Crossroads Dressage and Combined Training Society
2009 Board and Officers

Rita Dunn, President
(Rita is shown with her granddaughter, Alyssa.)
Rita is a USDF-certified instructor and a NARHA Advanced Instructor for both cognitive and physical disabilities. She began riding dressage in 1975 and is currently competing her Welsh Cob/German Riding Pony gelding at 4th Level.

Susan Price, Vice President
Susan has served on the CDCTS board in numerous capacities over the past 10 years. She is currently schooling 2nd Level on Cowboy, a Percheron cross. In her spare time, she works with her six border collies and volunteers with the Border Collie Rescue.

Sue Cain, Secretary
Sue began her equestrian adventures about 6 years ago. She wanted to learn to be a good rider and forged ahead to learn the art of dressage. Serving as a CDCTS board member has afforded Sue the opportunity to meet and make friends within our interesting and wonderful “horsey” community. She currently competes with her TB/Percheron/QH mare at Training Level.

Linda Klingerman, Treasurer
Linda is a life-long rider who enjoys endurance riding, horse camping with friends, and back country pack trips, as well as making costumes for her horses. She is currently working with her Andalusian gelding, Regalo, at training level.

Kathy Ridenour, Parliamentarian and Newsletter Editor
Kathy was a mounted police officer in Florida for 8 years and taught at the Mounted Police School in Mobile, Alabama, for 3 years during Mardi Gras. She also had a children’s riding school and a carriage service before moving to Tennessee in 2005. Currently she is showing her Danish gelding at training level and schooling him at 1st level.

Susan Hill, 2010 Alternate Board Member
Susan started riding as a child and explored many disciplines, including playing polo for 9 years. She still enjoys jumping on occasion but finds dressage the most satisfying and hair-pulling. She is currently showing her homebred thoroughbred at 1st Level and schooling Prix St. Georges (in her dreams).

Kate Wooten, 2010 Alternate Board Member
"English" Kate has lived in Tennessee for the past 6 years. At barely 5 feet tall, she has found her niche in training ponies as solid children’s eventers. This year, she will mostly be showing Joe Pony at training/BN. Kate has recently started studying for a new career as an independent saddle fitter, and she will be fully qualified by June 2010.

Kathleen Festa, 2010 Alternate Board Member (Photo to follow.)
I begged my first horse and started riding hunters at age of 12 in Southeastern Pennsylvania. As a young adult, I rode hunters and jumpers professionally for 5 years before relocating to upstate New York. Managed a 20-stall barn in Bedford, NY, where I had the opportunity to ride and train with many top show jumping riders. Also, I have enjoyed many seasons foxhunting and many miles on the trail. Dressage came into my life when I arrived in Tennessee in 1994, and I found the best horse I’ve ever owned, Smitten. The last several years have been spent enjoying my daughter’s riding skills develop and teaching other young girls the basics in horsemanship.

Janet Bescanceney, 2010 Member-at-Large
Janet began her equestrian adventures with hunters/jumpers at age 11 in Tampa, Florida. After acquiring an OT Thoroughbred, she branched out to cross-country. Following high school, she attended Caruth Veterinary Technology School and started traveling the Florida show jumping circuit as a press photographer. After graduation, she moved to Tennessee in 1991 and started working with Arabians. Currently she owns two SE Arabians and has just started one under saddle for dressage. Her other activities include working and training Belgian Malinois in search and rescue.