Apprenticeship program

Leif Aho (age 20)

I have been volunteering and riding for about a year and a half with the Fidelis Foundation. I love working with the different programs of the foundation, from working with the children in the Equine Program, to learning how to teach lessons with the members of the Rising Star Program.   I have graduated from being a Rising Star to now being an Apprentice of the foundation. As a part of the Apprentice Program, I get to spend a lot of time learning the ropes to running an equine business, and taking lessons to help my riding career with Stacy Gormley. I am currently schooling the Grand Prix on Flamenco, and our goal this season is to qualify for the Brentina Cup. I hope that through my competing in the equine community, I will be able to help spread the word about the Fidelis Foundation so that we can continue to grow and help many more people in need.

Marissa Aho's (age 21)

Horses have been a big part of my life ever since I was 4 years old. We moved into an equine community and my 2 eldest sisters teamed up and bought an old appaloosa gelding named Garfield. I rode him every chance I got, which was about every day and we would go cantering around our neighborhood bareback. Since then I have jumped from trainer to trainer along with switching disciplines from jumping to dressage to polo to driving then back to jumping and then finally back to the amazing sport of dressage. I have always loved watching dressage and had dreams of becoming an upper level rider but never seen them possible until I found the Fidelis Foundation and began training with Stacy Gormley. I am currently schooling 3rd level dressage with my Friesian horse Zoey, who is also in training with Stacy. We hope to be competing 3rd level by the time season starts.

I am now a part of the Fidelis Foundation Apprenticeship Program and hope to learn the ropes of the equine business as well as spending more time with the children in the foundation. I also hope to represent the Fidelis Foundation in this coming show season and help get the word out of the many great things the foundation is doing for hurting children.

The Apprenticeship Program was founded to give aspiring young adults who exemplify high moral character and devotion to the equestrian sport the opportunity to give back to children using their equestrian knowledge and talents. This is a junior leadership team who take part as Assistant Trainers in sessions with the children involved in the Fidelis Foundation equine program. As Apprentices, they learn valuable teaching methods under the supervision of the Fidelis Foundation’s Head Trainers as well as assisting the Fidelis Foundation’s volunteers and Board of Directors in many aspects of the operations of foundation including scheduling and equine maintenance.

Each Apprentice is mentored in managing a successful equestrian business, caring for horses to an excellent standard, and the importance of giving back and living their lives as a positive role model to the children who participate in the foundations equine programs. The Apprenticeship Team also required representing the Fidelis Foundation in a positive way to the press and the public at clinics, competitions and special events.