all the horse sports. She trains and teaches out of Dark Horse Dressage in Frederick County. For a complete biography, see: www.christinebetzdressage.com\/about.htm<\/a>.<\/p>\n (4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jaralyn Finn of Poolesville (Montgomery County) \u2013 Ms. Finn is a USDF Gold, Silver and Bronze medalist, and a graduate with distinction of the USDF “L” judge program. She has been teaching and training since 1993 and is currently based out of Wyndham Oaks dressage facility in Boyds. She and her husband also own Shepherd’s Run Farm, a small private training farm in Poolesville. For a complete biography, see http:\/\/jaralynfinn.com\/teamfinesse\/aboutjaralyn.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n (5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Susanne Hassler of Chesapeake City (Cecil County) \u2013 Ms. Hassler is a USDF Gold, Silver and Bronze medalist. She became an international dressage competitor in 2004 when she rode Hilltop Farm\u2019s Royal Prince to a fourth place finish at the World Championships for Young Horses in Germany, the highest placing result for the U.S. to date. She and her husband Scott Hassler built the foundation for the top breeding program at Hilltop Farm and currently run their own business, Hassler Dressage at Riveredge, which is based in Chesapeake City. Hassler Dressage is dedicated to the fulfillment of individual potential for both the horse and the rider and offers many educational events throughout the year. For a more complete biography, see: www.hasslerdressage.com\/team\/susannehassler.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Touch of Class Award is presented every month to honor Maryland horses, individuals, teams, organizations or events that have garnered national or international recognition.\u00a0 The award is named after \u201cTouch of Class,\u201d the Maryland-bred mare who won two Olympic Gold Medals in Show Jumping at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n MHIB named its first award recipient in September 2011. After this month\u2019s award were distributed, Touch of Class total recipients included 19 people and 12 horses from nine Maryland counties (i.e., Cecil, Howard, Anne Arundel, Prince George\u2019s, Frederick, Carroll, Baltimore, Montgomery and Harford counties) who are involved in ten varieties of horse sports (i.e.,\u00a0 Thoroughbred racing, 3-Day Eventing, Endurance Riding, Western barrel racing, show hunters, Standardbred racing, steeplechasing, Arabian horse racing, therapeutic riding and now dressage).<\/p>\n For a complete list of Touch of Class recipients, see: www.mda.maryland.gov\/pdf\/TOC_Winners_To_Date.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more information about the PVDA Ride for Life, see: www.pvdarideforlife.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" UPPER MARLBORO, MD (June 23, 2012) \u2013 The Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB), a program within the Maryland Department of Agriculture, presented its June Touch of Class Award tonight to three U.S. Dressage Federation gold medalists, a national coach and one horse who have helped propel Maryland\u2019s dressage community into the national spotlight. 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