I am posting the whole letter on the FEI jr/yr support fund from The Dressage Foundation since I have had some problems posting files lately (it's my laptop and wireless while I am on the road, not the files themselves).  Currently we only have 4 riders declared to qualify for Region 4 this year, two Juniors (Hans Baertsch, MN and Amy Hacker, MO) and two Young Riders (Mimi Stanley, ND, and Krissy Wang, NE).  In 2007, we had 19 riders declare for Region 4 and did field two full teams of 4 riders each.  While the lowest cost ($50) declaration deadline (March 1) has come and gone, applications are accepted through March 15 with an additional $150 processing fee.  Contact USDF for more details (jryoungrider@...).

 

Sarah

 

TO:                        United States Dressage Federation

·        Regional Directors

·        Youth Council Members

·        FEI Jr/YR Council Members

 

FROM:            John F. Boomer

 

SUBJECT:       Renee Isler Dressage Support Fund

                        New Scholarship Help

                        from The Dressage Foundation

 

DATE:             February 26, 2008

 

I understand that Sharon Vander Ziel has recently been in touch with those of you who work with the USDF FEI Jr/YR Clinics, about new scholarship help that is available for YR applicants whose families have financial need.  Sharon has asked me to write you this memorandum, to let you know what this new Fund is, who it will help and how it will work. 

 

Renee Isler (MA) has established the Renee Isler Dressage Support Fund, at The Dressage Foundation.  One purpose is to help Young Rider applicants to the USDF FEI Jr/YR Clinic Series, who are in need of a financial boost in order to attend, if qualified and accepted.  USDF has requested grants for this purpose in the amount of $800 each, and Renee has authorized her Fund to award up to nine grants at $800, one for each of the nine USDF Regions, or a total of $7200 in annual funding.   This is how the program will work, effective immediately:

 

USDF's Responsibilities:

• Spot and identify these candidates
• The YR would apply to USDF for the clinic in the normal way, using USDF's application form
• USDF would accept or reject the candidate based on merit, and your usual qualifications and requirements
• If the YR is from a family of financial need, as identified by USDF spotters, program volunteers, trainers, then USDF would send a copy of your completed application to The Dressage Foundation, telling us that this is a candidate for the $800 grant from the Renee Isler Dressage Support Fund.

 

The Dressage Foundation will:

• Contact the candidate, and request that their family submit certain specified financial information. 
• The Foundation will make a prompt decision, and will notify USDF with a yes or no. 
• The Foundation will send the $800 check to the accepted candidate. 

            

The Dressage Foundation is proud, and thankful to Renee for putting these funds in place for such a good cause.  Most of the participants in the USDF FEI Jr/YR clinics will not need, nor would they be eligible for, this financial help.  We have envisioned this scholarship assistance as being available, and working quietly to help those applicants who really need this extra financial boost.  You, as the spotters and identifiers of the appropriate candidates, are the ones who will really make this program work in the right way. 

 

If you have questions for USDF, or the Foundation, please contact Sharon Vander Ziel or me.  Thanks!

 

P.S. The Dressage Foundation is providing again in 2008, a $25,000 grant to support the

USDF FEI Jr/YR Clinic Series. This is the sixth year in which we have given this support, making a total  Foundation investment of $150,000 to-date in this good USDF Program.