EQUESTRIAN+ is excited to announce the release of our new 2025 Adequan®/USDF FEI-Level Trainers’ Conference video series featuring Olympian and Chef d’Equipe of the U.S. Dressage Team Christine Traurig and Olympian and Germany’s current national head coach Monica Theodorescu.
“We were thrilled to collaborate again this year with USDF to provide this educational video series to dressage enthusiasts,” Marla Bickel, President of Equine Network’s Data and Content Services, said “The annual Trainers’ Conference is integral to the sport of dressage in continuing the education of trainers and riders.”
Over the two-day conference, Traurig and Theodorescu stressed the crucial importance of dressage’s classical principles as they coached top riders including Heather Bender, Amy Bradley, Christopher Hickey, Hannah Irons, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, Neve Myburgh, Kate Shoemaker and J.J. Tate.
“Christine and Monica provided a beautiful example of the way we should train horses by constantly committing to the beautiful, classical principles of dressage,” said Tate, a USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist. “Then, simply let those ideas work for you and your horse.”
More than 300 dressage trainers and professionals convened at Mary Anne McPhail’s High Meadow Farm in Loxahatchee, Florida, this past January seeking new training techniques, fresh perspectives and continuing education.
“We had excellent attendance this year, which shows that the presenters drew a crowd and our Certified Instructors and upper-level riders are truly committed to continuing their education in classical dressage,” said USDF Member Education Coordinator Evelyn Lancione. “Monica and Christine shared a terrific amount of information in such a comprehensive way. They chose horses spanning the full range of FEI levels and emphasized the importance of embracing each horse’s character and strengths to build the ultimate athlete. It was a joy to see it all come together.”
Classical Principles Are Key
Throughout the conference both Traurig and Theodorescu advised riders to work on developing more willing partnerships with their horses by being patient, clear and trusting the training system reflected in the dressage Training Scale. While this scale serves as the framework for training all horses and is generally sequential, the clinicians emphasized that it’s not intended to be strictly chronological.
“You must constantly keep the Training Scale in mind. Sticking to the basics of this recipe for success in training horses always pays off. There are variations, but the theme is the same,” Traurig advised during the conference. “Don’t try to cheat. Like Monica said, true dressage knows no short cuts. And taking them is always at the cost of your horse’s well-being and your harmonious partnership.”
A number of riders brought young horses this year and Theodorescu advised them to be especially careful about taking things slow with younger, less experienced mounts. “Our horses offer us so much already, and breeding has become so specialized that these horses are able to give a lot even when they’re still young. But your horse must have the time to mature and feel comfortable,” she noted. “Always stick to basics and be happy with small improvements, step by step, like going to school. One day they like to learn more and another day they’re not ready for more.”
Watch the 2025 Conference
Whether you’re new to dressage, compete at the upper levels or are trainer or rider looking for fresh tools in your training repertoire to pass along to your horses and students, our video series from this year’s USDF Trainers’ Conference is full of useful information that will expand and enrich your dressage education.
Watch the 2025 Adequan®/USDF FEI-Level Trainers’ Conference videos exclusively on EQUESTRIAN+. For more information and to access the content, visit equestrianplus.com.
Note: This year’s conference videos will be released by rider order of go for Day 1 and Day 2. See below for the order of go list.
About the 2025 USDF Trainers’ Conference Clinicians
Christine Traurig, Chef d’Equipe of the U.S. Dressage Team, was born and raised in Germany, on a farm where her father bred horses. It was there that her passion and skill for riding young horses developed. At the age of 12, she started riding at the National Riding School at Hoya with the legendary trainer Otto Meyer. In 1998, Christine began training with Johann Hinnemann and in 2000 she competed at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, on the bronze-medal-winning U.S. team.
Dedicated to classical dressage training and horsemanship to produce skill and excellence in horse and rider, Christine works to help today’s Young Riders and horses develop a commitment to basics.
