Recent News

December 22, 2008

JAMES KOFORD WINS THE $25,000 ANNE L. BARLOW RAMSAY GRANT

Lendon Gray, President and CEO of The Dressage Foundation, has announced that James L. Koford, of Raleigh, North Carolina, has received the first "Anne L. Barlow Ramsay Annual Grant" in the amount of $25,000, for high performance training in Europe during the summer of 2009.  "The Selection Committee was impressed with Jim's credentials, commitment and his training plan to gain valuable international experience," said Gray.  "The Dressage Foundation is proud to provide him and his horse, Rhett, the funding to help showcase an American bred horse in the international arena," she said.

Dr. Anne Barlow Ramsay (FL) established a Charitable Remainder Unitrust in 1999, to provide an income stream to her horse and rider for a ten-year term.  She worked with John Boomer, then President and CEO of The Dressage Foundation.  "The remainder funds were designated to come to The Dressage Foundation in 2009," said Boomer, "and now her sizable fund will yield the $25,000 grant annually well out into future years."  "The purpose of Dr. Ramsay's Fund is to showcase talented American-bred horses ridden by United States citizens, by providing money to train and compete in Europe," Boomer added.   

"Koford and his Dutch Warmblood, Rhett, will be training with Conrad Schumacher in Germany during July and August of 2009, and competing at shows in Holland, Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic," said Lendon Gray.

"Dr. Ramsay is a Renaissance woman -- a wife, mother, medical doctor, business executive, volunteer, world-traveler and equestrienne," said John Boomer.  He added, "Dr. Ramsay is now establishing a second Charitable Remainder Unitrust, with the remainder funds again coming to The Dressage Foundation in 2019, to continue her schedule of $25,000 annual grants far out into the future years."  Boomer concluded, "Anne Ramsay's creative, distinctive gift is remarkable for its longevity -- it will be helping Dressage riders and American bred horses for a very long time to come."

Said James Koford: "WOW!"