Scholarships
New DW Scholarships 2013
For Junior and AA Riders
by Merelyn Hunkin
After lengthy deliberation, a committee composed of Merelyn Hunkin, Ashley Fudge and Christine Stevens have revamped the scholarship programs offered by DW. We would encourage all eligible riders to enter this scholarship program. The format for participating in the scholarship program is not difficult!
Scholarships will be offered for the following categories:
(A) de Kenyeres Junior Rider Development Scholarships
- Two scholarships worth $250.00 each for the age group 11-15 years
- Two scholarships worth $300.00 each for the age group 16-21 years
(B) AA Riders Scholarships
- Two scholarships worth $300.00 each for riders aged 22 years or older, who are AA riders competing no higher than First Level currently.
The riders would have to pay for and send in their entry of $10.00 for the scholarship program by July 16 , 2013. The riders would have to complete the requisite quiz and return it to Merelyn Hunkin by August 16, 2013. The riders would have to enter an equitation class, either at a bronze or gold dressage show run by DW or Westman Dressage prior to the final DW show in September, 2013. Entrants at each level would have to be members of Dressage Winnipeg who have not won a scholarship at this level before.
All entrants who compete for the scholarships would have to enter the final de Kenyeres equitation class at the September, 2013 DW show, but would not be required to enter any other classes at the show. If they did not enter any other classes , they would still be required to pay any office fees required by the show. Entrants would only be able to win a scholarship once in each category.
The winners of the scholarships would be determined by the following criteria:
- 30% of the total marks would come from the results of the quiz.
- 30% of the total marks would come from the results of the highest equitation score, which must be 65% or more, from the rider's bronze or gold dressage DW or Westman competitions.
- 40% of the total marks would come from the rider's DK equitation score at the final DW show in September.
- Entrants to the program would have to achieve an overall total score of 65% to be eligible for a scholarship.
There is a possibility that members of Westman Dressage will also be participating in our scholarship programs this year.
Registration forms for the scholarship programs can be downloaded here or requested from Merelyn Hunkin ( Phone # 204-267-2889). The quizzes will be sent to the entrants immediately upon entering the scholarship programs.
Download Scholarship Application Form
27 August 2009
Captain John de Kenyeres (1918-2004)
The equestrian discipline of dressage in Winnipeg and Manitoba owes much to Captain John de Kenyeres. Captain de Kenyeres came to Canada in 1956 from Hungary at the time of the Hungarian Revolution. He and his wife, Katherine, settled in Toronto where he was offered a position with the prestigious Eglinton Pony Club as manager and chief equestrian instructor. While in Toronto, he became Honorary Captain of the Lieutenant Governor's Horse Guard.
John de Kenyeres grew up in Hungary. In 1918 he graduated from the Ludovika Royal Hungarian Military College with the rank of lieutenant. He was assigned to the 4th Hussar Regiment of Nyiregyhaza and as a member of the regiment fought in the Second World War (1939-1945) where he was wounded and decorated for bravery. In 1945, he was captured by Soviet forces and was interned for six years in a prisoner of war camp and then on his return to Hungary was incarcerated for another three years as a political prisoner.
In 1970, Captain de Kenyeres moved from Toronto to Winnipeg when he was hired as riding instructor for the Charleswood Riding Club, a private riding stable owned by the Richardson family. The Charleswood Riding Club was later sold to Rick Payne and was renamed Westgates Stable. Captain Kenyeres continued at Westgates until his retirement. He died in Winnipeg on 30 May 2004.
Captain John de Kenyeres, "The Captain", brought to his classes his own equestrian training in the Hungarian military. He was an educated, sophisticated man of aristocratic background with a passion for horses and classical riding. While at Westgates he encouraged the development of dressage as an equestrian discipline in Winnipeg and Manitoba. He initiated dressage horse shows, the first being at the Charleswood Riding Club in 1973. At the same time, he served as a judge for national and international equestrian competitions. In 1975 under Captain Kenyeres' direction, for the first time, Manitoba sent an equestrian team (dressage, eventing and jumping), to the Western Canada Games held in Regina. During the 1970's several judges' clinics were held at Charleswood/Westgates and monies were raised to sponsor riders so that they could go to the National Championships. In 1976, following the Olympics, world famous equestrian, George Theodorescu, came to Charleswood to evaluate the horses and riders. An early Kenyeres rider Gillian Sevier writes: "John [de Kenyeres] , of course, was absolutely vital to all of these activities as his advice and help was always needed. He taught virtually all of our early dressage riders and continued teaching - and I mean ‘teaching', not coaching or training - up until he could no longer drive."
Captain de Kenyeres' disciplined approach to the instruction of dressage has had a lasting impact on the advance of this equestrian discipline in Winnipeg. As the riding school master at Charleswood/Westgates Stable, he introduced dressage to a number of riders who later opened their own dressage barns and rode competitively, such as Elke Otumba, Hilary Versavel, Judy Wilson and Judy Wittman. Others rode competitively like Jacquie Crone, Cheryl Hemming, Lisa Paterson, Louise Prendergast, and Susan Ramsay; and still others became judges like Jennifer Labella and Kathy Sevier-Wiens.
Beyond managing dressage barns and introducing a host of young and not so young riders to dressage, a number of De Kenyeres riders became involved in the organization of the discipline of dressage in the province. Their work has been central to the creation of the Manitoba Dressage Association (MDA) in 1976 and Dressage Winnipeg (DW) in 1987. Kenyeres riders who served as chairs of the Manitoba Dressage Association and Dressage Winnipeg include: Cheryl Hemming, Louise Prendergast, Hilary Versavel and Judy Wittman.
Captain John de Kenyeres' passion for horses and classical riding lives on in the work of Dressage Winnipeg, its horse shows, riding clinics and riders committed to equestrian sport.
The Captain John de Kenyeres Junior Rider Development Fund
In the autumn of 1998, Captain John de Kenyeres donated funds to Dressage Winnipeg in loving memory of his wife, Katherine, who passed away earlier that year. The monies were to be used to further dressage awareness for young riders. In 2000, Dressage Winnipeg struck a committee to establish a process whereby the funds could be used. After much consultation with Captain de Kenyeres, the Junior Rider Development Fund was established. The Fund provides young riders with the opportunity to take riding lessons taught by approved dressage coaches in Winnipeg and its surrounding region.
Each year Dressage Winnipeg organizes a competition supported by the Captain John de Kenyeres Junior Rider Development Fund. Riders between the ages of 12 and 18 years are encouraged to apply. The competition involves participation in a number of schooling shows throughout a calendar year, an essay on horsemanship, and (if an applicant becomes one of ten qualifiers), entry into the Captain John de Kenyeres Memorial Horse Show, held in June.
References:"Passages," Winnipeg Free Press, 5 June 2004
Dressage Winnipeg Archival Collection
