The D4K Committee

Lendon Gray
Lendon Gray had won Maine State Championships in Hunter and Stock Seat Equitation, Working Stock Horse, and Jumpers by age 13. Her degree in Greek and Latin has not been overly useful in helping her teach and train the 51 clients at Gleneden Dressage. Over the last 50 years she has ridden lots of horses, in lots of places, and won lots of ribbons.
(more about Lendon)

Laura Akin
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, concentration in Marketing from Bryant College. Previous account manager at NCR, Business Teacher in Connecticut prior to moving to Orange County 9 years ago. I live in Warwick, with my wonderful husband Joe, and our two children Patrick, 16 and Colleen 14. Our involvement with horses started nine years ago after a family vacation to Jackson Hole Wyoming. I enjoy cheering for Patrick as he plays soccer for Warwick Valley High School and Ramapo Travel Team My other enjoyment is grooming for Colleen and Duet at various horse shows. Additional Horse activities include:

Guest Speaker in Post University Equine Program, Business and Horses

Guest Speaker and Panel Speaker for the Dressage 4 Kids, Inc. Weekend Education Program, � How to design and implement a profile for sponsorship.�

Consultant to Various riders on Profile to gain Sponsorship, Ashley Peterson, Emma Gaskell, Courtney King, Rachel Chownec, Katin Conrad and Colleen Akin

Member Warwick Historical Society

Member of Lendon�s Youth Dressage Festival past three years

Volunteer Coordinator for Lendon�s Youth Dressage Festival, two years

Volunteer at Winslow, past two years

Volunteer at NEDA Regional Show & Windy Hollow Hunt

Connie Cartesio
Connie is a horse mom who had no prior horse experience before she discovered it was her 5 year old daughter’s passion. Before she knew it, she was joint DC of their Pony Club on Long Island. She went on to join the D4K committee in 2005 after her daughter Jaclyn competed at the Festival for her 4^th time. You’ll also see Jaclyn (now going on 15) at Gleneden as a working student on various weekends and all her summers and school breaks. The Cartesio’s have been lucky enough to lease the D4K owned Connemara gelding, Glynmary Peter, a.k.a. “Petey”. Jaclyn’s dad, Nick, does his part by organizing the parking at the Festival each year (and spoiling Lendon’s dog, Flurry).

Beth Clarke
Beth Clarke ascribes her regular volunteer efforts for D4K, despite the fact that she is now driving a pony more than riding dressage and has no kids, to the fact that nobody ever “gives back” as much as Lendon, not to mention that it’s a really fun show! Beth runs the Equine Business Institute, a legal and business management resource center for professional equestrians, and lives in South Deerfield, Massachusetts with a Pharoah Hound, a Greyhound, a Gypsy Cob, and the elderly cat who rules them all

Theresa Davidson
Theresa Davidson is a 50-something adult amateur dressage rider who credits anything worthwhile shes learned about riding in the past 8 years to being a student of Lendon Gray. Being a lover of children, education and riding, Theresa is thrilled to support the mission and programs of Dressage4Kids, Inc. She is a Director of Dressage4Kids, and has volunteered in various capacities over the lifetime of the Youth Dressage Festival, most recently as Publicity Coordinator and Sponsorship Coordinator. Through her work with the YDF sponsors, Theresa has learned about helpful equestrian products, instructive educational materials and an exciting training program which resulted in her finding a wonderful new equine partner. Theresa fully expects to continue as a YDF volunteer, if, that is, Lendon can manage to drag her off her fabulous schoolmaster, with whom she is hopelessly in love.

Karen & Bill Davis
Karen & Bill Davis are the parents of Meagan, a Junior FEI Dressage Competitor and Bradley, the best "Show Brother" a sister could have. Bill & Karen Live in Stone Ridge, NY where they own & manage Davis Custom Builders and Longview Farm. Introduced to the sport by their daughter, Meagan, they love to watch and support dressage in any way they can. Volunteering for Lendon's Show and other horse events in the Northeast keeps them busy and gives them the opportunity to spend time together as a family.

