Junior riders Kasey Denny and Tori Belles became the 2019 recipients of the two training opportunities with U.S. coach Robert Dover as part of the Christian Kennedy Future Stars Scholarship.
Robert Dover reviewed dozens of applications once again in 2019 and gave two young riders the Christian Kennedy Future Stars Scholarship for 1 free month of training in Wellington anytime during the calendar year.
The two kids are 12-year old Kasey Denny, of Hutto, Texas, riding her 12 year old, Hanoverian gelding San Dante. Also receiving a scholarship is 14-year old Tori Belles from Bethal, PA., riding her 9 year old, Danish Warmblood gelding Romulus.
Both Belles and Denny have been competitors at the Global Dressage Festival on the Wellington show circuit in 2018.
“I am thrilled to be able to give back to these two super American kids who I know will have fantastic futures in the sport of Dressage," said Dover.
This is the third year of the Christian Kennedy Future Stars Scholarship Program, the purpose of which is to identify and nurture young people who are U.S. citizens with and possess what Robert defines as “that X factor”. This same quality is looked for in schools such as Juilliard.
Past winners of the scholarship are:
2017
- Christian Kennedy, 20 years old
- Sophia Schultz, 16 years old from Wellington, FL
- Hannah Pierucci, 21 years old from Houston, TX
- Robert Lueck, 19 years old from Long Island, NY
2018
- Geena Martin, 25 years old from Gainesville, FL
- David Botana, 15 years old from Arora, IL,
- Carly Veesers, 23 years old from Powers, MI
- Paige Hendrick, 11 years old from Exeter, RI
Photo © Sue Stickle
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