The Dressage Foundation has announced that a total of $10,000 has been awarded to U.S. dressage instructors through the Major Anders Lindgren Scholarship program, funded through The Dressage Foundation’s Carol Lavell Gifted Memorial Fund. The Lindgren Scholarships provide financial support that enables dressage instructors to train in a concentrated amount of time in order to improve teaching, riding, and training skills. This year, the Selection Committee chose the following recipients:

Katie Poag (Johns Island, SC) was awarded the $6,000 Lindgren Scholarship. Katie is an “L” Graduate with distinction, and has earned her USDF Bronze, Silver, Gold and Bronze Freestyle Bar Medalist. She plans to use the funds to train with Michael Poulin, while she pursues Instructor Certification through 4th Level and the “r” judging program. (Photo credit to WNC Photography)

Karen Lee (Boyceville, WI) is the recipient of a $2,000 Lindgren Scholarship. She has earned her USDF Bronze and Silver Medals, Bronze Freestyle Bar Medal and is an “L” Graduate with distinction from the USDF “L” Program. Karen will use the funds to train with Amanda Johnson.

USDF Region 8 NEDA member, Meghan Hamilton (Dartmouth, MA), was also awarded a $2,000 Scholarship. She has been instructing for 10 years and operates Meghan Hamilton Dressage out of her training facility Sleepy Hollow Farm, and is also an active competitor. Meghan will use the scholarship to train two of her horses with Heather Blitz in early 2015.

Since 1996, The Dressage Foundation has offered annual instructor scholarships in Major Anders Lindgren's name. Major Lindgren was an accomplished dressage rider, having won the 1971 Swedish Dressage Championship and ridden on the Swedish Olympic Team in 1972. He also won the Scandinavian Eventing Championship in 1959. Lindgren's contribution to American dressage was large, as he was solidly committed to the education of U.S. dressage instructors. Over a ten-year period, almost 1,000 participating instructors learned from his systematic, structural approach to teaching dressage at the USDF/Violet Hopkins National Seminars for Dressage Instructors, and then at the National Symposium. Major Lindgren passed away in 2010, at the age of 85. The Dressage Foundation is proud to offer these important scholarships in his honor.