Who is the right person to replace Klaus Balkenhol and lead the U.S. dressage team as the next coach and chef d’equipe? That question isn’t an easy one, and U.S. Equestrian Federation officials are going all out in an effort to find the person who will best fit the needs of U.S. riders.

That plan means there won’t be a dressage coach right away. The deadline for applications for the position is May 15, and then the USEF Active Athletes Committee will interview candidates and recommend them to the USEF High Performance Committee. To learn more about the position, click here.

But in the meantime, there’s an FEI World Cup Final in April and the potential for a U.S. team to compete in the Aachen CHIO in Germany in July. That’s why Jessica Ransehousen, who filled the role of chef d’equipe on and off for 14 years, stepped in to act as interim leader until the search has been successfully completed.

During the Palm Beach Dressage Derby (Fla.), Feb. 27-March 1, Gil Merrick, the assistant executive director of sport programs for the USEF, joined George Williams, co-vice chairman of the USEF Dressage Committee, and Ransehousen in addressing the high performance riders competing there.

“We are here for the athletes,” said Williams.

All three officials encouraged riders and judges to submit possibilities for the next chef d’equipe. Ransehousen also spoke about methods for finding new talented riders and horses.

“We’ve formed a support group of Anne Gribbons, Guenter Seidel, George Morris and myself. We want to draw more ideas from you,” said Ransehousen, who encouraged people to write or call members of this “support group” and let them know what kind of help they needed.

“At this show we have wonderful up-and-coming horses. We want to draw people who are not experienced international riders and are unsure of how to proceed. We want to help people who need it. We have an Olympics in no time. We need to get our young horses going. Let’s start making a concerted effort to bring forward our talented riders,” said Ransehousen.

Grand Prix rider Jane Hannigan spoke about the need to provide national grants as well as international grants for training.

“I’m a high performance rider now. When asked who I ride with, I have to say nobody. I can’t afford it,” she said. “I went to World Cup, and I couldn’t bring my coach. Once we make it on the team, we have a system, and we need our people.”

Hannigan spoke enthusiastically about how helpful it had been to have Balkenhol show her the ropes of international competition at first, but she said now that she knows how international competition works, she wants her national team behind her.

Riders also discussed the role of the new chef d’equipe. Merrick explained that this person may be less of a coach and more of a manager for U.S. dressage.

“This person’s job is to look at all of the pieces and coordinate them so we have a strategy,” he said. “It’s a management position. This person needs the ability to conduct and oversee the training sessions.”

“This is someone who will be responsible for the whole program. He or she will oversee the youth coach, the developing horse coach and the developing rider coach,” added Williams.

And while riders were happy to make suggestions for how to improve high performance dressage, Williams stressed that this moment isn’t the time to implement new programs.
“We need to let the new chef d’equipe figure out how to run the program,” he said.