Youth 

2024 LVDA Youth Program

Welcome to the LVDA Youth Program page!



There are many exciting things planned for the Youth Program this year! We welcome and encourage youth from all over the Lehigh Valley to participate. 


We are in the process of developing an exciting “How to…“ series of unmounted educational offerings this year where you can learn about a wide range of subjects. 


Our Youth members will run the “Decades of Dressage“ show on July 28 at Horseman’s Hollow, and we hope you will volunteer! All proceeds from that show will be directed to sending riders to Lendon Gray’s D4K Youth Dressage Festival in New York in August. LVDA sent 4 teams to the Festival last year and we would like to send the same or more this year. We hope you will join us for many of these activities! 


Throughout the course of the year, youth will have the opportunity to participate in fundraising efforts to defray the costs associated with showing; those funds will be kept in LVDA Youth Accounts and reimbursed to youth riders for shows, clinics, and other dressage related activities.

LVDA's 2024 Youth Program is focusing on two key areas: 

Fun Education

Both North Star Farm (Pierre and Samantha St. Jacques) and Rhythm and Blues (Monika Dujardin) have offered the use of facilities to host events for the LVDA Youth and LVDA Youth at Heart

Our "How to ..." series is under development 


How to ... cavalletti with Samantha St. Jacques

How to ... breed-show with Mo Swanson and Jocelyn Kraezle

How to ... horse show with Natasha Rutherford

How to ... manage a horse show with Jane Cory

How to ... work in the equine industry, without working in a barn with Kasey Mowery, Director, Ariat


Details as they become available! 

Rosiegrace Strydesky and "Just Ginger"

Julie Iannantuono and "Dusty Rose"

Paige Dolon and "James Dean"

PC: Tara Iannantuono

D4K Youth Dressage Festival!

LVDA sent four teams last year, bringing home the show Championship both with one of our teams, and an individual top rider! 

LVDA is looking to support teams for this fantastic show in 2024!

FAQ

It seems like in the past, all the riders come from one barn, isn't it kind of an exclusive event? 

Absolutely not! In 2023, there were slots open, and LVDA brought along an ESDCTA rider who didn't have a team from their GMO! All Youth riders are welcome, and even if riders don't have a "team," they are welcome to join and form teams once they are in NY. 

What exactly is a "Youth Rider?"

Good question, for the Youth Dressage Festival, anyone under the age of 25 is welcome!

It's an expensive trip, isn't it? 

Yes, it is. Entries, trailering, stabling, tack stalls, meals, hotels, it adds up to a lot! LVDA is setting up Fundraising opportunities for Youth who are interested in raising money to attend. The first fundraiser is a Gertrude Hawk candy sale in February. 

The biggest fundraiser for this year will be the Decades of Dressage Show. All Youth volunteering at Decades or involved in raising money for Decades (donating items for silent auction, donating a Basket for basket raffle) will have funds set aside to cover costs for the D4K Festival. 

We'd love to go, but we don't have a trailer! 

We can't guarantee a trailer space will be available today, but if you're interested in attending, get involved now, and we'll figure out how to get you there!

For more details on the Festival and fundraising opportunities, contact Natasha Rutherford!