WPDA Leg Up Grant Application

For 50 years, the Western Pennsylvania Dressage Association (WPDA) has been dedicated to promoting and fostering the art of Dressage through education, competition, recognition, and fellowship. To help make all WPDA educational programming and competitions more financially accessible, we are proud to introduce the WPDA Leg Up Grant Program.

The new Leg Up Grant will be offered for every fee-based WPDA-hosted program, including clinics and shows.

Before completing an applcation for a Leg Up Grant, please read the Leg Up Grant Conditions below. 

WPDA’s Leg Up Grant Conditions

Eligibility:

• Everyone—any age, any level—is eligible.
• No proof of financial need is required. This is an expensive sport and we all experience budget limitations at some point.
• WPDA membership is NOT required.
• For mounted events, the horse MUST meet all current WPDA eligibility, safety, health and vaccination-related criteria, as outlined in that event's registration form (including but not limited to proof of current vaccinations, negative coggins, record of owner’s permission to use horse if not rider-owned, etc…). Riders and owners are responsible for all costs related to these requirements.

Grant Coverage:

• The Leg Up Grant only applies to WPDA-hosted event costs. WPDA Sanctioned or Sponsored shows and events that are hosted by other organizations are not eligible, including rated shows.
• The Leg Up Grant can be used to cover clinic entry fees, clinic stabling fee, show entry fees, and show stabling fees only.
• The Leg Up Grant does not cover incidentals (e.g. trailering fees, shavings, grain, hay, hotels, meals, vet fees, etc…)
• Each Leg Up Grant is for one horse/rider combo. The grantee will be responsible for fees related to a second horse at an event. (e.g. Class and stabling fees would be covered for Grantee and Horse “A” only. Any fees for Grantee and Horse “B” at the same event would not be covered by the Leg Up Grant.  Alternatively, if a rider is sharing a horse with another rider, the Leg Up Grant would cover the Grantee & Horse fees – including stabling – but not entry or other fees for the other rider.)

Grantee Selection:

• All Leg Up Grant applications received for an event must be received by the Leg Up application date for that event (in most cases, this will be approximately one week ahead of registration closing date). Leg Up application dates will be included in registration information for each event.*
• The WPDA Board will collect all entries and, with at least two (2) Board Members present, a Grantee will be selected at random.
• The Grantee will be contacted via their provided email address immediately upon selection.
• A new Leg Up Grant application must be submitted for each event. 
• An individual can be awarded up to three (3) Leg Up grants in one year.

* The WPDA reserves the right to expedite the grant deadline for any event by posting to that Event’s Facebook Event page, Registration Site, and posting notice on the WPDA Facebook page. This will only be done if an event is on track to ‘sell out’ and allows us to ensure that we have space to accommodate our Grantee.