Announcement of New AQHA Region One Scholarship Program

Press release

The Washington, Oregon and Alaska American Quarter Horse Association state affiliates are proud to announce the kick-off of the Region One Scholarship Program, designed to benefit youth residing in the states and provinces within AQHA’s Region One (Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho and British Columbia). The program will be managed by the American Quarter Horse Foundation in Amarillo, Texas with a goal to raise a minimum of $100,000 by 2017, with $5,000 in annual scholarships being awarded the following year.

Jeff Williams, President of Washington State Quarter Horse Association (WSQHA) commented, “Our goal is to raise $100,000 over the next four years, but in reality we are already more than halfway there!” He continued, “I think with the people in Washington, Alaska and Oregon all focusing on raising money for the fund, that we’ll realistically be able to start paying out scholarships much sooner than we originally thought, plus the more we add on top of the $100,000, the more scholarship money our region’s youth with receive.”

Fundraising activities to date include the donation of Washington, Oregon and Alaska R1AQHA funds, and pledge drives held at this year’s respective Washington and Oregon annual conventions. Upcoming in 2014 is a charity dinner and auction to benefit the scholarship fund, as well as a new AQHA horse show circuit hosted by the Washington, Oregon and Alaska Quarter Horse Associations. All the proceeds from the horse show will go directly to the scholarship fund.

Lisa Gardner, manager of the new Region One Scholarship show says, “This new show will be held every year starting in 2014 and it will have the same format, and it will be held in the same location (Monroe, Washington) as last year’s successful 2013 Region One Championship show.” She adds, “But this year, it will have an added twist.” Lisa continues, “The first day of the show will be for novices only with one judge and plenty of clinics and assistance from the region’s seasoned horse show veterans. That will be followed by a three judge show held August 15-17th.” WSQHA is donating buckles to the Novice Classes and OQHA and WSQHA have donated 15 AQHA All-Around Style trophies. Lisa says, “The sky’s the limit for the amount of money this annually held show circuit can raise for the scholarship fund, and we will continue to seek donations from corporate sponsors and individuals right up until the first horse enters the pen on August 15th.”

To find out more about the Region One Scholarship Fund you can contact Chris Sitz at the American Quarter Horse Foundation: csitz@aqha.org.