Suzanne Bollman - A Charitable Lady

When she is not teaching, riding or competing, Suzanne can usually be found pursuing her other passion- contributing to charities and civic organizations.  Suzanne is a hands-on, active contributor to a number of important charities.  She has even parlayed her equestrian success Along with doing exhibition rides for charitable events over the years at fundraising events for non-profit organizations such as the Salvation Army, Shade Tree Home for Girls, and in memory of the 9/11 victims and their families, Suzanne Dansby Bollman now "riding for charity" full time wherever she goes with her horses …even when showing.

The idea of turning show riding into a charity event came to Suzanne in 2004 while riding at the Devon at Devon CDI.  At Devon, Suzanne made a pledge to give all the prize money she won to a local charity. That year she gave the $1200 in prize money won in the Grand Prix classes to "Thorncroft", the local non-profit therapeutic riding program the Devon horse show was raising money for.  Later that year her two horses, Cooper and Kasper, each won Grand Prix level championship classes at the USDF Region Three Championships, held at the Georgia International Horse Parking Conyers.  That prize money totaled $500 so Suzanne put up a "challenge".  For every individual or group who would donate $100 or more, she would double her donation which would be split between the USDF and the Atlanta Humane Society.  A group of others met this challenge.  As a result, the USDF and the Greater Atlanta Humane Society were recipients of $550 each.

Since then Suzanne has donated all her prize money won in the  Grand Prix qualifiers for the World Cup and the Grand Prix Championships in Florida to local charities..  This includes a long list of non-profit organizations focusing mainly on animal welfare, education, health and child abuse/intervention and to her church. Suzanne has set and example for other riders, who now also donate a portion of their winnings to charity, as well.

She currently serves on boards of the Animal Health Trust/US, the Susan Mott Webb Charitable Trust in Birmingham, Alabama and as an honorary board member of Shade Tree Home for Girls in Edgefield, South Carolina.  She also holds a position on the Development Committee of the USDF.

Suzanne is quoted as saying,

"This is what life is about.  When one is in a position to give back, do it.  If you have the resources to give to what you believe in, either become involved in giving with your time and abilities or give in other ways.  In my mind, in order to be truly successful, it is to share one's knowledge and give back to others, especially to those in need."