It is with sadness that we report the death of Margarita (Migi) Serrell, a pioneer of dressage in the United States.  Mrs. Serrell, herself a Grand Prix rider, was a founder and the first president of the American Dressage Institute, which is the forerunner of the United States Dressage Federation.  The goal of the ADI was to develop U.S. dressage riders who could be competitive in the international arena. 

    

 Under Mrs. Serrell's leadership, permanent riding facilities were established at Skidmore College, the home of the institute, and a long tradition began of bringing in top European dressage trainers, including Col. Hans Handler, then director of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna.  Graduates of the ADI program include 1976 Olympic team bronze medalist Hilda Gurney, 1980 Olympic team member and FEI “O”judge Linda Zang and 1992 Olympic team bronze medalist and USDF certification examiner Michael Poulin, to name a few.

 

     In 2000 Dressage4Kids, Inc. honored Mrs. Serrell's contribution to our sport by naming her the first recipient of the Braley Gray Award, given to an individual who has been instrumental in the development of dressage in the United States.  We dressage riders are all indebted to Mrs. Serrell's vision and leadership, and she will be sorely missed.  We send our most heartfelt condolences to her family.  Lendon Gray