The Dressage Foundation (TDF) is pleased to announce that four grants have been awarded from its Cynthia Aspden Youth and Young Adult Development Fund. The Cynthia Aspden Fund provides $1,000 grants to youth and young adult riders (age 25 and under) to aid in their development in dressage.
Jenny Johnson, Executive Director of The Dressage Foundation, said, “The Dressage Foundation is proud to support youth and young adult dressage riders, and we love to see that these recipients represent a variety of levels, goals, and areas of the country. We are grateful for Legacy Society donors like Cynthia Aspden, who understood the need to support young riders in our country and provided a gift in her will to ensure that these grants are available for years to come.”
The 2026 recipients are:
Hayden Cummings (WA): Hayden will use the grant funding to participate in classical dressage and horsemanship clinics with Tressa Boulden and Lester Buckley.
Hayden said, “I am honored and appreciative of being awarded the grant from TDF’s Cynthia Aspden Youth Fund. Because of her generosity, I will be able to ride with professionals who will help further my education and understanding of dressage and horsemanship. As someone profoundly devoted to the sport and my horse, I greatly value these opportunities, and they will help me succeed in many aspects of riding and deepen my connection with my horse. I sincerely thank the generous donors of TDF for offering support in my educational journey, without whom these plans would not be possible.”
McKenzie Dicks (ME): McKenzie will use the grant funding to support her apprenticeship with Hope Cooper in Florida over the winter.
Photo by Susan J Stickle
McKenzie said, “Being selected for TDF’s Cynthia Aspden Youth Fund grant means a great deal to me. This generous support will help me take the next step in my education and development as a rider. I am truly grateful to the donors who make opportunities like this possible. Your belief in young athletes like me means so much and motivates me to continue working hard, learning, and pursuing my goals and dreams. Thank you for investing in my future!”
Emmaline Speis (MD): Emmaline will use the grant funding to train with Bill McMullin as she works toward earning her USDF bronze medal.
Emmaline said, “The extra training this grant makes possible will help Bella and me on our path to reach Fourth Level this season! Thank you so much for investing in us and believing in our journey!”
Madeleine Vonfrankenberg (WI): Madeleine will use the grant funding to train with Shelly Reichart and Linda Zang to compete at Third Level and prepare for Fourth Level.
Photo by Josa Comstock Photography.
Madeleine said, “I am incredibly grateful to Cynthia Aspden and TDF for their generosity and support through this grant. This opportunity means more to me than I can express. I am so excited to continue to learn, grow, and challenge myself as a rider. Every opportunity to further my education brings me one step closer to the rider I one day aspire to be. I feel incredibly blessed to be part of a sport where organizations like TDF and donors like Cynthia are dedicated to supporting young riders. Thank you for investing in riders like me and helping make our dreams and goals more achievable.“
The Cynthia Aspden Fund grant application is available on TDF’s website with a deadline of September 1st. For more information about this Fund, visit www.dressagefoundation.org or contact Sara Weiss, Director of Grants and Programs, at (402) 434-8585 or sara@dressagefoundation.org.
The Dressage Foundation
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.