Monica Theodorescu is a former dressage Olympian and serves as Germany’s current national head coach. Herstar-studded career includes three German team gold medals from Olympic Games—Seoul in 1988, Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996.
She won team gold and individual bronze medals at the Stockholm World Championships in 1990 and several gold, silver and bronze medals at European Championships.
About the 2025 USDF Trainers’ Conference Riders
Riders are listed by order of go during the conference:
Hannah Irons of Queenstown, Maryland, has earned USDF bronze and silver medals, both with distinction. She was actively involved in the Dressage4Kids program for 10 years, attended Lendon Gray’s Winter Intensive Training program twice and was a working student for accomplished riders such as JJ Tate, Jaralyn Gibson and Meagan Davis. She began her full-time career managing and training at Irons Sporthorses, LLC, in 2020. Irons is riding Ein Traum (E.T.), a 5-year-old Westphalian gelding by Escamillo, who’s owned by Irons Sporthorses, LLC.
Neve Myburgh of Loxahatchee, Florida, is a a USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist. After growing up riding in South Africa, she moved to Germany to apprentice under Wolfram Wittig and worked for trainers Johannes Augustin and Martin Christensen. Since moving to the U.S., Myburgh has trained with Lars Peterson, Oded Shimoni and Robert Dover, who helped her train several young horses up to schooling grand prix. She is riding her own horse, Firiet, a 7-year-old, DSP, mare, by Franklin.
Christopher Hickey of Wellington, Florida, has ridden in many previous conferences and is a USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist, a Certified Instructor through Fourth level and a member of the USDF Instructor/Trainer Program Faculty. He represented the U.S. at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, winning the Team and Individual gold medals. Hickey is riding Saskatoon OMF, a 7-year-old, Hanoverian gelding by San Amour I and owned by Cecilia Stewart.
Amy Bradley of Wellington, Florida, is an accomplished rider having earned a USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist with distinction, and is currently a large ‘R’ judge. Most recently, she secured top honors at the U.S. Dressage Championships in the Grand Prix division aboard her horse, Quileute CCW, by Quarterback. Bradley is riding her own horse I Spy, an 8-year-old, Oldenburg, gelding, by Asgard’s Ibiza.
Heather Bender of Palm City, Florida, is a USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist with distinction and a Certified Instructor through Fourth Level. She pursued dressage in Europe from a young age, training with notable coaches such as George Theodorescu and Sandy Pfleuger-Phillip. At this year’s conference, she’s riding her own horse Keisha B., a 9-year-old KWPN mare by Genial.
Kate Shoemaker of Wellington, Florida, is a USDF bronze and silver medalist, both with distinction—and is a Grade IV Para athlete ranked No. 3 in the world and was part of the U.S. Para Dressage Team’s immense success at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Additionally, Shoemaker has earned several bronze and silver medals in both FEI World Championships and Paralympic Games and is an equine veterinarian. She is riding her 2024 Paralympic mount Vianne, an 8-year-old Hanoverian mare by Vitalis, owned by Norcordia USA.
J.J.Tate of Loxahatchee, Florida, is a USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist and also earned her Gold Medal Freestyle Bar. With over 1,250 trips down centerline, J.J. is a familiar face in the competition arena, with multiple regional and national wins at all levels, including young horse tests and CDI’s. Spending summers in Germany with Michael Klimke, J.J. first rode with USDF Hall of Fame inductee Charles DeKunffy at the age of 11, and continues to work with him today. She also has long-term training relationships with Scott Hassler, Oded Shimoni and Ali Brock. At this year’s conference, J.J. is riding Denali, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Harmony’s Don Noblesse, owned by Cackie Vroom and Dean Wright.
Olivia LaGoy-Weltz of Wellington, Florida, is a USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist. Among her many national-level successes, she was the traveling reserve for the 2015 Pan Am Games Team, won Team Gold at three Nations Cup competitions (2015, 2017 and 2018) and was on the short list for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. She’s riding Fade to Black, a 10-year-old Hanoverian mare by Fantastic.
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