The Gifted Fund

Guy Vaughn

USDF Region 5

Report

When my wife said to me last year: “Why don’t you apply for the Gifted Scholarship awarded by the Dressage

Foundation”, I looked at her in disbelieve and answered: “ But Honey, I am far from being a “gifted” rider”. She laughed and explained the wonderful program I was able to benefit from this year.
I choose to use the grant to work extensively with my favorite clinician Sandy Rosenbrock from Victoria/Australia. Since a few years riders in Arizona have the great opportunity to work with her on her annual visits to the Tucson area. This fall Sandy committed to two 4-day clinics in October and thanks to the generosity of the Dressage Foundation I was able to ride with her every day.

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I was qualified for the AZ State Championships and for the Regional Championships at 3rd level, both held in October as well. For the next show season I want to move up to 4th and get (at least at home) my feet wet for the tempi-changes. To say it upfront – mission accomplished.

Sandy Rosenbrock not only is a FEI rider herself, a judge and international riding instructor, she is foremost an educator by profession. Her teaching skills are extraordinary. With great knowledge, experience and enough humor to make it fun, she guided me and my equine partner Leon through challenges I thought I would never get right. Probably my biggest problem is that my (I have to admit) over 60 years old body is sabotaging me quite frequently. Sitting every day, for many hours, year in year out, bend over my dental laboratory’s workbench took a toll on my shoulders. It became a difficult task to sit up right and straight on my horse and we all know only proper equitation can result in proper performance of a horse. Sandy had me riding freely forward with and without stirrups in all three gaits, forced me to roll my shoulders back, keep the head up, my hands quiet and low and my legs in position at all times. The result was remarkable. Leon, who is rather more of a lazy horse, engaged much better from behind and became more supple over the top line with a rounder connection. Hello, all the sudden I could sit the extended trot! After we established correct forwardness Sandy started to work on collection with a million transitions. An up-hill canter in self-carriage is the necessary platform for expressive flying changes. Straightness is the next crucial point, often overseen by many amateurs anxious to get to the tempi changes. Lots of quarter and center lines with first simple changes from true to counter canter and back, than one flying change at a time and finally three 4-tempi changes on the diagonal. What a great moment it was when Leon and I came straight as an arrow across the diagonal with three changes of the correct count of four. I was ready to jump of my horses right there to give Sandy a big hug.

I might be not gifted, but I love Dressage! I love my horse and I love to be challenged on a daily basis. It is not so much a sport for me – I rather call it a lifetime passion.
Thank you Dressage Foundation for giving me this wonderful opportunity to go with the Gifted Grand beyond my common routine.

Gratefully,
Guy R. Vaughn

Gifted Fund Application

Applications for the 2012 Carol Lavell Gifted Fund, for training in 2013 are due in The Dressage Foundation office on or before September 15, 2012.
Application

Information - Read before completing application!