I am awarded a Michael Poulin Grant from the Dressage Foundation to be able to send John and Shakespeare RSF to train in Florida with Lisa Wilcox!!!!

Here is the press release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: JENNY JOHNSON, THE DRESSAGE FOUNDATION TEL (402) 434-8585, EMAIL jenny@dressagefoundation.org MO SWANSON, ROLLING STONE FARM, AWARDED GRANT FROM THE MICHAEL POULIN FUND AT THE DRESSAGE FOUNDATION October 28, 2011 (Lincoln, Neb.) – The Dressage Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Mo Swanson, of Rolling Stone Farm, Slatington, PA, has been awarded a $6,000 grant from the Michael Poulin Dressage Fund. The grant will be used to send the farm's trainer, John Lee Amber, and their 7-year-old homebred Hanoverian stallion, Shakespeare RSF, to train and compete in Florida this winter. Shakespeare RSF is a fully licensed and approved stallion, and was the winner of the 2009 70-day stallion test. He was the 2010 Region 1 Champion at Second Level with John Lee as the rider and trainer. The pair was recently invited by Debbie McDonald to participate in the USEF Developing Young Dressage Horse Program, and they have also worked with Scott Hassler, Lauren Sammis, Michael Klimke, Jeanne McDonald, and Ulf Mueller. The intensive training time in Florida will help both horse and rider continue to develop their talents, with the ultimate goal of competing successfully in Grand Prix. Mo said, "John Lee Amber and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for this grant. It will make a dream possible. Hopefully, the success of John Lee and Shakespeare RSF can serve to inspire other U.S. breeders of dressage horses and to create excitement for riders to own and compete on American-bred dressage horses. I am hopeful that Shakespeare RSF's short time in Florida can show what kind of quality is being produced in the U.S." The Michael Poulin Dressage Fund was established at The Dressage Foundation in 2003 by Michael's friends, family, and admirers. The purpose of the Fund is to provide financial support for programs and projects that enhance the quality of dressage in the U.S., through any and all of its component disciplines - riding, competing, training, instructing, and judging. "We are very pleased to award this grant to Mo, John Lee, and Shakespeare RSF," said Jenny Johnson, Administrative Director of The Dressage Foundation. "This grant fits well with the goals of the Michael Poulin Fund, in that it supports a program that encompasses all of the component disciplines - riding, competing, training, instructing, and judging. It is wonderful to be able to support a U.S. breeder, trainer, and horse." For more information about the Michael Poulin Dressage Fund or The Dressage Foundation, please contact Jenny Johnson at (402) 434-8585, by email at jenny@dressagefoundation.org, or visit www.dressagefoundation.org. The Dressage Foundation The Dressage Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, tax-exempt, donor-driven organization that is dedicated to supporting and advancing the sport of dressage. The organization solicits contributions, appropriately allocates the donations, and awards grants and scholarships to dressage riders of all ages and levels. For more information, please visit www.dressagefoundation.org. Besides the Dressage Foundation, many people are being very supportive of our (gulp!) expensive venture. Jana Rumbaugh is making the stalls available for Shakespeare and a sales horse at a very reasonable rate (for FL!), Lisa Wilcox will come to the farm to train John, since he will be down there without a horse trailer and she has agreed to trailer him if he needs to go somewhere for a clinic (hopefully with Debbie McDonald for the Developing Horse training sessions and ?). Scott Hassler and Debbie McDonald were prompt and supportive in writing their letters of recommendation to the Dressage foundation. And last, but not least a special thank you to John's mom, Deb, who pointed out the grant availability to me which started the whole application process going. It took a village to get them there, but it worked!