It is with heavy hearts that we share the loss of, Maureen Van Tuyl, who passed away on December 24, 2025. To so many in the horse community, Maureen wasn’t just a volunteer or official — she was someone whose life was shaped by, and devoted to, horses and the people who love them. Our thoughts are with her family and all who were lucky enough to call her a friend.

Deep Change

Maureen often said that when she first discovered dressage in the mid-1970s, she had no idea how deeply it would change her life. That first spark came in 1976 at a demonstration by Hilda Gurney and Keen at the Watsonville Fairgrounds. She later wrote that she was “simply enthralled,” and from that moment on, horses and dressage became part of who she was.

From those early days, Maureen threw herself into learning everything she could — joining the San Francisco Peninsula Chapter of the California Dressage Society, helping with shows, serving on boards, and eventually taking on leadership roles that helped shape CDS for years to come. But no matter how impressive her titles were, what people remember most is how she showed up, how she helped, and how deeply she cared about the sport and its community.

Maureen’s World

Horses were always at the center of Maureen’s world. She rode many beloved partners over the years — Prince, Gracie, Mark, Pie, and Sport — and whether she was teaching lessons, judging, or serving as a technical delegate, her focus was always on doing right by the horse. Later in life, she found special joy in working at shows that celebrated para-equestrian athletes, where her kindness and encouragement meant so much to so many.

Maureen also had a true gift for bringing people together across borders. A passionate traveler and fluent in both French and English, she spent many summers scribing for international judges in Europe, at the Olympics, and at World Equestrian Games. She loved sharing stories of her travels and her “foreign horse friends” in the CDS newsletter, connecting riders at home with the wider dressage world she so adored.

Even beyond the barn, you could see Maureen’s love for animals everywhere — in the antique horse and dog treasures she collected, in the clothes she wore, and in the stories she loved to tell. While her husband Bob and daughters always came first in her heart, horses were never far behind. When asked what CDS had meant to her, she once said it became her life, changing who she was and what she did, and teaching her more than she ever expected.

Legacy Lives On

Maureen will be deeply missed — not just for all she gave to our organizations, but for the warmth, dedication, and genuine love of horses that she shared so freely. Her legacy lives on in the countless riders, volunteers, and friends whose lives were touched by her kindness and her passion for the horse.

Maureen leaves behind her husband Robert, her daughters Gretchen (Jeff Larese) and Kirsten (Linda Lingelbach), her grandchildren Juliann and Justin, her brothers Gary and Dennis, and her Standard Poodles Marti and Billy. She will be missed dearly.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the United States Dressage Federation, the United States Para-Equestrian Organization, or the NorCal Poodle Rescue in honor of Maureen’s passion:

United States Dressage Federation
United States Para-Equestrian Organization
NorCal Poodle Rescue