Lillian Jean Zimmermann
Lillian Jean Zimmermann, one of the founders of the Midwest Dressage Association and the United Stated Dressage Federation passed away September 18, 2011, from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, at the age of 85.
A native of Michigan, Lillian, nee Hawkins, was graduated from Kingswood High school and earned a BA in chemistry at the University of Michigan. She began her career at Chrysler, Corporation in the late 1940s and was a pioneer in the use of the electron microscope to investigate the properties of metals. Married to Robert, with whom she had two children, she found her passion in Dressage.
Maryal Barnett USEF C judge, writes that she herself “discovered dressage in the 1970s. “Little did I know that Lillian and others here were the founders of our dressage organizations. I just wanted to ride in the dressage classes at The Bloomfield Open Hunt and it soon became apparent the there was a person who was linked to all that was going on in Dressage and that person was Lillian Zimmermann…She has left her mark in Dressage”.
The MDA “News and View” newsletter reports that “Lillian designed, with the help of other MDA members created the class we now call Dressage Materials. Originally known as Suitable to Become a Dressage Horse, this class became a model for Dressage Materials classes throughout the United States. She also is one of the original authors of the nationally known Kingsley Inn Cup and the Colonel Alfred Kitts Perpetual Trophy.
“On a national level, Lillian served on the American Horse Show Associations Dressage Committee for many years. She was one of the early organizers of the National Judges Training Program that resulted in the rule requiring all dressage judges to attend Judges’ forums every three years for their continuing education.
During the 1970s and 80s the MDA regularly held judges training programs, I benefited from Lillian’s mentoring as I began my judging career. Lillian’s focus on classical dressage was ever present. She brought classical European clinicians to Region 2 and to the US. The instructors she promoted included Hans Mueller, Colonel Nyblaeus, Karl Mikolka, Christilot Boylen and Bengt Ljundquist. As an FEI I judge, Lillian used her skills and knowledge to help keep competitive dressage on the same path as classical dressage.
Lillian is survived by her daughter Sarah Michael (Jack), her son Craig Zimmermann, (Karen) and grandchildren Amy Tarnoski (Matt) and Gary Michael.
Sue Hughes
November 2011
