2009 Morgan Dressage Association scholarships awarded

In 2009, 8 riders competing on Morgans were awarded training scholarships through the Morgan Dressage Association Scholarship program. The program is funded from the proceeds of MDA’s Annual Benefit Stallion Service Sale and the generosity of the stallion owners who donate their stallion’s services. This year, the riders, competing at Training Level through Grand Prix, were each awarded  $500 scholarships. This annual program provides riders who are training and competing Morgans, scholarships that can be used for clinics, regular lessons and/or training resource books or videos.

The 2010 program deadline will be October 1, 2009. Look for an application in upcoming issues of MDA News or on the MDA website. For more information contact Scholarship Program Chairperson Tonya Farina at mattonmorgans@gmail.com.

2009 Scholarship Awardees

Catherine Echternach is a Professional trainer and dressage competitor who operates a dressage training and showing barn in Maryland.  Catherine has been a student of dressage since 1980 and took the gelding, Whippoorwill Ebony AKA “Black Tie” to Grand Prix.  Currently she has two FEI level Morgans in Open competition, her gelding Whippoorwill Dorado and Magnetic Top Copy owned by Theresa Zuraski.   Catherine plans to use her Scholarship monies to continue lessons with Uwe Steiner or a longer clinic with Pam Goodrich or at Hilltop Farm.

Lucy Tidd is an Amateur rider and trainer who has been riding dressage for over 25 years.  Currently, she competes Joanna Kelly’s black stallion, GKB Coal Magic at Fourth Level dressage.  She plans to take him to Grand Prix and has had many wins with him to date.  Lucy also showed her parent’s homebred mare, Spindletop Brigid, to Fourth Level.   Lucy currently trains with Catherine Echternach and plans to use her Scholarship monies toward her monthly Uwe Steiner clinics. 

Debra M’Gonigle is a Professional trainer and competitor who has ridden dressage since 1980.  She showed and trained her horse, Rapidan Imperial, to the FEI levels with instruction from Karl Mikolka, showing him successfully at Prix St. Georges before his death.  Currently she trains and competes her stallions Montana Jubilee and Forsite Zephyr at Fourth Level and FEI and 3rd and 4th Levels respectively.   Debra plans to use her Scholarship monies to continue her training with the Barteaus (Kim, Yvonne, Kassie) as well as the Barteaus. 

Margaret Bailey is a Professional rider and trainer who has ridden dressage since she was 8 years old.  Both Margaret and her mother worked at Margaret Gardiner’s Kennebec Morgan Farm and when Margaret bought her first horse it was a Kennebec Morgan, Kennebec Ladyhawke.    Margaret and Ladyhawke are currently showing at 3rd Level at schooling level shows, with the intention to get to the FEI levels.  Margaret intends to use her Scholarship monies to train with Bill Warren, a Grand Prix rider in New Glouster, ME.

Jaclyn Sink is a Junior/Young Rider who lives in Highland, MD and competes her Morgan gelding, Sil’Sations Spirit.  Jaclyn has owned him since 2002 and has taken him from Intro to First Level.  Jaclyn is working in 2009 to get her C3 Dressage Specialty Rating in Pony Club which involves demonstrating First Level monements for a panel of professional Dressage experts at a National Exam.  Jaclyn plans to use her Scholarship monies to attend two to three clinics instructed by FEI riders and trainers as well as with her regular trainer, Linda Speer.

Keegan O’Brien is a Junior/Young Rider who shows her gelding, M.C.C. Magic Irish Desire.  Keegan and “Magic” have shown in a variety of disciplines, including Western Pleasure and Hunt Seat and have been riding dressage for two years.  In 2009 Keegan plans to show Magic and Hylee’s Thunder Comin at Training Level dressage, and maybe First Level with lots of hard work!  Keegan plans to use her monies to train both Magic and Thunder toward her ultimate goal of qualifying for the USDF Young Rider Team.

Carol Hibbard lives in Ohio and is an Adult Amateur rider showing her gelding, Intaglio Arizona Storm who she has owned since 2004.  Carol has been riding dressage for six years and has shown Intro and Training level dressage with plans to go to First Level in 2009.  Carol showed in Open Dressage for the last three years  as well as volunteering with her local GMO, the Dressage Company.  Carol plans to use her Scholarship monies to take an outside clinc with Joan Bolton or Eddo Hoekstra.

Erica Leipus is an Adult Amateur dressage rider and  lives in Indiana.  She has been riding dressage since 2000 and has competed her mare, Raintree Fond Memories in Training Level dressage for the past two years and plans to move up to First Level in 2009.  Erica currently trains with Linda Heiny, a licensed “I” judge and former jumping and dressage competitor.   Erica plans to use her Scholarship monies to with Rudolf Rostek, Bereiter from the Spanish Riding School. 

Scholarship Index