The Dressage Foundation Awards Five Grants from its Lynn Palm Western Dressage Fund
September 15, 2023 – The Dressage Foundation (TDF) is pleased to announce that five grants for Western dressage riders have been awarded from TDF’s Lynn Palm Western Dressage Fund. This Fund was established by Lynn in 2019 to initially provide grants for Western dressage educational events and was expanded in 2021 to also provide $1,000 grants to riders for their Western dressage education.
The 2023 Lynn Palm Western Dressage Fund Grant recipients are:
Adult Amateurs:
Valerie Poulter (TX): Valerie has been riding Western dressage for seven years. Her goals are to obtain a bronze medal and to join TDF’s Century Club. She is planning on using her funding to attend a clinic with Kristen Whittaker and Katie Behner, and for lessons with Alison MacDonald. Valerie, a retired oncology nurse, said she is “chasing the dream” to excel in Western dressage.
Jody Ruth (VA): Jody is a former hunter/jumper who discovered a love of dressage while training her jumping horses. After her last hunter passed away, she became involved with AQHA and began competing in ranch riding classes. Western dressage is a part of ranch riding, and Jody was immediately drawn to it. Jody plans to use her grant funding to take virtual and in-person lessons with Lynn Palm.
Pamela Santucci (PA): Pamela began riding in 2000 at the age of 44 and is a behavioral specialist at an equine assisted learning facility. She is mostly self-taught but has devoted many years to attending clinics, reading, and now doing virtual lessons. She is also the co-founder of the Pennsylvania Western Dressage Association. Pamela plans to use her grant funding to train in person with Jennifer Sharpnack.
Kimberly Wahl (MI): Kimberly has been riding Western dressage since 2017 when she was introduced to the discipline at a local show. She has a history of volunteerism and promoting Western dressage in her local community. Kimberly plans to train her Paint mare with Lynn Palm in Florida.
Professional:
Delia MacDonald (MA): Delia began riding Western dressage to improve her riding as a hunt seat and Western speed event rider. Delia will use her grant funding to take part in a Biomechanics Clinician Certification through the Daniel Stewart Pressure Proof Academy. Her goal is to complete this training to learn a better understanding of a rider’s position to better train her students.
Lynn Palm shared, “It has been such an honor for me to be part of The Dressage Foundation alongside talented people on the Grant Committee. It was rewarding to see the number of applications from professional, amateur, and junior riders this year. It is humbling to know that the Foundation can help them on their Western Dressage journeys. This is growing the sport! Many thanks to all who are involved.”
Grants from the Lynn Palm Fund will continue to be available for Western dressage clinics, camps, and symposia. Those applications are due at least 90 days prior to the event. Applications for the Lynn Palm Western Dressage Fund for Individuals are due July 20.
Visit www.dressagefoundation.org for more information and to find the online application forms. Contact Sara Weiss, Director of Grants and Programs, at (402) 434-8585 or sara@dressagefoundation.org with any questions.
Donations to the Fund are welcome and can be made online or by calling Jenny Johnson, Executive Director, at (402) 434-8585 or jenny@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.
About Lynn Palm
Palm’s career highlights include 2007 American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Horsewoman of the Year, a record four AQHA Superhorse wins, AQHA Female Equestrian of the Year by the Women’s Athletic Association, named one of the top United States clinicians by Horse & Rider magazine, over 34 AQHA World and Reserve World Champions, 14 WDAA World and Reserve World Championships and over 50 bridleless dressage exhibitions at events including the National Horse Show, 1989 World Cup and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and World Cup. Palm is co-founder of three horse industry companies: Palm Equestrian Academy, Women LUV Horses, and Winning Ways with Western Dressage. Palm is the author of The Rider’s Guide to Real Collection, Your Complete Guide to Western Dressage and Finding Your Superhorse.
