The Dressage Foundation (TDF) is pleased to announce seven grants have been awarded from its Cynthia Aspden Youth and Young Adult Development Fund. The Cynthia Aspden Fund provides $1,000 grants to youth and young adult riders (age 25 and under) to aid in their development in dressage. The grant selection committee was impressed with the quality of the applicants, including their volunteerism and training plans.
The 2024 recipients are as follows:
Abbigayle Bove (MN): Abbigayle will use her grant funding to take part in Dressage4Kid's Winter Intensive Training program. Abbie said, “I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this incredible opportunity and honored to carry forward Cynthia Aspden's inspiring legacy. Thank you for believing in me and supporting my aspirations.”
Peyton Burch (IA): Peyton will use her grant funding to spend a week training with Heather Roller. Peyton said, “I am so excited for this opportunity! I cannot believe I was chosen for such an amazing experience. Thank you!”
Grace Davis (CO): Grace will use her grant funding to have intensive two-day training sessions with Sue Martin for several weeks. Grace said, “Being chosen as a recipient of TDF’s Cynthia Aspden Youth and Young Adult Development Fund is a transformative blessing. I am beyond grateful and feel immensely hopeful knowing that I have not only the financial support but also the encouragement of an organization like TDF as I move forward in my riding journey.”
Katherine Mentrak (MD): Katherine will use the grant funding to take lessons with Ellie Rawle on Ellie’s schoolmaster to become better prepared for riding her new young horse. Katherine said, “I am very thankful for this opportunity, that otherwise I wouldn’t get, to continue to learn how to be a better rider for my horses now and in the future.”
Nellie Patsch (CA): Nellie’s training plan for the grant funding is to take monthly lessons with Hilda Gurney. Nellie said, “I am beyond grateful for being chosen to receive this grant. As a passionate dressage rider, I cannot wait to further my training by taking more lessons with the amazing Hilda Gurney.”
Cordelia Valle (CA): Cordelia plans to use her grant funding for a month of intensive training with Genay Vaughn. Cordelia said, “Words cannot express how deeply grateful I am to be chosen for this grant! Thank you to all the donors who are helping bring the dressage dreams of youth riders, like me, to fruition.”
Photo by Mane Frames Equine Imagery
Iris Woltman (WY): Iris will use her funding for two weeks of intensive training with Kirsi Hussa. Iris said, “Thank you so much for selecting me as a recipient of the Cynthia Aspden Fund grant. I am looking forward to the training plan I have set up to use this funding! My mare, Killarney, and I are excited to further our dressage knowledge with the help of The Dressage Foundation.”
Photo by Sarah Woltman
Cynthia Aspden was known as the “go-to-woman” throughout her dressage community, giving freely of her time and experience to whoever needed it. Before Cynthia passed away in 2011, she made it clear that her estate gift was to be used to help youth riders in dressage. She felt that this group of riders needed to become horsemen, not just riders, as their foundation is critical for the growth of the sport.
The Cynthia Aspden Fund grant application is available on TDF’s website with a deadline of September 1st. For more information about this Fund, visit www.dressagefoundation.org or contact Sara Weiss, Director of Grants and Programs, at (402)434-8585 or sara@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 and scholarships to dressage riders, judges, instructors, breeders, high performance teams, and nonprofit equestrian organizations. For more information, please visit www.dressagefoundation.org.
