Skip to main content

Grants

ESDCTA offers two Education Grants, one Masters Eventing travel grant and one Youth Grant for our membership.

Education Grants

ESDCTA offers Educational Grants to the membership as a unique opportunity for members who actively support the organization. The program seeks to help qualified members take advantage of specific opportunities for advancement with the understanding that the membership will benefit as a result of the shared knowledge and experience. ESDCTA does not accept or reject an application based on riding skill, horse ownership or specific use of the funds.

The Education Grant Program is open to Juniors, Seniors, Adult Amateurs and Professionals, and is funded from the proceeds of the Silent Auction held at the Annual Awards Banquet. An annual budget is established for the program, and the Grants Committee can award up to the stated amount. Click the links below to see the requirements/qualifications for each award.

ESDCTA Education Grant

Requirements/Qualifications for an ESDCTA Educational Grant

  • Each grant is $250 and each applicant must be an ESDCTA member-in-good-standing for at least one year.
  • Minimum of 5 hours of volunteer service at an ESDCTA run activity (view all volunteer opportunities) or gifted from another volunteer (may use leftover hours from the previous year). Preference will be given to applicants who have more ESDCTA volunteer hours. Volunteer hours used for year-end awards are excluded.
  • Funds must be used for a specifically stated objective (i.e., clinic, clinic series, lessons with an upper-level trainer you don’t usually train with, riding camp, seminars or a show such as a regional or national competition that requires additional funding). Funds cannot be used for purchasing tack or clothing, for one’s regular lesson program, or for horse-only training.
  • An Educational Grant may be requested at any time of the year. Applications should be forwarded to the Grants Committee, which will review them for completeness and then forward to the Board for approval at the next regularly scheduled monthly Board meeting. Reimbursement of expenses will be made after expense receipts and the article for the Newsletter have been submitted.
  • Educational Grants must be used within one year of award notification or they will be forfeited.
  • As this program is funded by the Silent Auction at the Annual Awards Banquet, recipients are required to assist in obtaining items for the coming year’s auction.
  • Recipients must write an article for the newsletter including photographs, if possible, describing the activity for which the grant was used (help is available from the Marketing committee in writing the article). Articles should be submitted within 30 days of using the grant funds.

If the obligations are not fulfilled, recipients will be barred from obtaining future Educational Grants and/or Jr/YR Scholarships.

Educational Grant Applications should be submitted in writing to the Educational Grant Chair.

Grant Application

Lazelle Knocke’s Dom Perignon Memorial Grant

Statement of Intent: ESDCTA offers Educational Grants to the membership as a unique opportunity for members who actively support the organization. The program seeks to help qualified members take advantage of specific opportunities for advancement with the understanding that the membership will benefit as a result of the shared knowledge and experience. Educational Grants are awarded to members who have a solid record of volunteering throughout their membership. ESDCTA does not accept or reject an application based on riding skill, horse ownership, or specific use of the funds. All members should consider becoming more active with the organization to enable them to meet the requirements and apply for a Grant.

The Dom Perignon Memorial Grant was established in 2007 in honor of Lazelle Knocke’s 90th birthday. Lazelle is a founder of ESDCTA (ESDA at that time) and a long-time supporter of ESDCTA’s activities. The grant is named for her dressage partner of many years, Dom Perignon. The grant is open to adult amateurs and professionals. The Dom Perignon Memorial Grant Program is funded by ESDCTA at $1,000 per year. The Educational Grant Committee can award up to that amount. Grant monies are awarded twice a year – in April and October. Completed applications must be received by the first of those respective months.

Requirements/Qualifications for an ESDCTA Educational Grant

  • Minimum of 20 hours of volunteer services within a two-year period. Volunteer hours used for yearend awards are excluded. Volunteer hours must be the applicant’s OWN volunteer time. Transferred hours from friends or relatives are not accepted in this program.
  • Eight of the 20 volunteer hours must be at an ESDCTA-run and organized competition/activity.
  • Applicant must be an ESDCTA member-in-good-standing for a minimum of two years at the time of application.
  • Funds must be used for a specifically stated objective (i.e., clinic, clinic series, riding camp, seminars, or a show such as a regional or national competition that requires additional funding). Funds cannot be used for purchasing tack or clothing or for one’s regular lesson program.
  • Applicant must select a dollar amount for the Grant, up to but not more than $1,000.
  • Additional Grants may be applied for by a member, but no more often than every two years, once a member has received the full sum of $1,000.
  • A Dom Perignon Memorial Grant may be requested at any time of the year. Grants will be awarded twice a year as per the schedule noted above. Reimbursement of expenses will be made after expense receipts are submitted.
  • An educational grant must be used within one year of award notification or it will be forfeited.
  • Applicant cannot be a current member of the Educational Grant Committee.
  • A recipient of an educational grant may not apply for an ESDCTA Jr/YR Scholarship in the same calendar year that he/she receives this Grant.
  • The Grant Committee makes all final decisions as to whether to award a grant and the amount of the grant, based on the applicant meeting the above requirements.

