In its commitment to education, The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. (USPC or Pony Club) offers a variety of college scholarships, and this year, USPC has awarded a total of $7,500 in college scholarships to seven Pony Club members in 2023. These exceptional recipients all demonstrated outstanding achievements in academics, sportsmanship, and leadership through horsemanship.
“These student are excellent examples of what a Pony Club education has to offer,” said USPC Executive Director Teresa Woods. “The life skills that Pony Club teaches will serve them well in the classroom, the workplace, and beyond. Our college scholarships reflect our commitment to education and give back to a membership that values the pursuit of knowledge and excellence in all forms.”
Pony Club is honored to recognize the following individuals:
2023 USPC Triple Crown Nutrition Scholarship ($1,000), sponsored by Triple Crown Nutrition, official feed sponsor of USPC—Shawn Walden
This scholarship rewards members for excellence in academics and outstanding achievements in Pony Club. This year’s recipient is Shawn Walden of Lake Waukomis, Mo., a C-3 Eventing and H-B Horse Management certified member of Mill Creek Pony Club in the Midwest Region. He is a film major planning on attending either the University of Missouri or Arizona State University.
2023 USPC Dorothy Renfro Memorial Scholarship ($1,000)—Natalie Hamilton
This scholarship is awarded annually for higher education to an active Pony Club member who exhibits the qualities that Dorothy Renfro valued most: leadership, horse management, and volunteering time and energy to beneficial activities. Natalie Hamilton of Reno, Nev., was this year’s recipient. A member of Silver State Pony Club in the Sierra Pacific Region, Hamilton has earned her C-1 Dressage, C-2 Hunt Seat Equitation and H-A Horse Management certifications. She is an animal science and management major attending the University of California, Davis.
2023 Anson W.H. Taylor Memorial Scholarship from USPC and Equine Land Conservation Resource ($1,500)—Meghan Hill
The Anson W.H. Taylor Memorial Scholarship is sponsored by Pony Club and Equine Land Conservation Resource (ELCR) in memory of former Pony Club president and ELCR founder Anson Taylor. The scholarship is awarded to a current Pony Club member who has been actively committed to land conservation efforts. Meghan Hill of Petaluma, Calif., is a C-1 Dressage and C-2 Horse Management certified member of Sonoma Coastal EquesTraining Center Pony Club Riding Center in the Sierra Pacific Region. She is majoring in sustainability and management at Royal Holloway University, University of London.
2023 USPC Jubilee Scholarship ($1,000 each)—Julia Magsam and Delaney O’Neil
The Pony Club Jubilee Scholarships are awarded to two Pony Club members for excellence in academic pursuits and outstanding achievements in Pony Club. The scholarship was established in honor of USPC’s 50th anniversary in 2004. This year’s recipients are Julia Magsam and Delaney O’Neil.
A member of Bluegrass Pony Club in the Midsouth Region, Julia Magsam of Sadieville, Ky., has earned her C-3 in Dressage, C-1 in Eventing, and H-B in Horse Management. Magsam is a second-time USPC scholarship recipient, pursuing a degree in biomedical sciences at Georgetown College in Kentucky.
Delaney O’Neil of White Hall, Md., is a member of Elkridge-Harford Pony Club in the Maryland Region. O’Neil has earned a C-2 in Eventing and Horse Management. She intends to study nursing.
2023 Stanley R. and Martha C. Helbert Memorial Scholarship ($1,000)—Samuel “Levi” Moreland
The Stanley R. and Martha C. Helbert Scholarship is awarded annually to a Pony Club member pursuing the liberal arts in areas such as literature, music, theater, and visual arts. Samuel “Levi” Moreland of Dallas, Ga., was this year’s recipient and is a C-2 Eventing and Horse Management certified member of Atlanta Pony Club in the South Region. He plans to major in architectural engineering at Kennesaw State University.
2023 USPC Bodgie Read Memorial Scholarship ($1,000)—Lydia McKenzie
The Bodgie Read Memorial Scholarship is given to a Dressage- or Eventing-certified member who exhibits the qualities that Bodgie Read valued most: volunteerism and participation in both disciplines. This year’s recipient is Lydia McKenzie from Columbus, Ohio. McKenzie has earned her C-2 in Eventing and Horse Management and is a member of Hunter’s Run Pony Club in the Tri-State Region. She will be pursuing a nursing major.
Pony Club scholarship recipients are selected through an application process administered by Pony Club, with essay submissions reviewed by a scholarship committee and chosen according to the unique requirements for each opportunity. Visit the Pony Club website to learn more about our college scholarship opportunities.
About The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. — The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. (USPC or Pony Club) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization that builds the foundation of teamwork and sportsmanship through riding, mounted sports, and care of horses and ponies, while developing and enhancing leadership, confidence, responsibility, and a sense of community in its youth and adult members. USPC is proud to offer instruction and competitive opportunities in 11 competitive disciplines through hundreds of clubs and centers across the United States. USPC’s educational standards continue to be instrumental in curriculum development for schools, universities, equestrian professionals, and organizations across the United States. Many of the nation’s top equestrians, including Olympic team members, as well as successful business professionals and leaders in a variety of fields, have roots in Pony Club. For more information, please visit www.ponyclub.org.
Press Contact: Sarah Evers Conrad, communications@ponyclub.org
Pony Club: ponyclub.org | (859) 254-7669
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