2022 Captain Jack Fritz Fund Recipient: Erin Vensel

Last weekend I had the great privilege of participating in and completing the USDF Young Rider Graduate Program. I flew into Palm Beach all the way from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and met my roommate at the Embassy Suites (our host hotel) shortly after arriving. I am so grateful that the program coordinator paired us together for the weekend, because we immediately hit it off, and had a wonderful time sharing the weekend and learning together! On the first night, we had some free time so we took off to the Adequan Global Dressage Festival showgrounds and got to watch the first Friday Night Stars of the season! It was beyond amazing to watch Adrienne Lyle and Salvino perform their Grand Prix Freestyle in person, and of course, win the class!

Both Saturday and Sunday mornings started early around 7:30 am. We had a full lineup of presenters that are extremely knowledgeable and successful in their fields.  It was hard to pick just one thing from the abundance of information shared, so the following is a list of a few lines that resonated with me from just a few of the presenters:

Steve Schubert: Running the business side of a training barn

• Running and maintaining a business is a matter of balance!
• Clients put their trust in YOU!
• An in-depth explanation of the business structure, accounting, insurance, taxes, and more!

David Marcus, Owner, Marcus Fyffe Dressage: Transitioning from the business world to running your own dressage training facility

• Communication is of utmost importance- face-to-face conversations over text/email.
• Have good mentors to speak to you and your business.
• “The weeds weed themselves out” – this industry is already so hard, do not surround yourself with people that make it worse! It is important to enjoy your day-to-day.
• Do not attach your self-worth to the horses or the business.

Beth Baumert, The Dressage Foundation, President and CEO 

• Financial well-being is within the reach of everyone.
• Categorize expenditures and have a “bucket” to give to a cause greater than you.
• Common traits in grant recipients- focus and commitment to the sport and a well-written application.

Reese Koffler-Stanfield- Equestrian careers

• Say “yes” to every opportunity- you never know where it will take you!
• Apply for programs.
• Get certified where you can.
• Professionalism in relationships, specifically sponsorships.

Roz Kinstler- USDF Chair, Youth Programs Coordinator: Business ethics

• We all make mistakes – own them.
• Do not let anyone dictate your schedule, you are allowed to enjoy the job! Set hours.
• Continue your education.
• Respect all your clients no matter the level they ride
• Don’t take the business you don’t want- listen to and trust other professionals.

Pam Goodrich- Working students

• Work for someone you get along with.
• Don’t get taken advantage of.
• Even if a situation is not great, learn what not to do and grow from it. Learn from mistakes!
• Always focus on self-improvement.

Ali Brock- Olympian and FEI Coach and Trainer: Balancing personal life

• Everyone is on their own path- don’t feel like you are behind.
• How you treat people matters!
• Seize opportunities and take risks.
• We make plans and horses change them - be flexible.

Stephan Hienzsch, USDF Executive Director, and Anne Sushko, USDF Region 4 Director- Volunteerism

• USDF is a volunteer-driven organization.
• Volunteering is a way to pay it forward, and possibly open doors!
• Do your little bit of good right where you are.
• Share your passion and enjoy the journey.

I am so glad I bought a new notebook before the lectures because I have it almost completely full of notes just from this program! Not only am I grateful for such quality class sessions, but I am also so glad to have met the other young professionals in the program. We were even able to spend a little bit of time together outside of the classroom sessions. On Saturday night a group of us went to Wellington International to get dinner and watch the Grand Prix Showjumping which was a super cool experience. Having a newfound network of people that are in a similar position as me in this industry is such a blessing, and I am glad that in this internet age, we can stay connected and keep in touch. 

I am very thankful to the other participants and especially all the presenters for donating their time to show up and share their knowledge and wisdom with us! The education I received from the program is invaluable and has equipped me with many tools for my business and my horses going forward – as well as a lot to think about regarding my goals as a professional. Finally, I must mention and thank Sarah Delahanty for organizing and putting on such a fantastic 2023 program, as well as USDF and everyone else involved in making it possible!