It is required that all Dom Perignon Memorial Grant recipients write an article for the newsletter, including photographs, if possible, describing the activity for which the grant was used. Articles are to be submitted within 30 days of using the funds. Members awarded a grant are required to confirm in writing that they agree to fulfill these requirements before funds are released to them.

If the obligations are not fulfilled, recipients will be barred from obtaining future Educational and/or Dom Perignon Memorial Grants.

Dom Perignon Memorial Grant Applications should be submitted in writing to the Education Grants Chair.

Grant Application

Tigerlily Travel Grant

THE TIGERLILY TRAVEL GRANT

We are excited to announce that ESDCTA has a new Grant, thanks to Gretchen Oberfranc.  This new Grant aims to help Master eventers defray some of the travel expenses associated with attending a long-format or championship event.  The Grant is available to eventers age 50 or older, and consists of four $250 grants each year.  The first $250 requires 8 hours of volunteer time at an ESDCTA “Recognized” activity (see https://www.esdcta.org/home/volunteer-program/esdcta-volunteering-opportunities/ for the list), but the hours can do double duty for year-end awards.  If more than $250 is requested, the second $250 requires 4 more hours of volunteer time.  Applications will be reviewed by the Eventing Committee for eligibility and completeness of volunteer requirements, and approved by the Board.

If you wish to apply for the Tigerlily Travel Grant, send an email to the Eventing Committee ([email protected] ) and include the following information:

  • The name and date of the event you will be attending
  • Number of miles from your home or barn
  • Expected travel expenses (gas, hotel, etc.)
  • Volunteer hours (number of hours and where earned)

If you have any questions, please email the Eventing Committee, and good luck this year!

LYDF Youth Grants

ESDCTA’s Educational Grant Program offers funding to attend Lendon’s Youth Dressage Festival (LYDF) for both Dressage and Eventing riders, usually scheduled in mid-July at the Hits-On-Hudson showgrounds located in Saugerties, NY.

LYDF is the flagship event of Dressage4Kids, Inc (dressage4kids.com) whose mission is to “encourage all riders to become true horsemen with correct position, competitive skills and knowledge of all aspects of riding and horse care; to offer scholarships to enable competitors to further their education; and to have fun and develop good sportsmanship throughout”. ESDCTA believes it’s youth program dovetails with that of Dressage4Kids and, in an effort to encourage our youth members to participate in the Festival, ESDCTA sponsors teams when possible. Click the link below to see the requirements/qualifications for this grant.

LYDF Grant

In addition to sponsoring teams, the ESDCTA Grant Program provides 2 grants in the amount of $250 each to encourage youth members to participate in this wonderful experience. Funds can be used to defray LYDF expenses such as entry fees, stabling fees, transportation costs, or purchase of required reading materials. For more information about the Festival go to youthdressagefestival.com.

Grant applicants must meet the following LYDF qualifying requirements:

  • One score of 55% or higher for dressage riders or 45% or lower for eventing riders from any USEF, FEI or USEA test of the level, or higher level earned during the qualifying period. Score must be earned from a USDF “L” graduate or any licensed USEF or FEI dressage judge. Previous LYDF competitors are automatically eligible to enter at the same level or lower.
  • Rider must submit a copy of the front page of the test with the entry form if applicable.
  • FEI age rules apply, i.e. riders may participate until the calendar year they become 22 years of age.
  • A minimum of 8 volunteer hours, 4 hours need to be earned by the applicant at an ESDCTA recognized event and 4 hours can be earned at an ESDCTA registered show or gifted from another volunteer. Preference will be given to applicants who have more ESDCTA volunteer hours. These hours can not be used to fulfill any other ESDCTA volunteer requirements. Copies of volunteer form(s) must be submitted with the application.
  • Must be an ESDCTA member for at least 2 years.
  • Include a letter of reference from a trainer, instructor or an individual considered to be knowledgeable in the discipline of dressage who is familiar with the applicant’s riding skills.
  • Include an essay explaining what you expect to gain from attending the Festival.
  • Following the Festival, write an article about your experience for the ESDCTA newsletter including photographs within 30 days after the competition (help is available from the Marketing committee in writing the article).
  • Since the LYDF Grants are generally funded by the proceeds of the silent auction, held at the Annual Awards Banquet, assist the Education Grant Chair or Awards Banquet committee in obtaining items for the silent auction.
  • Note: Youth members awarded the LYDF grant may not re-apply for the same grant for 3 years. LYDF grant recipients may not apply for an ESDCTA grant in the same calendar year they received the grant.

If for any reason a grant recipient is unable to attend the Youth Dressage Festival, they must notify the Education Grant Chair immediately so that another applicant may be chosen. A grant recipient unable to use the scholarship may reapply in future years.

Note: Riders may compete on a different horse from the one on which they qualified. A rider may qualify for two consecutive levels (divisions) with the same horse or any two levels (divisions) on two different horses.

The requirements for qualifying for the Youth Dressage Festival are incorporated into ESDCTA’s requirements and proof of same must be submitted with the scholarship application.

Submit your grant application along with all other required materials to the Education or Grants Committee. APPLICATION MUST BE RECEIVED BY MAY 15.