Fri Mar 27, 2009 8:42 am (PDT)
As the 2008 Region 4 recipient of the Dressage Foundation's Gifted Fund scholarship, I wanted to take a few minutes to remind all the adult amateur riders about this opportunity and the September deadline.
Will you please send this on to your newsletter editors too?
The Dressage Foundation has multiple programs, one of these is the Gifted Fund Scholarship, which now gives the recipient $900. Full details are online at
http://www.dressagefoundation.org/Help_For_Adult_Amatuers.htm
The scholarship is described on the site as "The Carol Lavell Gifted Fund:
Seeded with Donations received in special remembrance of Carol's great Dressage horse Gifted. Many other friends of The Dressage Foundation have added Donations and the Scholarship Fund has grown steadily over the years. This Scholarship enables Adult Amateurs to set aside quality-time, in concentrated training away from the daily pressures of job and family, with a horse the recipient owns."
The scholarship information states, "We look for riders who want to work on their riding in a situation that is normally unavailable to them because of their other obligations. We encourage the rider to work with a trainer with which they have a working history."
Many of us take regular lessons, but to me, five to seven days away with my horse, focusing only on my riding, had not happened since early in college! The Gifted Scholarship gave me the opportunity to pack up & haul to my regular instructor for 5 days, something I could not do without the extra funds the scholarship provided. I rode a lesson every day on my own horse, and a second lesson to focus on my seat and basic position to continue to advance up the levels. We made memories that week that will always be with me, and the impact of that week is something I have reflected on often, both in my riding, and in establishing a stronger partnership with my horse.
With the grant application deadline still several months away, now is the time to begin your planning and application, and request the letters of recommendation!