As the fifth anniversary of my father's passing approaches on March 4, I can't help but reflect on the past few years and all we've accomplished in his name. Because of each of you, whether you've donated to the foundation or attended our annual golf tournament, helped a young person in their career endeavors in the industry, or simply regaled a fond story of my dad, you have supported us to achieve our most basic goal – to keep his memory alive. On behalf of myself, my mom Erin, my siblings Joseph and Grace, we are grateful to you for the blessings that have come from what was the hardest moment of our lives.
In 1979, a young and ambitious man from Co. Clare headed down the runway which would lead him to America, nearly taking two steps back with every foot forward. What was meant to be a six-month stint in Kentucky led to a lifetime of trial and tribulation, friendships turned into family, and an abundance of happy memories along the way. Without his courage and positive attitude, the path he paved for himself, and many others, would not have come to fruition in the way that it has. Our foundation began as the brainchild of a few of his closest friends, with the dream of providing a scholarship to a young man or woman to attend the Irish National Stud, the world-renowned thoroughbred breeding management course that counts Gerry Dilger as a graduate of the Class of 1977.
Because of your support, we have been able to dream bigger and provide scholarships to young people on both sides of the Atlantic. We are currently supporting four students attending the Irish National Stud: a young man from America, a young woman from Columbia, and two Irish citizens from Co. Meath. Additionally, at the end of 2023, we envisioned providing a full-time year-long placement on a prominent stud farm to a student wanting to gain experience in Kentucky, and thus, in 2024, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Experience was born. This opportunity allows a student of qualifying equine programs in Ireland to experience our breeding and foaling season, yearling and weanling preparation, and annual sales at Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton, under the guidance of well-respected horsemen in Kentucky. Since then, we've brought five outstanding young men and women to experience America and the industry within Kentucky. Between providing scholarships to the Irish National Stud and Kentucky, we have
granted 32 scholarships to young men and women to further their education and experience.
None of this could have been possible without the help of our many partners both in Kentucky and Ireland. We express our deepest gratitude to Gabriel “Spider” and Aisling Duignan of
Springhouse Farm and Paramount Sales; Adrian Regan, Fergus Galvin, John Wade, and Tony Hegarty of Hunter Valley Farm, who've graciously accepted our students each year to learn from some of the best the industry has to offer. Your generosity and commitment to the next generation has enabled us to continue my dad's passion for mentoring young people each year, like himself, who embody the values of hard work, integrity, kindness, a drive for expertise, and an unwavering good spirit, just as he instilled in those who once came through Dromoland Farm.
In Ireland, we are indebted to Cathal Beale and Anne Channon of the Irish National Stud, who have welcomed our mission with open arms to provide educational opportunities and hands-on
experience to those eager to learn and progress in their careers. The teams at our partner institutions have promoted our scholarship opportunities to their students each year, providing us with diverse and talented applicant pools. Without their support, we wouldn't be able to provide such wonderful international experiences as we do today. From the bottom of our hearts, many thanks to each of you for helping us open doors for the next generation.
Lastly, I cannot express enough gratitude towards the members of our board and our volunteers, who volunteer their time, energy, and expertise out of their busy schedules to help us carry on my dad's legacy. To Boyd Browning, Lesley Campion, Padraig Campion, Pat Costello, Aisling and Spider Duignan, Stuart Fitzgibbon, Dermot Joyce, Robbie Lyons, Liz Moloney, Adrian Regan, and Mike Ryan; you have played an important role in the Dilger's lives throughout the years and are greatly appreciated. Without each of you, we could not continue to offer young men and women a “leg up” in this industry, just as my dad did for over 26 years. Your kindness, generosity, and love have carried this foundation and our family for the last five years, and for that I am eternally grateful. How lucky are we to call each of you not only our closest friends, but family. To my mom, Erin, thank you for your inspiring courage and constant strength as we navigate each new chapter of life with our foundation and family.
I am incredibly proud to be a part of an industry that shows kindness, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to the future generation of horsemen and women like no other. Your
support and contributions are changing the lives of young people every day, creating a promising, bright future for our industry and the generations to come. It is something so
remarkable that I've been fortunate to see firsthand over the last few years. Thank you for allowing us to keep my dad's memory alive, continue his passion for mentoring others, and
fulfill our biggest dreams.
The post Letter to the Industry: Claire Dilger on Behalf of the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
