North American Western Dressage Judge & Judge Education Director
Donna Snyder-Smith
Donna Snyder-Smith has been a national sports coach/clinician and riding instructor for nearly 55 years. Although retired from live judging, Donna is NAWDs Judge’s Education & Licensing Director, and a frequent contributor on our Facebook Forum, sharing her knowledge and experience. Her education includes:
- Three years of dressage study in Augsburg, Germany, ’59 – ’61 (Augsburg Reite Schule)
- Participation in CDS Learner Judges Clinics 1970s
- Guest Instructor Horses Course, Chabot Junior College, Hayward, California
- Certified Level III Centered Riding Clinician, (Sally Swift)
- Certified American Riding Instructor (A.R.I.C.P.)
- Member certification board (A.R.I.C.P. ’86 – ’89)
- Director of Studies – Ogontz Riding Instructor and Assistant Instructor Courses, Lyman, N.H., (1982 – 1989)
- AHSA judge (’74 – ’79),
- Author of “The All Around Horse & Rider, “The Classic Western Rider,” and “The Complete Guide to Endurance Riding & Competition,”
- DVD “Partners”
- Board member of American Endurance Ride Conference Speaker and clinician at Equitana (Kentucky), the Equine Affair (Mass., California & Ohio), the Western States Horse Expo, (California), and the Iowa Horse Fair (Iowa) speaking on rider training (Centered Riding) psychology and rider performance and horse training.
- Free-lance industry journalist since 1967 with articles appearing in multiple national industry magazines, including Western Horseman, Practical Horseman, Chronicle of the Horse, Horse Illustrated, Horse Lovers, Arabian Horse World, Arabian Horse Express +
- Editor of Trail Blazer magazine
Donna received the American Riding Instructors Assn. Life Time Achievement Award for her success in producing award winning horses and riders in multiple disciplines at regional, national and international competitions, including:
- CDS and USEF Second Level Amateur Champion
- National Paint Horse Champion English Pleasure horse and rider, Region 2
IAHA Second Level Champion - Two World Equestrain Games Endurance gold medal winners
- Pan Am Endurance Bronze Medalist
- Tevis winner
- Ogontz Riding Instructor and Assistant Instructor Courses, Lyman, N.H., (1982 – 1989)
- AHSA judge (’74 – ’79),
- Author of “The All Around Horse & Rider, “The Classic Western Rider,” and “The Complete Guide to Endurance Riding & Competition,”
- DVD “Partners”
- Board member of American Endurance Ride Conference Speaker and clinician at Equitana (Kentucky), the Equine Affair (Mass., California & Ohio), the Western States Horse Expo, (California), and the Iowa Horse Fair (Iowa) speaking on rider training (Centered Riding) psychology and rider performance and horse training.
- Free-lance industry journalist since 1967 with articles appearing in multiple national industry magazines, including Western Horseman, Practical Horseman, Chronicle of the Horse, Horse Illustrated, Horse Lovers, Arabian Horse World, Arabian Horse Express +
- Editor of Trail Blazer magazine
Contact Donna by visiting her Facebook page.
