SAINT LOUIS AREA
DRESSAGE SOCIETY
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    The Saint Louis Dressage Society was started in 1972 by Sonja         
    Kershaw and her students, Sherri Johnson, Bobbe Kennedy, Donna
    Singer, Georgia Mauk, Marietta Buechner, Nancy Kutta, and Kathy
    Kottimer.  They would hold the meetings at Sonja's house.  The first 6
    or 7 years everyone held at least one office and sometimes two.  

    Pete Johnson and Ed Kottimer designed and built the first SLADS
    dressage arena out of 1X4's, 2X4 stakes with U shaped metal attached
    to the stakes to support the 1X4's.  The letters were made out of
    plywood and paint.

    Clinics for SLADS members was of most importance in the beginning.  
    The very first clinic was with Violet Hopkins in December, 1972 at High
    Trails in Eureka, Missouri.

    The First SLADS show was held at Bridlespur.  The members hired
    only "I" judges because the members thought these judges would teach
    everyone the most.  In the beginning the gate to the show arena was
    closed and opened for each competitor.  The shows were run by 5 or 6
    people doing all of the jobs.  At the end of each show these 5 or 6
    people would figure up what SLADS made versus what was spent and
    many times SLADS owed money. These few individuals would then pull
    money out of their own pockets and donate so SLADS would break
    even.

    ***The information above was as recounted in an interview with
    Sherri Johnson on June 3, 2007.