Sherry receives her award from George Williams (rt), and Lisa Gorretta (lt). Bruce Lawrie photo.

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce that Sherry Guess has received the 2010 USDF Volunteer of the Year Award, presented by The Paddock Saddlery. This award recognizes a USDF member who, through consistent and cumulative volunteer activities, has demonstrated exceptional commitment towards carrying out USDF’s mission. As the winner, Sherry has been presented with a perpetual trophy, which is permanently on display in the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame, will be featured in the yearbook issue of USDF Connection, and has received a “keeper” trophy and $500 gift certificate from The Paddock Saddlery.

Sherry, of Porter, OK, has made major contributions as a volunteer to dressage on the national, regional, and local level. As chair of the Group Member Organization (GMO) Committee (formerly the GMO Council) for over a decade, Sherry has been a strong advocate of GMOs, working to create educational programs at the Adequan/USDF Annual Convention and writing educational articles geared toward GMOs that have been published in the USDF Connection. Since serving as chair of the GMO Committee, Sherry has assisted with the popular annual GMO awards by serving as a judge for the Regional GMO Volunteer of the Year Awards and the Ruth Arvanette Memorial Fund Grant, as well as assisting in securing judges for the GMO Newsletter and Web Site Awards. In addition to serving as chair of the GMO Committee, Sherry has served on the USDF Membership Committee for years.

Sherry has worked diligently behind the scenes in Region 9, assisting with projects such as researching and rewriting the Region 9 Policies and Procedures. In order to further the dressage education of those in her area, Sherry arranged to have a horse simulator, a valuable teaching tool for both amateurs and professionals, brought to Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas.

As a long time member of both the Oklahoma Dressage Society and California Dressage Society, Sherry has volunteered at numerous local shows by judging the Oklahoma Dressage Society schooling show championship show, creating a biomechanic score sheet for all riders, and giving a lecture to eventers in Oklahoma on biomechanics and rider position. Sherry has also served as a volunteer at the Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Dressage Championships.

Apart from her outstanding volunteer work, Sherry is a USDF L Graduate with Distinction, an instructor, a trainer, and an educator.

For more information on the USDF Volunteer of the Year Award, presented by The Paddock Saddlery, visit the USDF Web site at www.usdf.org. or contact the USDF office at [email protected].

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, e-mail [email protected], or call (859) 971-2277.