Malone, Gorretta, and McCuiston to be Honored at 2022 USDF Salute Gala

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Lexington, KY (September 21, 2022) - The United States Dressage Federation™ (USDF) is thrilled to announce that Janine Malone (Zebulon, NC), Lisa Gorretta (Chagrin Falls, OH), and Bonna McCuiston (Bloomington, IN) have been named as the 2022 Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame Inductee, Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient, and Member of Distinction, respectively. All three of these deserving ladies will be recognized and honored at the Salute Gala, held during the 2022 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention, in Lexington, KY.

2022 USDF Hall of Fame Inductee Janine Malone

A previous USDF Volunteer of the Year (1998) and Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient (2014), Janine is renowned for her knowledge of the rules that govern our sport and serves as an USEF ‘R' Technical Delegate, ‘R' Dressage Sport Horse Breeder Judge, ‘R' Dressage Judge with a designation for Dressage Seat Equitation, and Level 5 Dressage Manager. She was additionally one of the first FEI Dressage Level 3 Stewards for the United States.

A few of Janine's accomplishments and contributions to USDF and the sport include; the instrumental role she played in establishing the regional championship program and the US Dressage Finals, her service in numerous capacities within USDF and USEF (USDF Secretary, USDF Region 1 Director, USEF President for FEI Affiliates Working Group, USEF Board of Directors, US Dressage Finals Organizing Committee Chair, USEF Competition Management Committee Chair, USEF Legislative Committee, USDF Regional Championships Committee, etc.) and her countless hours of service from the local to the international stage. In short, it is for her lifetime of leadership and dedication to the sport of dressage that Janine has been named a 2022 Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame Inductee.

2022 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Lisa Gorretta

An accomplished adult amateur FEI-level rider and competitor, former USDF President Lisa Gorretta has a long history with dressage and USDF, making her a perfect choice for this award. From her many positions within USDF (PM Delegate, establishing member of the USDF Connection Editorial Advisory Board, Historical Recognition, Regional Championships, and US Dressage Finals Organizing Committees Chair, Region 2 Director, Activities Council At-Large Director, USDF Vice President, and ultimately USDF President), USEF (Co-Chair of the USEF Dressage Sport Committee, USEF ‘R' Dressage Technical Delegate with Measurement Certification, the integral role she has played in establishing and championing technical delegate education), and the FEI (Level 3 Dressage Steward, serving at events such as the Pan American Games, World Cup, amongst others), Lisa has become liked and respected by virtually everyone in the sport as a tireless worker, pragmatic thinker, and levelheaded solution-seeker, who has helped USDF navigate its way through the years and into the future.

As Jennifer Bryant, USDF Connection Editor and nominator of Lisa, put it, “One of the first lessons I learned when I became involved with USDF in a behind-the-scenes capacity is that the people who make dressage tick tend not to be the sport's most famous names. Lisa Gorretta is perhaps the ultimate example.” Lisa's contributions to USDF are tremendous - and she's not done yet! It is for all of these reasons, that USDF has named Lisa as the recipient of the 2022 USDF Lifetime Achievement Award.

2022 USDF Member of Distinction Bonna McCuiston

Longtime USDF member and former student of Karl Mikolka Bonna McCuiston has been a stalwart influence on dressage in Region 2 for over 30 years. Having owned multiple farms and taught and trained horses and riders throughout Indiana and Region 2, Bonna has dedicated her life to dressage in the Midwest. In addition to serving as President, Vice President, Board Member, and Competition Committee Chair for the Indiana Dressage Society, Bonna has also served as the dressage demonstration rider at the 1987 Pan Am Games, was extremely active in the construction of the Hoosier Horse Park for the Games, and has promoted and helped numerous individuals learn to ride and compete, with may also becoming instructors and trainers themselves.

It is because of her longtime dedication to USDF, the sport, and her GMO that USDF is delighted to recognize her as the 2022 USDF Member of Distinction.

USDF President George Williams couldn't say enough about the three, “I have the pleasure of knowing all of these honorees on a personal level as well as professionally, and I couldn't be prouder to be able to recognize them for their outstanding contributions and achievements. It is their commitment to USDF's mission of dedication to education, recognition of achievement, and promotion of dressage that makes Janine, Lisa, and Bonna the perfect recipients of these honors and it is our distinct pleasure to pay tribute to them at this year's Salute Gala. I hope everyone will join us in celebrating these three amazing women.”

For more information about the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement or Member of Distinction Awards, or the upcoming 2022 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention, visit the USDF website, or contact the USDF office.

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 usdressage@usdf.org, or call (859) 971-2277.

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, email usdressage@usdf.org, or call (859) 971-2277.