Elisabeth Austin Awarded $25,000 Anne L. Barlow Ramsay Grant from The Dressage Foundation

The Dressage Foundation has announced that Elisabeth Austin of Williston, VT, has received this year's "Anne L. Barlow Ramsay Annual $25,000 Grant. "The purpose of the Grant, established at The Dressage Foundation, is to showcase talented American-bred horses ridden by United States citizens, by providing money to train and compete in Europe. Liz and her homebred Dutch Warmblood, Olivier, will be training with Carl Hester in England during the fall of 2012. The team plans to also compete during that time, including participating in the Olympia CDI-W." "I am very grateful to The Dressage Foundation and Dr. Ramsay for this opportunity," said Liz. "My mom has been breeding Dutch Warmbloods for nearly three decades and her program all started with Olivier's mother. To receive this grant means so much to both of us, and I'm a little embarrassed to share how many happy tears were cried when I received the news. I'd also like to say thank you to Carl Hester for accepting us for training and Shannon Dueck for encouraging me to work with him. Olivier truly is the horse of a lifetime and I am forever grateful to him for taking me on this amazing journey." "Dr. Ramsay's gift to The Dressage Foundation has enabled us to provide important financial support to American-bred horses and their riders.  We are so pleased that Liz was selected as this year's recipient, and feel that this grant will enable her and Olivier to successfully continue their pursuit of excellence," said Jenny Johnson, Administrative Director of The Dressage Foundation. 

Dr. Anne Barlow Ramsay (FL) established a Charitable Remainder Unitrust in 1999. She worked with John Boomer, then President and CEO of The Dressage Foundation. "The remainder funds were designated to come to The Dressage Foundation in 2009," said Boomer, "and now her sizable fund will yield the $25,000 grant annually well out into future years." 

"Dr. Ramsay is a Renaissance woman - a wife, mother, medical doctor, business executive, volunteer, world-traveler and equestrienne," said John Boomer.  He added, "In 2009, Dr. Ramsay established a second Charitable Remainder Unitrust, with the remainder funds again coming to The Dressage Foundation in 2019, to continue her schedule of $25,000 annual grants far out into the future years." Boomer concluded, "Anne Ramsay's creative, distinctive gift is remarkable for its longevity - it will be helping dressage riders and American-bred horses for a very long time to come."