Coyne and Harrison-Antell, Recipients of 2020 Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize

Dressage

U.S.A.

Kelly Coyne and Kristina Harrison-Antell became the two recipients of the $25,000 Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prizes of 2020.

Coyne of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was selected for the grant with her horse Brilliance and Harrison-Antell of Los Angeles, California, with her horse Finley.

These riders were selected because they display the characteristics and qualities of being talented, committed, qualified riders with plans to reach and excel at the international levels of dressage.

Coyne and Brilliance

Brilliance is an 8-year-old Lipizzan/Dutch Warmblood mare bred and owned by Kelly. The pair was named the 2019 Region 1 Fourth Level Open Champions and are currently competing at Intermediate 2. Kelly will use the funds to travel to Florida for the winter season to train with Olympian Michael Poulin. She also plans to compete at Adequan Global Dressage Festival.

Kelly said, “What an incredible honor it is to be selected as one of this year's recipients of the Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize! Brilliance is my horse of a lifetime and I am overjoyed to now have the resources to continue our journey and take her training to the next level. I am so thankful to my coach and mentor Michael Poulin for his tutelage, and for always inspiring and motivating me. A million thanks go to Carol Lavell and The Dressage Foundation for giving aspiring riders and horses such wonderful opportunities to continue to learn, to succeed, and to keep reaching for their dreams.”

Harrison-Antell and Finley

Kristina currently competes her Finley, a 10-year-old KWPN gelding, at Intermediaire I. They are members of the Kundrun USEF Dressage Development Program and received third place in Prix St. Georges and 6th place overall in the Small Tour at the 2019 Festival of Champions. Kristina plans to travel with Finley to Wellington, Florida, for the 2021 season. While there, she will train with Debbie McDonald and Button Baker, as well as compete in CDI competitions.

Kristina shared, “I am honored and humbled to be selected for this grant by The Dressage Foundation among so many talented horse and rider combinations! Finley is a once-in-a-lifetime horse and I pinch myself every single day that I am fortunate enough to own him. This grant money will be transformational in helping me accelerate Finley’s future through training and competitions on a larger stage.”

Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize Fund

The Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize Fund was established in 2009 in special remembrance of Carol's mother, May Cadwgan, and in honor of her father, Gordon Cadwgan. Since that time, the Prize Fund has made sixteen awards totaling $400,000 in support of U.S. High Performance teams.