The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce that Bailey Cook, from Hillsborough, NC, has been approved as the newest USDF Certified Instructor (CI) Program Faculty Member. Cook joins current CI Faculty Members Christopher Hickey, Ann Guptill, Rachel Saavedra, Christine Rivlin Henke, Sarah Geikie, Melanie Tenney, Vicki Hammers O'Neil and Renate Lansburgh.

CI Faculty serve as instructors for the Instructor Certification Workshops, where they demonstrate and teach the concepts of dressage.  In order to become CI Program Faculty members, individuals must be Certified Instructors from Training through Fourth Level, and they must show proficiency in scribing, serving as CI workshop apprentices, and presenting various topics relevant to dressage theory.

Instructor certification enables USDF to recognize an individual's achievement and capabilities as a trainer, instructor, and rider. To be certified means that the candidate has demonstrated the knowledge and abilities necessary to teach the concepts of dressage and meet specified standards and proficiencies. USDF has designed a series of educational courses to help instructors become more effective by gaining experience and knowledge. Workshop programs provide the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed by developing dressage professionals in the areas of lungeing, teaching, riding, and training. USDF has certified over 140 dressage instructors since the inception of the program sixteen years ago.

If you would like to receive more information about the USDF Instructor Certification Program, contact a USDF Certified Instructor, receive a calendar of USDF Instructor Certification Workshops and testing sessions, or obtain details on hosting Instructor Certification Workshops, visit www.usdf.org/Programs/InstructorCertification/index.asp or contact Kathie Robertson, USDF Instructor/Trainer Liaison  at (859) 271-7877 or instructorcertification@usfd.org 

Founded in 1973, the United States Dressage Federation is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to education, recognition of achievement, and promotion of dressage. For more information about USDF membership or programs, visit www.usdf.org, email usdressage@usdf.org, or call (859) 971-2277.