Dressage-News

Oct. 31, 2024

Carol Lavell and William “Bill” C. Woods will be inducted into the Roemer Foundation/U.S. Dressage Federation Hall of Fame and receive Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Carol and Bill will be recognized during the awards banquet at the  2024 USDF convention in Houston, Texas.

The late Carol Lavell is best known as the partner of the dressage mount Gifted that was inducted in the USDF Hall of Fame in 1997.  The pair medaled in events including the 1992 Olympics and the 1990 and 1994 World Equestrian Games. Carol also medaled on two Pan American Games teams on different horses.

Carol and her family have provided substantial financial support for dressage and established foundations to maintain high levels of contributions for many years.

USDF President George Williams said of Carol: “With Carol Lavell being inducted into the  Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame, all I can say is that it has been 27 years since her wonderful Olympic horse Gifted was inducted.  Many will agree it is past time that we honor all that Carol did and gave to dressage during her lifetime.”

Bill Woods is best known as a trainer and judge, who has instructed and judged in 43 states and five foreign countries.

During seven years as chair of the USDF Council of Instructors and Trainers, he was largely responsible for pushing to fruition USDF’s program for instructor certification and the beginning of USDF’s program of annual national symposia.

George Williams commented: “I’m a strong believer in the importance of remembering and recognizing those whose efforts in the early years of USDF laid the groundwork for our current programs.  Bill Woods is one of those foresighted individuals.  He was instrumental in the early development of the major USDF educational program geared towards instructors.”