The Dressage Foundation (TDF) is pleased to announce this year’s grant recipients from its United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Region 4 FEI Adult Excellence Fund. The two recipients are Katie Cumberford (MO) and Jami Kment (NE).
This fund was established by Ruth Rensink (MN), an adult amateur rider who has been a lifelong resident of USDF Region 4. She established these grants with the goal of elevating dressage in the Region by supporting adult riders in qualifying for and competing at a CDI or national championship at an FEI level.
Katie Cumberford is a USDF bronze, silver, and gold medalist. She will use the $6,000 grant to train toward her goal of competing at the 2026 U.S. Dressage Finals with her mare, Schnell’s Alley Cat. They have competed together through Intermediate II, and Katie is looking forward to continuing their journey toward the Grand Prix level with the help of her trainers Caroline Roffman, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, and Emily Miles.
Katie said, “Receiving this grant is an incredible blessing, far more than financial support—it is an investment in a dream that has taken years of dedication, sacrifice, and perseverance. This opportunity will give me access to a level of training, coaching, and competition that I would not have been able to pursue otherwise and will allow me to step confidently into the next level of my dressage career with the guidance and experience needed to be successful. Your generosity removes barriers that often prevent talented athletes from reaching their potential and allows me to focus on developing to the highest standard possible. I am committed to making the most of this opportunity.”
Jami Kment is a USDF bronze, silver, and gold medalist. She will use the $8,000 grant to train toward her goal of qualifying and competing at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions in 2027 with her horse, MW Valeroso. They are currently competing at Fourth Level, and Jami plans to spend the winter training with Sabine Schut-Kery to prepare for the Developing Prix St. Georges division next year.
Photo by The Framed Equestrian
Jami said, "I am feeling incredibly excited, grateful, and honored to receive a grant from TDF’s Region 4 FEI Adult Excellence Fund! This grant will support an amazing opportunity for my horse and me to continue training with Sabine Schut-Kery this winter as we work toward qualifying for the Developing Prix St. Georges at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions in 2027. I’m so thankful to everyone who has been part of this journey, and I can’t wait to see where this next chapter takes us!”
For more information about applying for a grant from the Region 4 FEI Adult Excellence Fund, contact Sara Weiss, TDF’s Director of Grants and Programs, at (402) 434-8585 or sara@dressagefoundation.org.
To donate to this Fund, visit www.dressagefoundation.org or contact Jenny Johnson, TDF’s Executive Director, at (402) 434-8585 or jenny@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.
