National AGM update

Feedback from the AGM

 

The DSA AGM took place on Monday 11 April 2016 in Gauteng.

 

There was a lot of encouraging information and feedback from across SA and our Provincial Presidents in terms of how our discipline is doing and plans for the future. Overall our membership numbers are up. DSA is financially in a strong position which is great considering the tough time equestrian sports throughout SA have been in the past few years.

 

Our International riders go from strength to strength and DSA is the only SA equestrian discipline with not 1 but 2 individuals slots at the 2016 Rio Olympics!!

DSA is in good standing with SAEF.

Locally the Riding School league has taken off in Gauteng and the Western Cape really well. Bringing an easier access portal for potential Dressage enthusiasts to try their hand at the discipline. The hope is to roll this initiative out across the country as more and more provinces get involved. The Club and Show Holding Body procedures are starting to be understood and formulated correctly. Access to International Judges and trainers and the seminars closely associated with such continues to bring knowledge and encouragement to the SA Dressage fan.

With very exciting progress in terms of the development of our coaches programme, the transformation and development drive is well underway. Also an increased focus on the Para riders. With more competition opportunities for them coming up and more venues providing facilities for such.

There remains a need for more judges to join the ranks and to ensure our FEI Accredited judges retain their accreditation and this was discussed at length. Some discussion was had and will remain to be had on how to get Dressage more attractive to the spectator and thus bring more people into the sport.

As is the norm at the AGM, elections took place. The new committee is as follows

 

President:                           Tim Marsland

Vice President:                 Sue Horne

Erica De Groot:                  Technical

Caroline Potts:                  Officials

Trudy Marsland:               Communications

Lisa Tait:                               Development & Transformation

Ingeborg Sanne:               International

Jenny Neill:                         Treasurer

Elena Jankowitz:               Gauteng Chair

Henk Jacobs:                      Northern Cape Chair

Tamsin Wentzel:              Eastern Cape Chair

Nadine Parker:                  KwaZulu Natal Chair

Anna Buchanan:               Western Cape Chair

Alayne McLean:                North West Chair

Karin Ebersohn:                Mpumalanga Chair

Dawn Grey:                        Limpopo Chair

Rosemary Balmer:           Free State Chair               

 

Happy riding everyone.