Anonymous
Source: The Dressage Foundation
The Dressage Foundation is pleased to announce that a $1,000 Para-Equestrian Dressage Fund Grant has been awarded to para-dressage rider, Mia Rodier-Dawallo of Santa Barbara, CA.
Mia intends to use her grant for two clinics; first at the CalNet Disabled Rider Horse Show at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in May, then the Fall Para-Dressage Clinic at Ride-On in Chatsworth. She shared, “To the benevolent donors and affiliates of The Dressage Foundation, I want to give thanks from the bottom of my heart. The clinics I will be able to attend with this grant will help me immensely on my journey to achieve my ultimate goal of making it to the Paralympic Games. I am so honored to have been chosen to receive this support and will take every action possible to succeed by you.”
According to The United States Para-Equestrian Association website (www.uspea.org), “Para-Equestrian Dressage is the only equestrian discipline that is included in the Paralympic Games, where it has been a regular fixture since 1996. With the idea of creating opportunities for all people with disabilities to compete and achieve their goals in equestrian sport, athletes are classified according to the level of their disability/impairment so as to provide for meaningful competition.” Mia is nationally classified as a Grade II para-dressage athlete.
The purpose of the Para-Equestrian Dressage Fund at The Dressage Foundation, seeded by a gift from the Lowell Boomer Family Charitable Remainder Unitrust, is to provide financial support for para-dressage riders to attend educational events that will enable them to receive training to help them reach their riding and competition goals.
“We had a wonderful response from para-dressage riders who were interested in this new Grant Fund, and would like to congratulate Mia,” said Jenny Johnson, TDF’s Executive Director. “Our goal is to continue raising money for this Fund so we can award even more grants in future years!”
For more information about applying for a grant from TDF’s Para-Equestrian Dressage Fund or to make a donation, contact TDF at (402) 434-8585 or visit www.dressagefoundation.org.
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.
Congratulations, Mia. Hope you have a great time at the clinics.