Industry Professionals Celebrate Dressage And Western Dressage For Stock Horse Breeds
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274 – September/October, 2026
By Marie-Frances Davis
In 2010, the American Quarter Horse Association recognized Dressage in competition. A decade later, Western Dressage followed suit by also becoming a new point-earning event contributing to year-end and lifetime awards for professionals, Amateurs and Youth. The addition of these classes was years in development thanks to the contributions of AQHA task forces and committees who gave these programs their foundations.
As Dressage and Western Dressage continue to grow among stock horse breeds, there are advocates who promote the disciplines through breeding, training, coaching, managing, and judging competitions and sponsorship. Like the diverse groups who worked to bring the events to AQHA, so are the ambassadors spreading the message of sound, methodical training through the levels of Dressage and Western Dressage. Several of them willingly shared their perspectives on these disciplines.
One well-known and highly successful breeder is Robin DeGraff of DeGraff Stables based in Reddick, Florida. DeGraff Stables’ own Indian Artifacts, an AQHA World Champion, was the cornerstone for breeding classic hunter-style Appendix Quarter Horses. He has sired multiple World, Reserve World, and National Champions across four stock horse breeds and several warmblood registries.
Some of the many talented and accomplished dressage horses bred by DeGraff Stables are Indian Harvest, In Dee Extreme, DGS Replicated, DGS Indycogneato, and DGS Valentino. These horses have been AQHA point earners, winners of ROMs, Superiors, Versatility Awards, Year-End High Points, and United States Dressage Federation All Breed Awards. They are athletic, trainable, and versatile–all attributes contributing to their success in the show ring.
Click here to read the complete article
274 – September/October, 2026
