Olympic medallist and former Swedish dressage champion Ulla Håkanson has decided to pay it forward and wants to help Swedish Equestrianism by creating the "Ajax Fund".
The 68-year old Håkanson had a fairytale dressage career and now decided it is time to pay it forward. At the Falsterbo Horse Show CDI, she will launch her "Ajax Fund" (of of 200,000 Swedish Kroner) which will support promising young dressage riders without the financial benefits to make it to the top. Riders who graduated from high school can apply for the "Ajax Fund".
"I had the plan to create the fund for some years, but it wasn't until now that we found the right format for it," Håkanson said. "I think that we lose talent riders after the junior riders' age and that is sad. If the Ajax Fund can change that I´d feel good because we need riders that can train horses to Grand Prix level, if we want to have a chance at continuing to win medals at European Championships and Olympic Games in the future."
The money in the fund is meant to cover trainer's fees and the livery fees to keep a horse at the trainer's stable for two years. "It's very important to train with the help of a really good rider if you want to develop as a rider," Håkanson said, adding that "it doesn't matter if it is in Sweden or abroad."
Ulla had a burning interest for horses since she was a child and her first horse, Ajax, was a legend for Swedish Dressage. Ajax started his show career as a showjumper and then became a dressage horse. Håkanson and Ajax were members of the bronze medal winning team at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
"I trained Ajax from the beginning and have worked all my horses the same way," Håkanson commented. She hopes that her scholarship will give Swedish Dressage a boost in the right direction.
Swedish riders can apply for the Fund until July 1, 2005. They have to have graduated from high school so pony riders are not allowed. "They have to have finished school, and have grown up a bit so that they are sure that this is what they want to go for," Ulla explained. So far, four riders have showed interest. The winner of the Ajax Fund will be announced at the Falsterbo Horse Show July 8-10, 2005.
Source: Kristianstads Bladet
Translation by Tidningen Ridsport for Eurodressage.com
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