The Dressage Foundation is pleased to announce that the inaugural Karen Skvarla Fund Grant has been awarded to young professional, Krystal Wilt, of Sand Lake, NY. Krystal intends to use the $500 grant to ride two horses in Eastern New York Dressage and Combined Training Association’s Gary Rockwell clinic in May.

Krystal is a high school biology teacher who devotes the rest of her hours to dressage training. She would like to build her dressage career to a point where she can teach, ride and train full time.  “I am honored to have been selected as the first Karen Skvarla Fund Grant recipient.  I love Gary's training approach and I am excited to obtain valuable knowledge and exercises to bring back to my students and their horses,” Krystal says.  “I am extremely grateful for this opportunity, and I look forward to finding ways to give back to The Dressage Foundation and my local dressage community in the future.”

The purpose of the Karen Skvarla Fund is to provide grants enabling young dressage professionals to pursue training or educational opportunities.  Grant applicants should be in the beginning stages of their dressage careers as instructors and/or trainers. The Karen Skvarla Fund Grant selection committee will especially look for applicants who are eager to grow and improve, and who are fair and respectful to both students and horses.

The Karen Skvarla $300-$500 Grant will be awarded annually.  Applications are due on or before February 15th of each year.  A Selection Committee will review applications and announce a decision no later than April 15th.  The application can be found at www.dressagefoundation.org under the Dressage Instructors section of “Apply for a Grant.”