Alison End Alison graduated in June from Dartmouth College with a major in Neuroscience. She is a USDF Certified Instructor through 2nd Level and has competed through Intermediare I. She competed at the NAYRC in both 2001 and 2002 and recently participated in the first Graduate Young Riders Program at Gladstone. Before the NEJYRC became Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival, Alison won the Lalique Fourth Level Championship in 2002 and became a roving trainer for the show in 2003.

Fern Feldman Fern is the USDF Region 8 Director (which covers New York to Maine.) She has been riding and training at Gleneden Dressage for the past 7 years. Her wonderful FEI horses are Loui - a 15 hand Hanoverian; and Deli - a 14 hand palomino Connemara pony. "I knew how to post as a kid, so thought I knew how to ride. After a 35 year hiatus, I really am trying to learn to ride, but no matter what, I love riding and training, especially at Gleneden Dressage."

Margaret Freeman Margaret Freeman is a USEF "S" dressage judge living in Mt. Kisco NY, where she also teaches and offers clinics. She earned her USDF silver Medal on a horse that she bred and trained herself. She is associate editor of "The Horse Journal"; is on the editorial committee for "USDF Connection" and has covered the equestrian events at five Olympics, including four with the Associated Press. She is on the committee of the Youth Dressage Festival (NY), and was on the founding committees of CDCTA (VA) and Dressage at Devon (PA).

Molly Lane Graduate "A" pony clubber, "wannabe" but probably never will be a decent dressage rider and mother of a Junior dressage rider who already is a decent dressage rider. Has incredible admiration for Lendon, not only as a rider, trainer and instructor but as a wonderful human being, thus making her an ideal candidate to be a Lendon slave.

Linda S. Leighton Linda S. Leighton has a daughter who is a junior rider and a son who is a licensed vet tech and manager of a small animal clinic. Linda owns one Dutch Warmblood, two Labrador retrievers and one Tonkinese cat. When not feeding, bathing, grooming and picking up after animals, she teaches at Fordham University to support the menagerie. On occasion, her daughter lets her ride the horse.

Elvira Michelich Elvira is an Argentinean who has lived in Greenwich, CT for the past eighteen years. She began her riding career as a jumper, but converted to dressage many years ago. Elvira continues to be heavily involved in dressage in Argentina, as the member of the Argentine Committee for the Pan American Games managing the dressage team at both the 1995 games in Argentina, and again at the 1999 games in Winnipeg, Canada. In 2000 she arranged for and hosted the very successful team of young riders from Argentina at the NEJr/YR Dressage Championships twice and teams from Brazil and Mexico once.

Ann Pereira Secretary of the Show Committee and USDF Junior Rep. for Region 8. Varied horsey background here and abroad and an English Pony Clubber of old. A newcomer to Dressage and just in awe of you all and your wonderful riding and the dedication needed to compete in this beautiful sport!! Nursery School teacher in real life and thrilled to be part of this great committee!

Debra Reinhardt Debra has been competing horses since 1981, starting in the hunter world, and by 1988, she had completely changed to dressage and bought her first dressage horse. She continues to compete and has been successful. She is also a licensed Technical Delegate official for the AHSA, which means she does know the rules and regulations of the AHSA. The USDF has appointed her to chair the marketing committee. As for managing shows, this has been a passion of hers for the past 7 years. She has managed some of the biggest dressage shows, including as a vice-chairman for the Royal Dressage Festival, a CDI and the USDF/ABIG Region 8 Championships for the past two years.
Her husband, Steve, who is the best show secretary (she is a bit prejudiced!) and her incredible son, Robbie make her life complete!

Priscilla Toomey "Horsemom", lawyer, realtor, and driver, Priscilla is the mother of a Junior who loves dressage and her horse in equal measure and who, fortunately, can do homework in the car on the way to the barn.



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