Dressage-News

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, Jan. 19–Linda Zang was awarded the United States Equestrian Federation Pegasus Medal of Honor Saturday for lifetime achievement that includes competing at the 1980 alternate Olympic Games and becoming an International Equestrian Federation (FEI) 5* judge.

Linda of Davidsonville, Maryland, was presented with the award that was naugurated in 1999.

The awards are a “celebration of individuals who have made a unique impact on the horse world,” and was presented at the USEF annual meeting gala.

“It was a great celebration of horsemen and horsemanship,” she said. I was really honored to be in such prestigious company.”

Rich Fellers was named Equestrian of the Year.

He was the first American in 25 years to win the World Cup Final, was the highest placing U.S. Equestrian at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and winner of all four U.S. Olympic observation classes he entered.

Flexible, the horse Rich rode to the World Cup title, was named USEF International Horse of the Year. Jersey Boy, the dominant hunter show horse in recent years, was named National Horse of the Year.

Linda has been a prominent figure in dressage in the U.S. and Europe. As a competitor, she rode on U.S. teams at the 1978 World Championships, 1979 Pan American Games and 1980 Alternate Olympic Games. As an official her influence has been far reaching. She has judged at numerous FEI World Cup Finals as well as at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and throughout the world. As a Technical Delegate, Linda officiated at the 1999 Pan American Games and the 2004 Athens Olympics. She is a former member of the USEF Board of Governors, USEF Hearing Committee and FEI Dressage Committee. She currently serves as a member of the USEF Licensed Officials Committee and Ad Hoc CDI Committee. Zang is also a renowned trainer, having coached many prominent horses and riders across different disciplines.