David Holmes has been in charge of the team at the BD headquarters since 1999. Before that he worked as a voluntary BD training director, having completed his term as Commanding Officer of the King’s Troop.

David is involved in everything at the highest level, sitting in on pretty much every meeting going from judging to marketing committees. He also brokers the deals with the insurers and music licensing societies, so BD members have the best insurance cover available and don’t break the law when they play their freestyle music.

Jo Bagnall worked in BD's marketing and communications department for eight years before becoming the company's first Deputy Chief Executive in 2007.

Angela Green has the task of dealing with the inordinate amount of paperwork generated by all the committee meetings, preparing agendas and taking minutes, as well as performing the standard secretarial roles of keeping David’s dairy and fielding all his calls.

Michelle Garland processes the membership applications and renewals of BD’s 12,000 members every year, entering the details on computer and keeping an up-to-date record of all members.

Michelle is also in charge of music membership. She arranges this membership for non-BD members who compete in freestyle tests, so they don’t break the law when they play their music in public.

As paralympic officer, Sarah deals with the invitations from international para shows and organises trips abroad for para competitors, sorting their travel arrangements and documents. She liaises with the selectors to produce selection policies and assists in the organisation of any events, such as the para national convention.

Sarah's role as grading officer involves working together with grading administrator Charlene Bryant to ensure the relevant show organisers are provided with details of competitors who have qualified for their shows.

Sarah also allocates the wild cards for the national and winter championships. These are extra places allocated to riders who have not gone through to the finals because they are competing in regions where the standard of competition is particularly high.

Ruth Tyler is involved in the nuts and bolts of developing the sport. As a member of the rules and fixtures committee, she is responsible for British Dressage Rules 2007. Ruth organises the development of new tests, the annual BD national convention and maintains the trainers’ database, which lists all BD accredited trainers to help riders find a good, local teacher. To view this list, click Find a trainer.

Lisa Jenkins looks after nearly 1,000 judges, keeping their records, sorting out applications to become a trainee judge, judge training, testing, seminars and any judging problems.

Lisa is currently on maternity leave. Lianne Harris and Debby Futter are looking after this area until Lisa returns.

Office Manager, BYRDS &

Under-21 International

Karen Ryder is the longest-serving member of staff. She looks after riders aged up to 25. This includes an annual Talent spotting competition, the British Young Rider Dressage Scheme, which is known as BYRDS, ponies, juniors and young riders, including teams for international competitions. Go to Under-25s for more info on opportunities for riders aged under 25.

BYRDS Assistant

Jeanette Proctor helps BYRDS officer Karen Ryder look after riders aged up to 25. This includes an annual Talent spotting competition, the British Young Rider Dressage Scheme, which is known as BYRDS, ponies, juniors and young riders, including teams for international competitions. Go to Under-25s for more info on opportunities for riders aged under 25.

Claire Carter manages the competition calendar, putting together the Show schedules for nearly 2,000 days of competition a year and liaising with show organisers. Claire does not run any shows, so please send your entries to the relevant show organiser, not the BD office.

Claire Booth deals with all journalists’ enquiries, keeps local and national press up to date about BD news and generally promotes the sport. She writes and updates rider biographies for international shows, is in charge of the BD trade stand, members’ marquee, banners, etc, places advertising in the national press for key events and is involved with British Dressage magazine and this website.

Joanna Bownsworks with communications officer Claire Booth, ordering all the rosettes for regional finals and championships, making sure show organisers receive rosettes with the right sponsors’ names. Joanna also collates the press cuttings, places advertising in local and regional press and sorts the admin side of sponsorship contracts.

As grading administrator, Charlene enters all the show results from the 2,000 days of competition held in Britain every year on a database. This information is available online in the Results section of this website, with a "Q" next to a rider's name indicating they have qualified. It is Charlene who sends you a letter when you have qualified, explaining what you need to do next.

Charlene works together with grading officer Sarah Murphy to ensure the relevant show organisers are provided with details of competitors who have qualified for their shows.

Angie Cook and finance officer Jean Swidryk sort BD’s accounts: the daily collating and banking of all income, raising invoices and making payments, paying salaries and keeping records from which the annual audited accounts are prepared.

Jean Swidryk helps finance manager Angie Cook to sort BD’s accounts: the daily collating and banking of all income, raising invoices and making payments, paying salaries and keeping records from which the annual audited accounts are prepared.

Polly works part-time and helps finance officer Jean Swidryk with the accounts.

Harriet Best and Zoe Wiseman are in charge of opening all the post, general office stationery ordering, processing orders for tests and score sheets and from the online shop. They also invoice all the orders, help the membership and horse registration departments and work on the BD stand at events.

There are eight regional development officers (RDOs) on the payroll based in their own regions. They organise affordable clinics and training days for all members at all levels, as well as judge training, working closely with the fixtures officer.

Each RDO is part of a committee with a chairman and regional representatives for training, under-25s, judges and Paralympics. Details of your RDO, local reps and training days are published in British Dressage magazine on the Regional Activity page and are available online by clicking Your regions.