United States Pony Clubs Awards College Scholarships

The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. Official Press Release

September 16, 2024 (Lexington, Ky.) — In its commitment to education, The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. (USPC or Pony Club) offers a variety of college scholarships. In 2024, USPC has awarded a total of $7,500 in college scholarships to seven Pony Club members. These exceptional recipients all demonstrated outstanding achievements in academics, sportsmanship, and leadership through horsemanship.

“Our college scholarships are just one more way we emphasize our commitment to education and support a membership that is always seeking to learn more—whether in academic pursuits or progressing through the Pony Club curriculum,” said USPC Executive Director Teresa Woods. “We are so proud of our 2024 scholarship recipients and all that they have achieved.”

Pony Club is honored to recognize the following individuals:

2024 USPC Triple Crown Nutrition Scholarship ($1,000), sponsored by Triple Crown Nutrition, official feed sponsor of USPC—Victoria Picha
This scholarship rewards members for excellence in academics and outstanding achievements in Pony Club. This year’s recipient is Victoria Picha of Fallston, Md., a C-1 Eventing, C-1 Hunter Seat Equitation and C-2 Horse Management certified member of Elkridge-Harford Pony Club in the Maryland Region. She is enrolled in business honors and majoring in public health sciences at the University of Maryland.

2024 USPC Dorothy Renfro Memorial Scholarship ($1,000)—Maya Malone
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. Maya Malone of Sebastopol, Calif., was this year’s recipient. A member of Rosewood Riders Pony Club in the Sierra Pacific Region, Malone has earned her D-2 Eventing, D-3 Hunter Seat Equitation, C-1 Dressage, and C-2 Horse Management certifications. She is attending Lake Erie College, majoring in equine studies with a teacher/trainer focus.

2024 Anson W.H. Taylor Memorial Scholarship from USPC and Equine Land Conservation Resource ($1,500)—Mackenzie Brown
The Anson W.H. Taylor Memorial Scholarship is sponsored by Pony Club and the Equine Land Conservation Resource (ELCR) in memory of former Pony Club president and ELCR founder Anson Taylor. This scholarship is awarded to a current Pony Club member who has been actively committed to land conservation efforts.

Mackenzie Brown of Post Falls, Idaho, is a D-3 Eventing, C-1 Hunter Seat Equitation, C-2 Dressage, and H-B Horse Management certified member of the Rivers Edge Pony Club in the Inland Empire Region. She is majoring in business administration at Lewis-Clark State College.

2024 USPC Jubilee Scholarship ($1,000 each) —Emma Sobehrad and Ashley Wiemers
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 Emma Sobehrad and Ashley Wiemers. A member of Six Rivers Pony Club in the Sierra Pacific Region, Emma Sobehrad of McKinleyville, Calif., has earned C-2 certifications in Eventing and Horse Management and is pursuing a degree in animal science and management at University of California, Davis.

Ashley Wiemers of Paris, Ky., is a member of Bluegrass Pony Club in the Midsouth Region. Wiemers has earned a C-2 in Eventing and an H-B in Horse Management. She is majoring in chemical engineering at Purdue University.

2024 Stanley R. and Martha C. Helbert Memorial Scholarship ($1,000)—Ella Jensen
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. Ella Jensen of New Market, Md., was this year’s recipient and is a C-2 Eventing and Horse Management certified member of Burntwoods Pony Club in the Maryland Region. She plans to major in studio art at the University of Maryland.

2024 USPC Bodgie Read Memorial Scholarship ($1,000)—Madison Montgomery
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 Madison Montgomery from Owings, Md. Montgomery has earned her C-2 in Eventing and Horse Management and is a member of Annapolis Pony Club in the Maryland Region. She will be pursuing a finance major with an accounting minor at the College of William & Mary.

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. To learn more about USPC’s scholarships, visit www.ponyclub.org/activities/college-scholarships. Visit the Pony Club website to learn more about the activities and opportunities available for Pony Club members.

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.