Kingston, RI-January 22, 2003-The National Disability Sports Alliance (NDSA), in association with USA Equestrian (USAE), will host a forum on judging dressage riders with physical disabilities at Quiet Oaks Farm in Winter Garden, FL, March 17-19, 2003.

The forum is designed to provide judges with an in-depth review of judging dressage for riders with disabilities. It will include lecture, discussion, and demonstration, as well as practical judging of riders with disabilities.

Open to all USAE judges, the forum will allow for a maximum of 30 participants accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Judges with a dressage "R" rating or above will be given priority and may attend the course free of charge. There is a fee of $50.00 per person for judges at the lower levels and for observers.

Qualified judges who show competency during the practical segment of the forum will be eligible to become International Paralympic Equestrian Committee (IPEC) international candidate, provisional, or national level judges.

IPEC Chairwoman Jonquil Solt and IPEC Master Judge Alison Mastin will lead the forum, and all tests will be performed in accordance with IPEC guidelines.

In IPEC classes, riders with disabilities are judged with able-bodied rules, but allowances are given for compensating aids. For example, in an IPEC class, special reins that can be held in one hand would not be penalized.

The NDSA hosted a similar judges' forum in November 2002 at the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Olympic Training Center in Gladstone, NJ. Close to 30 judges participated. The forum was a tremendous success, leading to the call for more forums such as the one now planned for March.

The IPEC is the international governing body for equestrian sports for riders with disabilities. It is responsible for international rules, sanctioning of international competitions, and for Paralympic Games and World Championships. For more information about the IPEC, please visit their website at www.ipec-athletes.de or contact Jonquil Solt by email at jonquil@solt.demon.co.uk.

The National Disability Sports Alliance is the national governing body for equestrian sport for riders with disabilities. The non-profit organization is responsible for the development and selection of riders for national championships and international competitions, including World Championships and the Paralympic Games, and provides training, competition and advocacy for riders of all levels with physical disabilities. For more information about NDSA and opportunities to support the programs, please visit our website at www.ndsaequestrian.org or contact Denise Avolio at (914) 949-8166 or diavolio@ndsaonline.org.

To register for the judging forum, please contact Andrea Ice at USA Equestrian at

(859) 225-6977. All other inquiries regarding the course should be directed to Denise Avolio.