Photo courtesy of Caitlin Silliman
The USEA Foundation has announced a new Seema Sonnad Junior Riders’ Grant that will award $5,000 to a rider under the age of 18 who completed a CCI* competition in 2015. The first recipient is expected to be announced at next week’s USEA Annual Awards Luncheon at the USEA Convention in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 4.
The grant, which has been funded by Seema’s husband Henry Glick and her friends, is designed to help a junior rider make the transition to the Young Rider CCI2* ranks and will be awarded to an individual who plans to compete at the North American Junior & Young Rider Championships in 2016.
Since her sudden death on May 27, 2015, Seema’s friends have rallied to preserve her memory and honor an individual who gave so generously, both financially and through volunteering her time, to support the sport of eventing. Many eventers competed for the remainder of the season with a purple ribbon in her cross country colors.
Dom Schramm wears a purple ribbon in Seema’s memory at Fair Hill. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Cross country fences were named after her at both this fall’s Plantation Field International Horse Trials and the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International. A portable Training level jump built by Jeff Kibbie in Seema’s memory was also used on the USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships course this fall and will continue to be used at Fair Hill.
The inaugural PRO Above & Beyond Event Personnel Award will also be awarded in Seema’s memory next week at the PRO Awards Reception at the USEA Convention. Dual recipients Bodgie Read and Dale Clabaugh will receive an engraved silver bowl and shared cash gift of $1,000 presented by Henry Glick.
Many of Seema’s friends have committed to implementing her ideas to make it easier to volunteer, and this topic will be discussed next week in a special session at the USEA Convention. If you are able, please plan to attend the Volunteer Initiatives seminar next Saturday, Dec. 5 from 4:30-5:30 p.m., to hear and discuss Seema’s ideas.
Thank you to all who have worked so hard to preserve Seema’s legacy in so many ways. Click here for more information on the Seema Sonnad Junior Riders’ Grant.
