Utah Dressage Society
UDS Board
I grew up as a typical horse crazy kid just outside of New York City. For my 12 birthday my Grandfather bought me a package of riding lessons and I never looked back since! I have trained and competed in Hunter/Jumpers, Eventing, Western Pleasure, Dressage, Mounted Archery, Medieval Games, Jousting Games through the SCA and training and lunging Equestrian Vaulting Horses.
I graduated with a degree in Equine Science from Centenary College, then graduated from Purdue University as a Veterinary Technician and I have also been a Nurse for the past 20 years with a specialty in clinical education. When I lived in Indiana I owned and operated a small horse boarding and training facility with the main focus on Eventing, 4H and helping kids learn to bond with their ponies.
Since moving to Utah 10 years ago, I ran the Rose Canyon Riders a 4H horse club, showed Dressage and have been a trainer and lunger for the Technique Equestrian Vaulting Club. I recently helped start the Wasatch Peak Vaulting Club and also started the Alpine Mounted Archers, Utah’s first mounted archery club.
I am dedicated to expand the sport of dressage in Utah by bringing in the L Judges Program and USDF Instructor Certification Program and to increase the educational aspect of our GMO! I also am committed to bringing us all together, in a culture of respect as we all have a piece of the big puzzle!
801-712-9621
Stacey Hornsby
President
Sydni Nusink
Vice President
Sydni Nusink has been riding since she was 6 years old. As a child she started with vaulting, while this helped with her balance and coordination while on a moving horse, she wanted to do something that enabled her to spend more personal time with the horse. Sydni found Trisha Kerwin and started to learn how to jump and competed in Eventing through Novice level and enjoyed it but found that her passion clearly was dressage. Once solely dedicated to dressage, success followed, she was able to work one on one with Trisha Kerwin and Sarah and Clayton Martin, all of whom are FEI dressage trainers. At the young age of 15, Sydni became a National Champion at the US Sporthorse National Championship at Training Level Dressage and has since been Reserve National Champion twice at 2nd and 3rd Levels. Her success simply motivated her to learn more and as she transitioned from Young Rider to a Professional, she has never stopped attending clinics, symposiums and taking lessons.
Sydni is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist. She has participated in USDF Certified Instructor Workshops and is currently enrolled in the “L” Judges Training Program.
801-380-2260
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TBD
Treasurer
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Caryn Bloom
Secretary
After living in Texas for 18 years, my husband and I decided we wanted a change of scenery so we packed up and moved to Utah just over a year ago.
I currently own a 5 year old Rheinland Pfalz-Saar International (RPSI) gelding named Achilles who was the USDF RPSI Breed Award Training Level Champion and placed 4th for Horse of the Year in 2015. This was his first full year of showing and he has proven to be quite the rock star, if I must say so myself. I am so proud of his accomplishments thus far and cannot wait to see what the future holds for us.
I look forward to meeting as many UDS members as possible and look forward to seeing you in the show ring!
214-551-1211
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Lee Hornsby
Director of Membership
Lee Hornsby is the business owner and operator of Brakes Only Mobile Service. Lee first started his relationship with the UDS by helping Stacey develop annual show and banquet programs and has not only volunteered at several annual shows and the L Judge Program but he has also been an arena and class sponsor for the UDS Dressage Days Shows and has also been a sponsor for Utah’s 2 para dressage riders. Though Lee also rides casually, his interests lie in serving the UDS membership and his organizational skills, business knowledge, friendly and fair disposition will make him an asset to the UDS Board.
801-960-5926
Niki Wright Thomas
Director of Competitions
801-703-3261
Lara Oles
Director of Communications and Newsletter Editor
In 2010, Lara traveled to the World Equestrian Games in Lexington to watch the Para Dressage competition. When she returned home, she decided to start taking dressage lessons again after 17-year hiatus, during which she only rode her horses on trail rides. Since there were no dressage trainers near where she lived in Wyoming, she drove 110 miles down to the National Ability Center in Park City for weekly lessons. In 2012, Lara, her husband, and a menagerie of pets, moved to Heber City to pursue her dream of representing the United States at the Paralympics. She trains with Annie Sweet at Sage Creek Equestrian, and now owns two dressage horses in addition to her three Tennessee Walking horses. She continues to trail ride in the mountains whenever she can.
307-727-6055
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Director of Education
Donnette Hicks
Donnette’s passion is in the art of the equine human relationship. She enjoys capturing the journey through many expressions — photography, poetry, film, coaching champions and most of all being a full time student of the horse.
The Impact Of The Horse was born out of her desire to merge a private enterprise, Sage Creek Equestrian, with the BLM Wild Horse and Burro program bringing a new possibility of human partnership for America’s wild mustang herds. Donnette started working with starting colts and working with problem horses under the tutelage of Ben Quinters. Ben introduced Donnette to the world renowned horseman Ray Hunt and thus the desire to understand a willing partnership was born and has been her driving goal now for over 30 years. Donnette is a well educated horseman specializing in Dressage. Her purchase of a Grand Prix German school master catapulted Donnette into developing a deep understanding of quality upper level movements. Donnette’s greatest devotion is her love of witnessing humans succeed in having a beautiful partnership with their horse.
435-901-0095
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Eva Adolphi
Special Advisor
My mother was the horse crazy one and dragged me off to ride at the Lazy Bar Ranch when I was 8. At 12 I was given a horse and by 19, when we got our own property, the emphasis changed to Dressage I was a founding member of the Utah Dressage Society and served on the board for 33 years! I am now the adviser to the board. I have been a show secretary, show manager, and competitor. I am a USEF licensed Technical Delegate and enjoy traveling to shows in other states. I also enjoy working with my students. I attend the USDF Convention every year now that I am retired, usually as a delegate.
801-254-3247
Lauren Celestino
Junior & Young Rider Coordinator
801-597-7194
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