Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Dressage4kids: A Roadmap to Success for Youth

The borrowed stallion Thys of Seagail Friesians & myself at the 2014 Robert Dover Horsemastership Clinic 

In honor of the annual Robert Dover Horsemanship Clinic, I want to take a moment to thank Dressage4kids. I originally wrote this piece last winter for the Braley Gray award presented to Kim Boyer, but found it fitting to share it again to show my graditute for the program. I know I would not be the rider or person I am without the support of Dressage4kids and the Emerging Dressage Athlete Program.


Dressage4kids
Dressage4kids is a non-profit that is dedicated to helping educate the youth of dressage. Nationwide the organization hosts a variety of clinics and festivals that promote education on and off the horse, from grassroots to Grand Prix. 

How it Began
Kim Boyer met Lendon Gray when Olympian Courtney King-Dye had the ride on Kim's Grandioso. “She (Kim) came to me, as I was Courtney’s trainer,” said Lendon. But, years later, the two have been working together to promote youth dressage in the United States, making a real impact on its progression.

That journey began with a Dressage4kids Youth Dressage Festival in New York. When Lendon invited Kim to come watch the festival, it turned out that Courtney had a competition with Grandioso at the same time in the same area. Not having witnessed it, Kim did not have a clear understanding of what the festival provided for riders, but the show seemed like fate, as Kim was just adopting 2 girls at that time. As soon as she watched the festival, Kim instantly knew that she not only wanted to have her children involved, but that she herself wanted to be involved.  “I was impressed with the Youth Dressage Festival and how healthy the atmosphere was for these kids. It was teaching them to be responsible and care for something much greater than themselves.” Kim instantly recognized that these kids were learning not only how to become great riders, but great caregivers to their horses and fell in love with the program.

Knowing she wanted to provide the same opportunity for youth riders in the Midwest, Kim joined with Lendon and opened her facility at Hampton Green Farm in Michigan for Dressage4kids to begin hosting a one day version of the New York Festival and combining it with an Emerging Dressage Athlete Program (EDAP) Clinic, one of the very first of its kind.  “EDAP was something I was thinking about for a while, but was not sure about how to get it started. Kim encouraged its development, and her moral and financial support have helped to make the program possible,” said Lendon.

Kim admitted that she was unsure how the festival would run in an area with less youth dressage riders, but said that putting it on was a learning process that has paid off, as there is now almost three times the amount of participants as when it began. And, combining the clinic with the festival was an idea that Kim said, “…Allowed for the less experienced riders that were in the festival to be exposed to the more experienced riders of the clinic.” Not only that, but having been the first festival after the large New York ones, Lendon explained that it “proved that smaller versions of the large show can be successful, and EDAP has expanded all over the country since that first clinic at Hampton Green”. 

Robert Dover Horsemanship Clinic
Then came the beginnings of the weeklong horsemanship clinics. “With some of my favorite people, Lendon, Courtney, and Robert, we began these clinics. The Courtney King-Dye and Robert Dover Horsemanship Clinics are great offshoots of the Emerging Dressage Athlete Program,” said Kim. These weeklong clinics began in Wellington, Florida at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in the Van Kampen Arena that is owned by Kim. These weeks involve lessons with multiple instructors who are at the top of the sport, many having attended the Olympics and multiple international competitions. Additionally, during the week, participants attend lectures that educate them on topics such as equine nutrition, vet care, saddle fit, and even the media.

Winter Intensive Program
Along side these clinics is the Winter Intensive Program that is held annually in Wellington, Florida at Kim’s facility, Hampton Green Farm. This intense 4-month program allows riders to experience the atmosphere of Wellington and gain exposure to top professionals. This program allows riders to focus intensely on the proper riding, handling, and maintenance of their horses, all while gaining the necessary tools to succeeding as an educated dressage rider.

Seeing Results 
Of the clinics and programs, Kim said, “We are seeing results; with participants receiving top finishes in the national and North American competitions.” Dressage4kids is preparing the future generation, whether it is becoming a great local trainer, or an international rider.

The goal Kim has with Dressage4kids and one of the things she finds most rewarding is exposing these youth riders to the top professionals in the industry. Kim says, “With these programs we are creating the next generation of international riders that can represent the United States. Not only that, we are creating well educated professional trainers, and, for those who decide not to pursue dressage as a career have developed relationships with the future trainers in order to become future sponsors and educated, ambitious adult amateurs.”

In the end, it is great for the future of dressage in the United States. “You have to aim for the top,” Kim said of the program. The riders are being started young, correctly, and riding with the best. Being able to encourage kids to find their way in dressage is doing great things for the sport. “Dressage4kids helps to broaden the base,” says Gray. Meaning that with it, the US is not only having more successful youth riders in competition, but more rising professionals that are getting a good start. Kim and Lendon come together to make Dressage4kids the complete package, with goals of developing top talent while encouraging those at the local level to continue on their dressage path. Not only that, but D4k encourages all aspects of horses and encourages the very young to be involved. As Lendon said, “starting kids in dressage is not typical in this country. But encouraging good instruction and providing opportunities is impacting the sport. We are finding the young and those that don’t have the opportunities and providing a road map for them to become the best they can be.” 

Dressage4kids opens the minds of young people in the world of horses to have goals and aspirations. The future of dressage owes Kim Boyer a great deal of thanks for her moral and financial support, along with her hard work in joining forces with Lendon Gray to take a New York Youth Festival, to a nationwide program that is producing excellent riders.


Interested in more information on Dressage4kids? Visit http://www.dressage4kids.org




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