Membership Renewal

It's that time again ... Memberships for 2023 are now due. Each year, I sit down after Christmas and review my list of what needs to be renewed. I join the California Dressage Society which gives me a Group Member Organization (GMO) membership with USDF. I also join USEF as an Adult Amateur. I have written about this a million times before, but I know that people come and go from the sport of dressage so some may not quite know which memberships they need, so here ya go! ​

US Equestrian 

• Hate them or love them, you will need a US Equestrian membership if you intend to show more than once a year at a USDF rated show. If you only plan to show once at a USDF show, you will have to buy a Show Pass for $45 and you will need a USEF account. Along with your USEF account/membership, you must also complete the SafeSport training.
• ​Your horse, too must have an identification number. My horses have a free ID number which means they are not eligible for awards from USEF. To be eligible for awards, your horse needs either an annual recording number or a lifetime ID, both of which have a fee. 

United States Dressage Federation

• To compete in USDF-rated shows, you can join as a Participating Member which gives you lots of benefits, or join through your Group Members Organization which is what I do. With a GMO membership, you are still eligible for all rider awards.
• Your horse also needs a USDF Lifetime Horse Registration (LHR) for $115 or a Horse Identification Number (HID) for $35, in order for your scores or the horse's scores to count. Both of my horses have LHRs.

My USEF Dashboard.

Local Memberships

• Each region of the country offers a number of local dressage club memberships or GMOs, so you'll need to check your area for what might be available. My GMO, the California Dressage Society offers more perks and opportunities than either USEF or USDF, so I join each year without pause.
  
• CDS also offers awards for horses, but you must have paid the annual $10 fee before scores are earned.

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Good luck this show season. I know I'll need some luck of my own!