Ken Braddick of Dressage-news.com reported that a new role function is being proposed for the future U.S. Dressage coach which needs to be hired after the recent resignation of Anne Gribbons, U.S. Dressage Technical Advisor.
A fundamental change in the role of the United States dressage coach to support riders and their own trainers rather than being the hands-on coach will be sought as a result of American team riders and the U.S. Equestrian Federation Dressage High Performance Committee meeting in Houston, Texas, this week to plot the future direction of the Olympic sport.
The role of the coach, officially called the Technical Advisor, has become a central issue since the London Olympics this summer, the second straight Games in which the United States failed to medal in dressage following four straight team bronze medal performances at the premier sporting event held once every four years.
However, sources reported from the two-day meeting, there was strong support for the national coach to be based in the United States–not necessarily a citizen, but an individual either resident or willing to move to America if selected for the position.
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Photo © Mary Phelps