USEA Convention Program

21 C O N V E N T I O N S P E A K E R S DEBRA DEALCUAZ Debra Dealcuaz is an amateur rider from North Texas who has been riding since she was 2 years old. She served on the board of the North Texas Eventing Association for eight years, three of them as President and two as Treasurer. She joined the USEA Board of Governors in 2014 and does double duty as she also serves as the Area V Treasurer. Debra is a member of the USEA Administration and Finance Committee and is Chair of the Area Affairs Committee. Her lifelong passion for the sport resulted in her becoming a USEF licensed "r" Technical Delegate in 2005. CINDY DEPORTER Cindy Deporter has been a member of the USEA since 1977. She is a FEI Level 3 Technical Delegate and has fulfilled the requirements for a FEI Level 2 Judge. She is an amateur rider and competes at the Novice level on her horse, Ana D. She has a full-time job with the State of North Carolina as the State Agency Director. Cindy has a Master's Degree in Social Work and is a member of the Competitions Scheduling Committee, the Area III Organizer Representative, and co-organizer of the Heart of Carolinas Three-Day Event! DEREK DI GRAZIA Derek di Grazia lives in Carmel Valley, California where he trains and coaches riders to the highest levels of eventing. Derek has been competing internationally since 1977 and still does so to this day. He won the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 1985 as well as the 1991 Fair Hill CCI3* to name just a few of his accomplishments. He represented the United States at the 1986 Eventing World Championships and has been short-listed for several Olympic teams. Di Grazia designs courses all over the United States and Canada and is currently the course designer for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Di Grazia's philosophy toward course design is to use the natural terrain to create the appropriate questions for the level of competition. He stresses how important the design and placement of the obstacles are in maintaining the flow and rhythm of the course. Di Grazia looks forward every year to designing cross-country courses that turn horses into champions. IRENE DOO Irene Doo is a member of the USEA Volunteer Committee and has served as the volunteer coordinator for the Pine Hill Eventing Facility in Texas for over 10 years. As a committee member, Irene received a USEA Educational Grant to produce instructional videos for jump judges. The videos were completed in August and are now available to organizers, volunteer coordinators, and volunteers on the USEA website. Irene is an avid adult amateur rider and placed ninth at the Novice level at the 2015 USEA American Eventing Championships on her 23-year-old horse. She is bringing along a 5-year old Thoroughbred/ Warmblood cross and hopes to compete with him at the AEC in a few years. JOHN MICHAEL DURR John Michael Durr is an accomplished three-day eventer, ICP Certified Level IV Instructor, trainer, and show jumper who has devoted most of his life to riding and training horses of all levels. He takes his experience and passion for eventing into his new additional role as a course designer. "J.M." is dedicated to the sport of eventing and its development at every level.

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