The Dressage Foundation (TDF) has announced that a total of $12,000 has been awarded to U.S. dressage instructors through the Major Anders Lindgren Grant program, funded through the Carol Lavell Gifted Memorial Fund. Major Lindgren Grants provide financial support that enables dressage instructors to receive continuing education that will improve their teaching, riding, and training skills. Each recipient will receive a $4,000 grant.
Carol Cunefare (CO): Carol is a USDF Certified Instructor Training Level through Second Level. She has been training for over 25 years and has a variety of students ranging from Intro to Fourth Level. She plans on using this grant to fulfill a dream of training in Florida and will work with Sarah Martin for six weeks.
Carol said, “I am bursting with excitement and truly honored to have the support of TDF! This will allow me to travel to Florida next winter from my beautiful remote town of Durango, Colorado, for some intensive training with my up-and-coming youngster. Thank you to all those that support TDF and the committee for awarding me the Major Anders Lindgren Instructor Grant.”
Photo by Liz Glanz
Jane Fucinaro (NE): Jane is a USDF Certified Instructor Training through Second Level. She began her teaching and training business in 2011 and recently purchased her own facility. She works with a variety of students from beginners up to Third Level. Jane plans to use the grant funding to spend four weeks during the winter season in Florida and two weeks in August in Colorado training with Sarah Martin.
Jane said, “I am truly honored to be a grant recipient of TDF’s Major Lindgren Instructor Fund. The high-level training and competition experience I will gain in Florida and Colorado will undoubtedly push my riding and training skills out of my comfort zone and into the field of intensive learning. This will not only allow me to pursue higher degrees of Instructor Certification through USDF, continuing Major Lindgren's vision for instructor education, but it will also provide me a great experience to bring home to my horses and students. Being able to step into the FEI ring under the critical eyes of Sarah and Clayton Martin with a capable horse is a dream come true, and I cannot be more grateful for the opportunity this grant has afforded me.”
Emma Smith (MN): Emma is a USDF Certified Instructor at Training and First Level. She has been a dressage professional for five years and has students training through Fourth Level. In 2021, Emma and her horse, Stedemann, qualified for the Brentina Cup at the Festival of Champions. Emma plans to use her grant funding to spend the winter in Wellington training with Olivia LaGoy-Weltz.
Emma said, “I am so grateful to be a recipient of the Major Lindgren Instructor Grant. The grant will make it financially possible for me to travel to Florida this winter to work for and train with Olivia LaGoy-Weltz. The training and experience I will receive in Florida will be invaluable as I work towards my first Grand Prix with my Dressage4Kids donation horse, Stedemann, and continue to work to improve myself as an instructor for my client base at home in Minnesota. Thank you so much to TDF and all the donors who have made this possible. I am so excited for this opportunity!”
Photo by Susan J Stickle
Since 1996, The Dressage Foundation has offered annual instructor grants 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.
Applications for the Lindgren Grants are due by September 30th of each year. For more information, please contact Sara Weiss, TDF’s Director of Grants and Programs, at (402) 434-8585 or visit www.dressagefoundation.org.
The Dressage Foundation
The Dressage Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, tax-exempt, donor-driven organization that is dedicated to educating, supporting, and advancing the sport of dressage. The organization solicits contributions, appropriately allocates the donations, and awards grants to dressage riders, judges, instructors, breeders, high-performance teams, nonprofit equestrian organizations, and more. For more information, please visit www.dressagefoundation.org.
