Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation

The board of the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation has announced Niamh Carr and Bobby Ring as the two recipients of its 2026 Irish National Stud scholarships. Both will receive full tuition as they embark on the Thoroughbred Breeding Management Course at the famed Kildare stud farm, which has been educating young people in bloodstock since 1971. County Kildare native Carr studied Animal and Equine Science at University College Dublin and has obtained on hand experience at Owenstown Stud in Maynooth. She also worked at Coolmore Stud and gained a...

The board of the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation has selected Chance McKeever and Mark Schrenger as recipients of its awards granted for the 2026 Thoroughbred Breeding Management Course at the Irish National Stud. McKeever, a Lexington, Kentucky native is the son of Grade I-winning trainer Andrew McKeever and has gained track experience as an assistant to his father at Keeneland and with Michael McCarthy. He is currently employed at Hunter Valley Farm and has prepped yearlings at Springhouse Farm. "I am delighted to have been awarded this scholarship, and,...

The Gerry Dilger Equine Foundation has opened the application process for its 2026 Irish National Stud Scholarship. Applicants must be currently working on a Kentucky horse farm with multiple years of experience, or currently enrolled as a 2025 KEMI spring intern, or must have completed the program last fall. Also, those who apply must be a resident of the U.S. A bachelor's degree in equine science is preferred, but not required. Applications are due by July 1. Scholarships cover airfare and tuition to the Irish National Stud in Kildare, Ireland,...

County Meath natives Jordan Kidd and Tara Carroll were announced on Sunday as the latest recipients of scholarships from the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation, awarded in the memory of Irish pinhooker and successful breeder, Gerry Dilger. The scholarships are open to Irish citizens, with the recipients earning a place on the Irish National Stud programme which Dilger himself completed. It includes fully paid tuition, room and board at the famed Kildare nursery. "Jordan impressed the board with his passion and enthusiasm as he seeks to obtain bloodstock experience having...

Edited Press Release The board of the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation is delighted to announce the two recipients of its Irish National Stud tuition and placement scholarship for 2025. Josefina Posada has traveled extensively in her quest to learn and progress in the bloodstock world. The Bogota, Columbia, native, attended Hartpury University in Gloucester, England, graduating with first class honors in Equine Science. She has also gained valuable experience at Barton Stud in England and is currently an intern at Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. In the future...

Applications are now open for the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Experience Scholarship 2025. Applicants must be recent graduates of the University College Dublin, University of Limerick, The Irish National Stud, CAFRE Enniskillen, or Kildalton Agriculture College. The application period runs until July 15. Scholarships cover airfare, visa expenses, a year-long placement at a Kentucky farm, and wages and housing. The scholarships are made possible by the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation, the Irish National Stud, Springhouse Farm, and Hunter Valley Farm. For more information, or to apply, please visit the Gerry...

The board of the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation named Gwen Browne and Shane Loughnane as recipients of scholarships, which includes tuition and room and board, for the 2024 National Stud course in county Kildare, Ireland, the organization said in a release Thursday. Studying Stud Management at Kildalton College in county Kilkenny while apprenticing under trainers Mags Mullins and Pat Foley, Browne subsequently worked for leading trainer Jessica Harrington's stables in county Kildare followed by a stint with Segenhoe Stud in the Hunter Valley, Australia. Prior to being accepted onto...

Sean Berns, Sarah Pepper and Larry Mulvany are the recipients of the Gerry Dilger Equine Foundation Kentucky Experience scholarship, which places the winners on Kentucky farms for a period of one year beginning in January 2024. Like the late and beloved Dilger, Berns graduated from the prestigious Irish National Stud and will be placed in Kentucky at Springhouse Farm. Though not originally from a horse background, Berns has studied equine business at Maynooth College and has worked at Derrinstown Stud and Coolmore in Ireland and at Newgate Stud in Australia....

The Gerry Dilger Foundation invites applications by July 1 for those interested in attending the Irish National Stud in Kildare, Ireland. The scholarship is aimed at individuals currently working on a Kentucky horse farm with multiple years of experience, those enrolled as a 2023 KEMI spring intern or participants who have completed last year's fall program. Application Requirements: Resident of the US Bachelor's degree in equine science preferred, but not required Application and information due July 1, 2023   Scholarship Provides: Round trip airfare for travel. Ticket must be economy/coach...

The Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation announced Elle Sorensen was named one of the 2023 Scholarship winners.  The County Limerick resident will be placed at Hunter Valley Farm in Lexington for the upcoming breeding season. Hunter Valley will provide the scholarship winner the opportunity to learn and develop with a leading thoroughbred boarding and sales consignment operation at the center of Kentucky's bloodstock region. Hunter Valley Farm co-owner Adrian Regan remarked, "Fergus Galvin and I are really looking forward to welcoming Elle to Kentucky. Hopefully, we can do half as...

Edited Release The Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation was set up two years ago by family and close friends in memory of Gerry Dilger. Gerry was a very successful breeder and pinhooker of many top horses, including consecutive GI Kentucky Derby winners Nyquist (Uncle Mo) and Always Dreaming (Bodemeister). More than his equine triumphs, Gerry was a mentor to so many young people through his Dromoland Farm, where he nurtured and assisted them as they commenced their careers in the bloodstock business. In recognition of this, the Foundation was established...

The Gerry Dilger Scholarship Foundation has granted one more scholarship for the upcoming 2022 breeding season, allowing University of Limerick student and Cashel, County Tipperary native Luke Kevin to travel from Ireland and work at Lane's End Farm. "I would like to give a huge thanks to the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation for giving me this great opportunity to work and learn in the U.S.," said Kevin, a third-year student in the Equine Science program who has gained prior experience at Ballysheehan, Martinstown and Ballinalard Studs. "On behalf of...