USEF S Judge and L Program Faculty Member, Lisa Schmidt
The Schmidt Family L Education Program Fund provides financial assistance to participants of Part 2 of the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) L Education Program. Individuals may apply to attend Part 2 of the L Education Program which includes Session D1, Session D2, and the Final Exam.
Amount of Grant: $1,000 - $2,000
Application Deadline: February 20th
Applicant Requirements:
Applicants Must:
- Be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.
- Have completed Part 1 of USDF’s L Education Program.
- Provide a plan to complete Part 2 of USDF’s L Education Program and have future judging goals. Preference is given to those who have been accepted into Part 2 of the L Education Program, but others who plan to attend Part 2 are welcome to apply without formal acceptance from USDF.
Additional Grant Information:
- Program attendance funded by this grant can start no sooner than two months after the application deadline date.
- The recipients of these grants must use the funds within two years of the date of the award.
- Funding cannot be used for vet and/or farrier expenses, living expenses, or the purchase of a horse or equipment.
- Recipients are chosen by an independent selection committee comprised of dressage professionals who have had national and international success. The applications and discussions of the selection committee are confidential, and their decisions are final.
- The selection committee reserves the right to not award a grant in any given year if they determine that no candidate has met the criteria.
- If the grant recipient is unable to attend the program specified in their application, The Dressage Foundation must be notified as soon as possible. Approval for a change in the use of funds is at the discretion of The Dressage Foundation and the grant selection committee.
- This grant may only be received once.
- The Dressage Foundation feels strongly that this grant should be based on merit and need. If your financial situation permits you to pursue these goals without the help of TDF, we urge you to allow other riders who are not in that position to apply.
Reporting Information:
- For all recipients, 75% of the grant funds will be paid prior to the start of the recipient’s selected program; 25% will be paid after the applicant has completed the program and submitted a training and financial report to The Dressage Foundation.
- All grant recipients are required to provide educational and financial reports of their experience to The Dressage Foundation. The reports may be written, video, photo journal, or in other ways pre-approved by The Dressage Foundation. The report is due within two months following the end of the program.
- Throughout their attendance of the program, recipients are encouraged to share updates with The Dressage Foundation via email or tag The Dressage Foundation on social media.
History of the Schmidt Family L Education Program Fund
This Fund was established in 2025 by USEF S Dressage Judge Lisa Schmidt, through an estate gift from her late parents, Victoria and Ralph Schmidt. Lisa is a USEF S Judge, L Program Faculty Member, accomplished rider, instructor/trainer, and former United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Region 1 Director. The Schmidts chose to leave a gift to the Foundation in their estate in honor of Lisa’s love of dressage, devotion to the sport, and desire to help others become judges.
Lisa said, “As a USEF S Dressage Judge and a member of the L Program Committee, judging and judge training have been a passion in my life for many years. It is my dream that establishing the Schmidt Family Fund in honor of my parents, who encouraged my judge career, will help L Program candidates and further the grassroots of judge education.”
