The Reining Horse Sports Foundation (RHSF) honors leadership and achievement within the National Reining Horse Youth Association (NRHyA) each year. The RHSF recently awarded five $1,000 scholarships to current National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) and former NRHyA members based on financial need and academic achievement. The 2008 RHSF Scholarship winners are: Ian Barnard, Brandon Boyle, Allison Byrd, Ashley Fuchs and Helen Lauth.

Ian Barnard, from Kendallville, IN, majors in pre-veterinary medicine at Purdue University. The 18-year-old currently serves as the NRHyA President. Barnard won two NRHA Top Ten awards in 2006, as well as was named the 2006 Adequan® North American Affiliate Youth 14-18 Reserve Champion. This is the second year that Barnard has been awarded an RHSF Scholarship.

Ione, California’s Brandon Boyle is a five-year NRHyA member. He attends the University of California–Santa Barbara studying biology. Boyle is a past Youth Incentive Award winner, 2004 Adequan® North American Affiliate Youth 13 & Under Champion, 2006 NRHA Non Pro Derby Finalist and a two-time NRHA Intermediate Non Pro Derby Finalist.

Allison Byrd of Murfreesboro, AK, will attend Baylor University majoring in business marketing. Byrd has shown numerous times at the NRHA Derby and South Central U.S. Regional Affiliate Finals in non-pro and youth classes. She represented her region at the 2007 Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show in the youth 14-18 class.

2006 NRHyA President Ashley Fuchs, from Canfield, OH, is a 10-year member of the association. She is a Youth Incentive Award winner who competed at Eastern U.S. Regional Affiliate Finals and the NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show. Fuchs is a junior majoring in biology/pre-med at the University of Akron and is a previous RHSF Scholarship recipient.

Helen Lauth hails from Eyota, MN, and is a North Central U.S. NRHyA Delegate. She attends South Dakota State University majoring in General Studies and Biology. She is a 2002 NRHA Youth Incentive Award winner and in 2007 crossed the 600 youth point mark and 2004 Youth 13 & Under Top Ten exhibitor. She has been an active NRHyA member and competitor since 2001.

The RHSF is committed to helping Youth members reach their educational goals. One of its core programs is to help raise funds for youth programs. RHSF President Bill Peel said, “Our youth are the future of reining. The Foundation is pleased to invest in their education and to recognize the excellence they have demonstrated in all aspects of their lives from academics to the arena.”

Determination for a $1,000 RHSF Scholarship is based not only on financial need and academic achievement, but also career plans, NRHA and NRHyA involvement, and references. Scholarship applicants are also required to meet several criteria before they’re considered for the award. As well as writing an essay, the applicants also provided copies of their high school transcripts along with three letters of recommendation.

The Reining Horse Sports Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and enhancing the sport of reining worldwide. The RHSF accomplishes that through their five core programs: Hall of Fame, Crisis Fund, Research, Development & Education, Youth and International Development.

For more information about the RHSF, please contact RHSF Coordinator Brandi Jakola at [email protected].