Congratulations! Harding Wins Lavell Dressage Prize

Press Release February 21, 2011
Shawna Harding Wins 2011 Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize
By: Meghan Blackburn

The Dressage Foundation’s Board of Directors has named Shawna Harding of Aiken, S.C., the 2011 Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize winner. She will accept her award of $25,000 on March 6 during a presentation at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby (Fla.).

Harding, who has applied for the award for the last three years, plans to put her prize money towards taking two horses, Come On III, a 12-year-old Danish Warmblood (Come Back II—Canna, Lantaan), and Rigo, a 10-year-old Hanoverian (Rotspon—Winnegpeg H, Weltmeyer), to train and show in Europe.

“It’s been a much needed a financial boost,” said Harding. “Winning the award makes the possibility of going to Europe an actual possibility. It’s so expensive to just fly the horses over. It’s at least $30,000 to get two horses there and back.”

Getting two horses to Europe also takes some planning. Harding has been tentatively setting show dates for Come On III and Rigo and is currently researching trainers with whom she’d like to ride during her stay.

“I’ve been talking to friends over there [in Europe] about trainers, finding out who’s current and upcoming, because I think we’re coming into a new era of dressage,” Harding said. “I want to really make it worthwhile. I don’t want to be just another American rider floating around someone’s indoor.”

Harding hopes her schedule will allow for a fall departure overseas, ideally after the Pan American Games this October in Guadalajara, Mexico, for which she hopes to qualify with Rigo. She and her team are working hard to settle details, and she’s excited to start the experience.

“I really want to thank Carol [Lavell] and the selection group,” said Harding. “It’s a huge honor. It’s been a long, hard road, and it’s difficult to hold onto these great horses. I feel blessed to have been given some much needed financial help to do so.”

Lavell founded the $25,000 Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize with the purpose of providing financial assistance to riders “to reach and excel at the elite, international standards of high performance dressage.”