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Scholarship Program

Purpose: To provide financial assistance and encourage participation in hunter and jumper related educational programs, including horse shows and clinics, sponsored by the Foundation and third party organizations recognized by the Foundation.

Qualification: Scholarships are available to any resident of the state of Washington that:

1. has participated as either a rider or horse owner in at least one United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) rated hunter and jumper horse show in the state of Washington during the 12 month period preceding submission of their scholarship application, and

2. is able to demonstrate a financial need and/or a level of mastery of the hunter and jumper disciplines

Application Procedure: Scholarship applications shall be submitted in writing or by email to the Foundation’s Executive Board by November 31st or the date specified by the scholarship program listed on the Foundation’s web site and/or registration materials distributed to potential participants.

Recognized Educational Programs:

1. Automatic Approval for National Finals
All qualified applicants who have met the participation requirements of any of the following out-of-state national hunter and jumper finals, shall automatically receive up to $1 per mile (measuring the distance between their primary residence in the state of Washington and the location of the eligible national final) for each final attended. The actual amount of each scholarship grant shall be determined by the Executive Board by dividing the total pool established that calendar year for National Finals Scholarships by the number of miles applied for. Scholarship payments will be made before the end of the calendar year directly to the recipient after providing proof of participation in the final or evidence that they had used their best commercially available effort to participate.

Eligible National Finals
1. USEF Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final
2. USEF Pony Equitation Medal Final
3. USEF Adult Amateur Zone 8,9,10 Regional Hunter Seat Medal Final
4. USEF Junior Zone 8,9,10 Regional Hunter Seat Medal Final
5. USET Talent Search West Final
6. USET Talent Search East Final
7. ASPCA/Maclay Final
8. Ariat Adult Medal Final
9. Show Circuit Magazine Children’s Medal Final
10. Washington International Junior Equitation Final
11. Washington International Pony Equitation Final
12. USEF Junior Jumper Prix de States
13. USEF National Junior Jumper Championship
14. USEF Pony Jumper Final
15. West Cost Pony Finals
16. National Horseshow Children’s Jumper Championship
17. National Horseshow Adult Amateur Jumper Championship
18. North American Young Rider Championship
19. USEF Pony Hunter Finals
20. West Cost Pony Hunter Finals
21. USEF Junior Hunter National Championship – East and West
22. USEF National Hunter Breeding Championships (yearling, 2 and 3 year olds)
23. Ronnie Mutch Equitation Classic
24. THIS Medal Finals

2. Foundation Horse Shows and Clinics
Qualified applicants are also eligible to receive scholarships of up to $1,000 to participate in each of the educational programs that the Foundation sponsors during the calendar year. The amount and number of scholarships for each horse show and clinic will be established by the Executive Board and published in advance on the Foundation’s web site and in the registration materials that are distributed to prospective participants. If the number of applications received from qualified applicants exceeds the number of available scholarships offered, the Executive Board, or a committee established by the Executive Board, will select grant recipients using the following scoring methodology (based on representations made by the applicant in their application):

a. All qualified applicants start the selection process with 100 points
b. Delete 30 points if the applicant has received more than $1,000 in scholarships from the Foundation during the past 12 months
c. Delete 20 points if the applicant has already qualified for an eligible national final during the current calendar year (whether or not they have applied for a scholarship)
d. Delete 15 points if a member of the applicant’s immediate family has either received a scholarship from the Foundation during past 12 months or has already qualified for a national final (whether or not they have applied for a scholarship)
e. Delete 10 points if the applicant has received between $500 and $1,000 in scholarships from the Foundation during the past 12 months
f. Delete 5 points for every multi-day out-of-state horse show attended by the applicant in the past 12 months
g. Add 4 points for each multi-day horse show attended by the applicant in the state of Washington during the past 12 months
h. Add 2 points for every full day of hunter and jumper related clinics attended by the applicant during the past 12 months
i. Add 1 point for every hour of volunteer service benefiting the Foundation performed by the applicant during the past 12 months

Ties shall be broken by a majority vote of the Executive Board or committee giving first consideration to those applicants with the greatest perceived financial need and then, if a tie still exists, to the remaining applicants who possess the highest perceived level of mastery in the hunter and jumper disciplines. Members of the Executive Board or committee shall recuse themselves from a tie breaking vote involving any applicant where there is a family member or a close personal or professional relationship involved. All votes will be recorded and available for independent review to ensure that improper private benefits are not being given.

Scholarship grants under this program are intended to reimburse recipients for their out-of-pocket payment to the Foundation for the educational programs being attended. If the final amount paid by the recipient (net of any credits or refunds) resulting from their participation is less than the approved grant, the scholarship payment shall be reduced accordingly.

3. Other Scholarships
The Executive Board is also authorized to grant additional scholarships and establish new scholarship programs that:

a. Are non-discriminatory and serve the public interest,
b. Are proper with respect to the Foundation’s purpose,
c. Are reasonable and conforming to legitimate standards, and
d. Are objectively managed and overseen.