The Dressage Foundation (TDF) is pleased to announce that Jaclyn Pepper-Millard (CA) and Limited Edition (aka Ellie) are the 2026 recipients of the $25,000 Debbie McDonald Fund for FEI Riders grant. The Debbie McDonald Fund provides funding for high-level training to horse and rider pairs who are training at Prix St. Georges or higher, who show potential to succeed at FEI Levels, and who may not otherwise have the opportunity for the training.
Photo by Andrew Ryback
Jaclyn Pepper-Millard is a USDF bronze, silver, and gold medalist with distinction, as well as a volunteer member of the California Dressage Society Executive Board. She plans to use the grant funding to spend the 2027 winter season in Florida, training with Anne Gribbons and competing in Grand Prix CDI competitions. Her ultimate goal is to qualify for the 2027 FEI Dressage World Cup Finals with Ellie, her self-trained 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, who was bred in the U.S. by Gwen Blake.
Jaclyn said, “Thank you will truly never be enough. Receiving this grant is a life-changing experience, as the financial help that this will give us allows me to chase my childhood dreams. Ellie and I are so excited to be heading to Florida for the winter season! To have an extensive training period with Anne Gribbons is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as well as to pursue competing in the CDI circuit in Florida.”
The Debbie McDonald Fund previously provided $10,000 grants to Pacific Northwest FEI Riders. Thanks to the generosity of Pamela S. Jones and the Jones Family Foundation—Malama Honua, the Fund expanded to be a nationwide grant and increased in amount in 2023.
TDF welcomes additional donations to the Debbie McDonald Fund for FEI Riders. Gifts can be made at www.dressagefoundation.org or by calling Jenny Johnson, TDF’s Executive Director, at (402) 434-8585. Donations by check can be mailed to TDF’s office at 1314 ‘O’ Street, Suite 305, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68508.
The grant guidelines and application for the Debbie McDonald Fund for FEI Riders can be found on The Dressage Foundation’s website at www.dressagefoundation.org. The application deadline is June 15th of each year.
For more information, call The Dressage Foundation at (402) 434-8585 or email info@dressagefoundation.org.
About 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 and scholarships to dressage riders, judges, instructors, breeders, high performance teams, and nonprofit equestrian organizations. For more information, please visit www.dressagefoundation.org.
