The U.S. Equestrian Federation and its High Performance Dressage Committee have awarded training grants to six participants of the 2014 USEF Developing Dressage Program. The grants have been made possible by a generous gift from Akiko Yamazaki and Red Husky Foundation through the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation and donations from the USET Dressage Solid Gold “Prancing with the Stars” fundraiser. These grant recipients were chosen following review of their performances in 2014 observation and training sessions, and after a review of their training and competitions plans for 2014 and 2015.

USEF Developing Coach Debbie McDonald, and USEF Developing coach advisors, Robert Dover, Scott Hassler and Jeremy Steinberg, have selected the following six combinations to receive training grants (in alphabetical order):

Christopher Hickey (Colora, Md.) on Cecelia Stewart’s Ronaldo. Ronaldo is an 8-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding.

Olivia LaGoy-Weltz (Reston, Va.) on her own Rassing’s Lonoir. Rassing’s Lonoir is a 10-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding.

Ari Lopez (Pleasant Hill, Calif.) on her own Corlander II. Corlander II is a 13-year-old Rheinlander gelding.

Jamie Pestana (Livermore, Calif.) on her own Winzalot. Winzalot is a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding.

Mackinzie Pooley  (Coto de Caza, Calif.) on Leslie Pooley’s Partous. Partous is a 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.

Sabine Schut-Kery (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and Alice Womble’s Sanceo. Sanceo is an 8-year-old Hanoverian stallion.

The 2014 USEF Developing Dressage Program would also like recognize the following participants who demonstrate great potential for the future of dressage in the United States;

Elizabeth Ball (Cardiff, Calif.) and Cadence LLC’s Avanti and Caravaggio.

Endel Ots (Wellington, Fla.) and Everglades Dressage LLC’s Donatus

Katie Riley (White House Station, N.J.) on her own Zanzibar 

Mette Rosencrantz (Topanga, Calif.) on Anne Solbraekke’s De Noir 3

Tanya Vik (Sonoma, Calif.) on her own Holy Wonder

Holger Bechtloff (Wellington, Fla.) on Peggy Mills Clapton JP and Nongae Johnson’s Dutch Diva

To learn more about the USEF High Performance Dressage program visit the USEF website.