AMHA Congratulates our 2020 van Schaik Dressage Scholarship Recipient

March 25, 2020

The AMHA is proud to announce our 2020 van Schaik Dressage Scholarship recipient, Renee Surprenant. Renee was chosen from a group of eight excellent candidates. Congratulations, Renee!

Having competed with other breeds for many years, Renee got her first Morgan, TOUCH OF RUM CH (aka Prin) six years ago and they have been competing in Morgan and Open Competition Dressage ever since. Renee said that she transitioned over to Morgans and “will never look back.” She describes Prin as the ultimate Morgan ambassador who attracts attention simply with her presence. At just 14.1 hands, Prin presents herself much larger with elegance and extreme suppleness. Renee and Prin plan to start their show season in the Spring at Intermediate I and work through Grand Prix level. Renee also plans to debut her young mare, KENNEBEC JUBILEE, this year at Training Level I.

Renee said, “I love sharing this breed with the Dressage world, because the temperament and athleticism of this breed is truly amazing. I believe Morgans are more affordable to the average riders and have the ability to do this beautiful work. They are also a better match for many riders due to their size and trainability. Training and competing Morgans at the FEI Levels surely shows other Equestrians what they are capable of.”

About the Scholarship…The van Schaik Dressage Scholarship is awarded in memory of Dr. H.L.M. van Schaik who fought to preserve the classical art of Horsemanship in Dressage. This scholarship is to aid an AMHA member in furthering his or her skill, knowledge, or proficiency in classically-ridden Dressage. AMHA took over administration of this scholarship in the fall of 2015 and recently completed a restructuring of the program. Beginning with this 2020 scholarship, members must make application to be considered. Emphasis will be placed on helping a rider move from the lower levels of dressage to fourth level and above. Applicants who have competed their Morgan(s) at First Level Test 3 or above and received a 60 percent or higher score at a recognized competition will be given preference. Everyone with a passion for showing their Morgan in Dressage is encouraged to apply. (Note: Previous van Schaik Dressage Scholarship recipients are not eligible.) Additional information and the application are on our website at https://www.morganhorse.com/programs/van-schaik/.

Thank you, Renee, and ALL of our applicants, for your dedication and hard work. You are awesome Morgan ambassadors and we wish you the best in 2020!