Max E. Gahwyler Instructor Education Fund
Dr. Max E. Gahwyler, known as “Dr. Max,” was an early pioneer of dressage in the United States. He was a nationally and internationally recognized judge with a passion for dressage theory and was instrumental in bringing the best teaching and judging talent over from Europe. His desire to improve the quality of dressage instruction in the U.S. earned him a place in the USDF Hall of Fame. Dr. Max also proposed the idea of the Century Club to The Dressage Foundation in 1996 and became Team #2 with Prinz Eugen.
Dr. Max passed away at the age of 92 in 2016, and his beloved wife, Doris, passed away at the age of 94 in 2019. This Fund was established with a gift that Doris left in her Will for the Foundation. She asked that her gift be used to provide financial support for the continuing education of dressage instructors in memory of Max.
General Requirements:
- Applications are accepted from equestrian organizations, dressage clubs, owners of private facilities, etc. who are hosting educational events for dressage instructors.
- Applications must be received by The Dressage Foundation at least 75 days before the planned event.
- Grant funds should only be used to support the educational part of the program and should not be used to purchase food, goodie bags, vests/t-shirts, etc.
- Grants from the Max E. Gahwyler Instructor Education Fund may not be used for the organizer to make a profit and will only be provided to the break-even point for selected events. Excess income should be returned to The Dressage Foundation, to be put back into the Fund.
Grant Amount:
- The amount of the grants can vary depending on the need and request of the applicants but the maximum amount to be awarded is $1,000 per event.
- Organizers/groups can receive a grant only one time per calendar year.
Additional Information:
- If the grant recipient is unable to hold the program specified in the application, The Dressage Foundation must be notified as soon as possible. Approval for a change in the use of funds is at the discretion of The Dressage Foundation and the grant selection committee.
- An independent Selection Committee will review the applications and make selections based on published criteria and guidelines. The committee reserves the right to not award a grant in any given year if they determine that no application has met the criteria. The applications and discussions of the selection committee are confidential, and their decisions are final.
- For educational events that are selected to receive a grant, 75% of the grant will be sent one month prior to the event, with the final 25% sent after an evaluation form and final budget is received by TDF.
- Not all events that apply for funding are guaranteed to receive a grant.
The application link is found in the right-hand sidebar (desktop computers) or by scrolling down (mobile).
"Dr. Max" and Prinz Eugen
