Dolly Hannon and Ganymede
The Foothills Chapter of the Rocky Mt. Dressage Society Congratulates
2006 Scholarship Winner Janet “Dolly” Hannon
The Foothills Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society is proud to announce the winner of their first annual educational scholarship, Janet “Dolly” Hannon. Foothills Chapter initiated the scholarship this year to encourage promising and dedicated riders in their pursuit of dressage.

“We are thrilled to have a winner of Dolly’s caliber,” said Foothills Chapter President, Kathy King Johnson. “The scholarship committee feels strongly that awarding Dolly the scholarship will do the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Dolly’s judging and teaching impact so many people in the club, in Colorado and across the United States.”

Hannon intends to use the scholarship of $750 to help raise her judging license from a registered judge to a senior judge. Foothills Scholarship funds will help Hannon pay for the necessary classes and travel time to fulfill the “S” ranking. Judges have ranks, much as karate has belts. They begin in the “L” for “Learner” program, and move through the ranks of “r" or Recorded judge, then “R” or Registered judge, and then “S” or Senior judge. The highest ranks are “I” for International and “O” for Olympic. Dressage judges undergo a lengthy training and educational process. There are only a handful of “S” judges in Colorado today.

Hannon lives in Arvada, Colorado. She has taught dressage at Table Mountain Ranch in Golden, Colorado for 25 years. She graduated from CSU in 1977 with and received a teaching certificate from the CSU Equine Science program. She has been a member of the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society for 25 years, serving as past president of the Foothills Chapter of RMDS and as RMDS awards chairperson. She is also on the advisory committee for the National Western Stock Show’s “Evening of Dancing Horses.”

Nationally, Hannon is a current member of the United States Dressage Federation judges and freestyle committees. She helped implement a regional program of continuing education for USDF judges and "L" graduates. In dressage competitions, Hannon earned her USDF bronze, silver, and gold medals. Several of her students have multiple medals as well, including gold. She and her students have placed in the USDF national standings for Horse of the Year, All Breed and Freestyle awards.

Hannon is a USDF certified instructor through Second Level. She promotes the Junior programs extensively, having a junior compete in the FEI junior championships two years in a row. This year she is training Annie Morris and her Arabian gelding, Tawny, to qualify for the NAYRC competition.

Hannon said, “The judges’ training has greatly enhanced my teaching ability. I feel very passionate about the impact good, positive judging can have on our sport.”

For more information on next year’s Foothills Chapter Scholarship, go to Foothills Dressage.