The Dressage Foundation (TDF) is proud to announce the 11 recipients of grants from its Carol Lavell Gifted Memorial Fund for Adult Amateurs. Each will receive a grant of up to $1,500 to enable them to set aside quality time in concentrated training with their horses.
The following Adult Amateurs were chosen as recipients from their respective USDF Regions:
Region 1: Molly Bull (VA, VADA-Charlottesville): Molly is an eventer who rode through the 5* level before transitioning to dressage. She will use the grant funds to spend a week with Bill Warren in Florida. Her goal is to work on moving up to Third Level.
Photo by Susan J Stickle
Region 2: Dianna Harmon (KY, Kentucky Dressage Association): Dianna has primarily been an eventer, but two years ago pivoted to dressage full-time. Dianna will spend a week training with Jeremy Steinberg and will incorporate yoga into her daily training. She will be working on Third Level movements in the hopes of moving up to that level next year
Photo by Winslow Photography
Region 2: Deanna Hertrich-Nelson: (WI, Illinois Dressage and Combined Training Association): Deanna is another eventer turned dressage rider! She will use her grant funding to train with Heather McCarthy for guidance on flying changes. This grant will give her consistent training that she has never had.
Photo by Jackie Moran
Region 4: Jen Lowe (SD, South Dakota Dressage Association): Jen is the founder of the South Dakota Dressage Association and will use the grant funding to train with Shari Wolke Masi. Jen founded SDDA to bring more awareness to dressage to her area, including welcoming local Western riders. Her goal with the grant funding will be to work on basics, including rhythm, suppleness, and straightness.
Region 5: Ashley Adams (UT, Utah Dressage Society): Ashley is a veteran and mom and has been riding dressage for ten years. With her grant funding, Ashley will spend a week of immersive training and observation with David Wightman and Kathleen Raine.
Photo by Dust Covered Cowgirl
Region 5: Katherine Lorens (UT, Utah Dressage Society): Katherine is "back in the saddle" after health problems. She is currently showing at First Level, and her next goal is to get her USDF bronze medal. She plans to spend a week with Justin Giles, immersed in training and observation of the three trainers at his facility. She hopes to improve her confidence and the bond with her horse.
Photo by Becca Tolman with Impulsion Images
Region 5: Sarah Woltman (WY, Heart Mountain Dressage Club): After years of breeding horses, running an outfitting business and more recently being a show mom to her daughter, Sarah is making time for her own riding. She will spend an intensive week training her five-year-old mare with Kirsi Hussa. Her goals are softness and suppleness at the canter.
Region 6: Julie Throckmorton (WA, Lower Puget Sound Dressage Club): Julie will spend five days training with Jill Seely and then two days of training with Kari McClain on her young horse. Jill will observe Julie’s lessons with Kari, so they can both take back what they learn to their regular lessons. Julie's goal is to move from Training Level to First Level, picking up where she left off with her non-traditional dressage horse, her Pinto mare, Emma.
Region 7: Stacie Rice (CA, California Dressage Society - San Luis Obispo Chapter): Stacie didn't start riding dressage until she became an empty nester five years ago. Since then, she has dedicated herself to the sport and is preparing to move up to Third Level. She will use her grant funding to spend a week with Amelia Newcomb.
Photo by AJSK Photography
Region 7: Taylor Saunders (CA, California Dressage Society): Taylor is a high school teacher who has been riding dressage for 16 years. She is currently bringing along her five-year-old mare and hopes to compete in First Level next year. With her grant funding, she plans to take lessons with Mary Wanless and attend her Rider Biomechanics Workshop.
Region 9: Yevette Harrell (LA, Tri-State Dressage Society): Yevette has been riding dressage for 20 years and recently earned her USDF bronze medal. Yevette plans to use her grant funding to train with John Mason. Yevette is currently training her young horse and believes a week with John will give her and her horse an excellent foundation.
Photo by Caitlin Demura Photography
The Gifted Memorial Fund for Adult Amateurs was seeded with donations in remembrance of Carol Lavell’s great dressage horse, Gifted. The Fund’s purpose is for adult amateurs to set aside quality, concentrated time away from daily pressures to train and bond with their horses. The best applications include a training program of five to seven consecutive days with one trainer. Volunteerism is also an important requirement for this grant. Applications are due September 15.
For more information about The Dressage Foundation and the Gifted Fund Grants for Adult Amateurs, visit www.dressagefoundation.org or contact Sara Weiss, TDF’s Director of Grants and Programs, 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 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.
