Gerry Dilger

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 Equine Scholarship Foundation would like to express its gratitude and appreciation to all its supporters that have contributed to the charity that assists young people starting off in the bloodstock business. Based in Lexington, Kentucky, the foundation commenced its activities just three years ago in memory of County Clare native Gerry Dilger whose Dromoland Farm specialized in successful sales pinhooks and an elite breeding operation with great partners that produced consecutive Kentucky Derby winners Nyquist (Uncle Mo) and Always Dreaming (Bodemeister). However, Gerry was equally renowned as...

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...

Jayne Redmond and Darcie Murray are the latest scholarship recipients from the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation, which benefits young people globally who are eager to learn and experience the bloodstock business by granting them the opportunity to travel, work and learn in the United States and Ireland. Redmond, from County Clare, is currently an equine science student at the University of Limerick. She is in Kentucky working at Lane's End Farm through August of this year and is particularly interested in learning about mare and foal management. "I hope...

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...

The inaugural golf tournament fundraiser for the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation was held Oct. 10 at Houston Oaks Golf Course and was a tremendous success. On behalf of our board, and the Dilger Family, we would like to extend a warm thank you to everyone who helped to make this first fundraiser happen. It was great to see so many people come out. We had wonderful support from the equine community. A very special thank you to Ashford Stud, Eddie Woods, Fasig Tipton, Garrett O'Rourke, Hagyards Equine Medical Institute,...

The Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation will hold its inaugural golf tournament and auction Oct. 10 at Houston Oaks Golf Course in Paris, Kentucky. In a short period of time the foundation has awarded scholarships to eight young people from North America and Europe. This was made possible by the support and collaboration of KEMI, Irish National Stud, Springhouse Farm, Lane's End, University of Limerick, University College Dublin and the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. This inaugural golf tournament has sponsorship and donation opportunities...

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...

The board of the Gerry Dilger Equine Foundation has announced that its second one-time only scholarship has been awarded to Roisin Whelan. She will receive a scholarship to the Irish National Stud program for 2022. Earlier this year, the foundation granted its first one-time only scholarship for a student enrolled in the University of Kentucky Equine Program. The foundation has been so well supported by a multitude of donors worldwide, that it was in a position to grant extra scholarships. This particular grant was created to give an Irish citizen...

Gemma Blumenshine is the recipient of the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation's annual scholarship to the Irish National Stud in conjunction with the Kentucky Equine Management Internship (KEMI), the board announced on Wednesday. Blumenshine's profile and strong work ethic impressed the board as the candidate who was most deserving of the unique experience and opportunity to be a part of the Irish National Stud program in 2022. Blumenshine, who grew up in Clovis, California, majored in Animal Science and minored in Diary Industries at California Polytechnic State University. She started...

The board of the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation announced the recipient of a one-time scholarship, with Shelby DeVita, a senior majoring in Equine Science and Management at the University of Kentucky, receiving a grant of a semester's tuition. DeVita has worked for Calumet Farm and is currently working as a tech at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. She is Vice President of the UK rodeo team and participates in roping and barrel racing competitions. In addition, the board announced a one-time scholarship to the Irish National Stud. Full tuition...