POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Applications are available from the Central Office only and not through individual committee members.

The following are the current policies and procedures of the scholarship committee (2025).

1. Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of merit of the proposal. All applications will be evaluated on a year by year basis. Each application will be evaluated afresh without regard to prior awards.

2. All applications must be on fillable pdf forms. No handwritten applications will be accepted. You must email your applications to the Central Office at paula@california-dressage.org.

3. Application can be submitted anytime. If a particular application is denied it can be resubmitted for consideration at subsequent meetings. Scholarships may be considered after the fact for activities already held when those activities are judged to meet the criteria of need and merit.

4. All chapters must submit a current Bank Statement with their applications.

5. The scholarship committee would like to encourage reduced auditor fees to help attendance at educational events.

6. Scholarships will be awarded to CDS Chapters or CDS members who are domiciled in the State of California or Nevada.

7. The scholarship committee will hold one face-to-face meeting per year at the Annual Meeting of the California Dressage Society. Applications will be considered 4 times / year if the number of applications warrant.

8. In order to conduct business the scholarship committee must have a quorum of members present, personally or telephonically. A quorum is four out of six committee members.

9. All deliberations and applications of the committee will be absolutely confidential. All deliberations will be held in closed sessions.

10. At the first meeting of the year, the scholarship committee will determine the money available for rider education scholarships and educational scholarship.

11. The amount available for scholarship will comprise 75% of the prior year’s interest income and dividend income earnings. The remaining 25% will be returned to the capital of the scholarship fund.

12. All individual donations will be deemed donations to capital unless stipulated otherwise by the donor at the time of making the donation.

13. The committee will not invade capital to award scholarships except in extraordinary circumstances.

Scholarship Forms Available

Educational Event – deadline Oct 1 For educational events sponsored by a Chapter / group / individual. A chapter must demonstrate how its event is an educational event for CDS members and not a riding clinic

Hans Moeller Memorial Scholarship $1500 – deadline April 30 Individual rider scholarship, applicants must be 30 years of age or older and have competed at Third Level or above. A rider may receive this scholarship AND a competition travel grant the same year. Individuals who are amateurs or professionals may apply.

Jane Jackson Scholarship $1500 – deadline April 30 Individual rider scholarship, applicants must be under 30 years of age and have competed at Third Level or above. A rider may receive this scholarship AND a competition travel grant the same year. Individuals who are amateurs or professionals may apply.

Carol Plough Youth Scholarship Fund $500 – deadline April 30 Individual rider scholarship, applicants must be 21 years of age or under, riding at First Level or above. Candidates are required to submit an application which describes what education the grant will be used for and include the candidates’ contributions to CDS. Applications will also require a letter of recommendation from an instructor or equestrian professional.

Sharon Carpenter Scholarship Fund– deadline April 30 For a Pomona member over 21 years of age, who has shown Training Level or above and who has volunteered for the Chapter.

Adult Amateur Scholarship – deadline April 30. Individual rider scholarship, applicants must be 22 years of age or older, possess a USEF Amateur Card and have competed at any level. Rider must have ridden in the Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) and use the scholarship funds for dressage education or competition. Three scholarships will be available each year, one from the North, one from the Central and one from the South Region. A $200 scholarship will be available to each Region

Stacey Berry Memorial Endowment - – deadline April 30  Sierra Nevada Chapter Individual rider scholarship, applicants must be adult amateurs and have competed at Training Level or above. Chapter Affiliation must be Sierra Nevada for at the least one (1) year prior to applying.

Gwen Stockebrand Adult Amateur Educational Scholarship Sonoma Chapter The funds may be used for a special clinic, funding competition to assess applicant’s progress, or a symposium that furthers the applicant’s knowledge. The applicant shall be an Adult Amateur of 22 years or older. The applicant shall be a member of Sonoma County Chapter in good standing for at least two years. Competing at training level or above with a proof of a score from a recognized show.

~ for an application and information on specific scholarships ~ www.california-dressage.org ~ Contact the CDS Central Office (831) 659-5696 for an Application ~