Apha

Youth World Show Scholarships

History

In 2015, the AjPHA Youth World Championship Show became an all-scholarship show—the first of its kind in the horse industry. To understand how it came about, you have to go back to 2013, when a group of halter industry supporters made private donations to the American Paint Horse Foundation to fund scholarships for halter classes. The inaugural halter scholarships—presented to each class’ world and reserve world champions—were awarded at the 2013 Youth World Show and totaled $15,000.
Halter enthusiasts also added donations for the 2014 Youth World Show. In a new twist, scholarships were awarded through sixth place across ten classes, giving more exhibitors a chance at the cash. In fact, more than 40 Youth earned halter-event scholarships at that year’s show.
In 2015, the American Paint Horse Foundation stepped up to the plate to offer $1,300 in base scholarship money for each of the 80 World Championship classes at the 2015 Youth World Show. Halter enthusiasts again donated extra funds for halter scholarships and for the first time, performance enthusiasts could donate addition scholarship funds to specific performance classes. When the curtain closed on the 2015 Show, 155 Youth walked away with scholarship checks.
The 2016 Youth World Show offered scholarships in every World Championship class. Payouts per class ranged from $1,300 to more than $5,000. Scholarships were awarded to exhibitors placing first through third, plus a randomly drawn exhibitor, in each class. Additional private donations to the coffers for selected classes increased both overall payouts and their depth, reaching the top five- or six-placing exhibitors plus special payouts.
At the 2016 show, 153 exhibitors earned scholarships and over half of them were first time scholarship winners. When the 2017 show wrapped up, 154 total exhibitors earned scholarships with 88 of them being first time scholarship recipients.
The American Paint Horse Foundation keeps track of all scholarship funds for our young exhibitors until they request the funds for college. Some older exhibitors, competing one last time with their Paint Horses before they aged out of the division and entered the next horizon of their educational careers, will put their scholarships to use right away, paying for tuition, books and more to further their futures. Others have years of potential ahead of them, the opportunity to collect a war chest of college cash that will reward them—and their families—for an investment in Paint Horses and all the intrinsic benefits that come along with a life shared with horses.

To Date

Since 2013, when the Youth World Show Scholarship program debuted, 346 exhibitors have earned scholarships for their placings during the summer show. Seventy six of those exhibitors who have graduated from high school have applied for over $100,000 in scholarship funds to be sent to their respective colleges.

College Equestrian Concerns

Many exhibitors who have used their merit-based Youth World Show scholarships also participate on college equestrian teams. To date, there have been no issues with student athletes receiving our scholarships. For those on scholarship, the APHF completes an NCAA compliance form.

Want to donate to our Youth World Championship Show Scholarship Endowment

Use our easy donation form to give a gift to support the higher education of our Paint Horse youth. Completion of our $3M Youth World Championship Show endowment will generate scholarships in perpetuity.

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