The Dressage Foundation (TDF) is pleased to announce two recipients for its $25,000 Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize: Hannah Bressler Jaques and Genay Vaughn. The Prize provides financial assistance for coaching and training to talented, committed, proven horse and rider combinations with the ability and plans to reach and excel at the elite, international standards of high-performance dressage. Since 2009, the Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize Fund has awarded 26 grants totaling $650,000 in support of U.S. high-performance teams.
Hannah Bressler Jaques (FL) will use the grant funding to train further with her own 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood, Jim. Hannah has owned Jim since he was four and will train with Olympian Ali Brock and Antonio Jose Diaz Porras. In 2024, Hannah and Jim were the reserve champions in the Developing Grand Prix at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions. In February, the pair won a Lövsta Future Challenge Qualifier in Wellington.
Photo by Susan J Stickle
Hannah said, “Receiving The Dressage Foundation’s $25,000 Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize is an incredible honor and a pivotal opportunity for Jim and me. I love this horse so much and have brought him along from a challenging youngster to a true partner and competitor. I’m excited for the guidance to help us reach the highest level while keeping Jim happy and staying true to his playful nature.
“I’m deeply grateful for The Dressage Foundation’s belief in our potential and for the recognition of Jim’s exceptional talent as an international-caliber horse. This grant makes it possible for us to deepen our partnership and continue developing toward the elite level.”
Genay Vaughn (CA) plans to use the grant funding to train with Kathleen Raine and Wolfram Wittig with the goal of qualifying for the 2026 FEI Dressage World Cup Finals and the FEI World Equestrian Games. Genay is partnered with Gino, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood, owned by Genay’s mother, Michele Vaughn. In early 2025, Genay and Gino qualified and competed in the FEI Dressage World Cup Final in Switzerland, finishing 14th overall.
Photo by Shannon Brinkman
Genay said, “I would like to extend my deepest thanks to The Dressage Foundation for your generous support and unwavering belief in riders across the United States. Your commitment to advancing the sport of dressage and empowering athletes plays a vital role in our development and success.
“The opportunities made possible through your grants and funding are truly transformative. Your support helps bridge the gap between ambition and achievement, allowing us to take critical steps forward in our careers that might not otherwise be possible.
“Receiving this grant is a profound honor, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to carry forward Carol Lavell’s legacy and make her and her family proud by embodying the dedication, passion, and excellence she brought to the sport of dressage.”
Carol Lavell achieved excellence in all phases of dressage – as an Olympian, rider, competitor, trainer, teacher, and judge. She knew firsthand the work, sacrifice, and struggle necessary to make it to the top of the dressage world. Through the creation of the Carol Lavell Fund which includes the $25,000 Advanced Dressage Prize and the newly created $15,000 Developing Dressage Prize, she wanted to help other deserving riders who aspire to climb this high-performance mountain.
Information about The Dressage Foundation and the Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize can be found at www.dressagefoundation.org. The Prize application deadline is August 31st of each year. For more information on applying, please contact TDF’s Director of Grants and Programs, Sara Weiss, at (402) 434-8585 or sara@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 call (402) 434-8585 or visit www.dressagefoundation.org.
