The Gifted Fund was originally seeded with Donations from Carol Lavell, which she received in special remembrance of her great Dressage horse, “Gifted.”  Friends of The Dressage Foundation and Carol Lavell have added donations, and the Scholarship Fund has grown steadily over the years.  These scholarships enable Adult Amateurs to set aside quality time in concentrated training with a horse they own, with a trainer of choice, away from the daily pressures of job and family. 

Adult amateurs are chosen as recipients from their respective USDF Regions to receive grants of $900 for training in the 2010 calendar year. In USDF Region 9, Cyndi Craig (TX) and her horse Flying Colorz were Scholarship receipients. Craig, a member of Houston Dressage Society, plans to train with Marta Renilla.