Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian awards five recipients the 2024 USEF Higher Education Equestrian Scholarship. Each year, high school seniors are awarded this scholarship to allow them to pursue equestrian sports during their years of higher education.
Meet the 2024 USEF Higher Education Scholarship Winners
Emily Arriaga (Bahama, N.C.) is a freshman at the Savannah College of Art and Design where she will pursue a degree in Equestrian Studies and continue her education as a show jumper. Amidst her time and dedication spent riding, she also finished top of her class in high school and completed her Associates of Arts Degree at Durham Technical Community College.
“I don’t have the privilege of having a groom, so I have taken part in every aspect of horse care from training to appearance, diet, stabling, and healthcare,” said Arriaga. “It is this well-rounded foundation that drives my dream of becoming an entrepreneur in the equestrian world, with a focus on establishing a horse sale, training, and showing facility with my brother that not only meets the needs of equestrians but also contributes positively to the industry.”
Her experience as a working student, a competitive dancer, and her involvement in 4-H and IEA have contributed to Arriga’s discipline to achieve not only being an accomplished equestrian, but a student as well. These experiences have inspired her to pursue horses professionally and expand her knowledge through the programs available to her at SCAD.
“I believe that once you decide to become a horse owner, you have a serious responsibility to care for your horses and the environment in which they live,” said Arriaga. “Therefore, my facility would prioritize sustainable practices such as eco-friendly stable management and responsible land use along with the superb care of our horses.”
Upon graduation, she seeks to apply her knowledge to own a facility that will host other equestrians who share the same work ethic and drive that she does. She plans to do so alongside her brother who she got her start in riding with to provide top-notch horse care and access to education and innovation to her community.
Catherine Borchardt (The Woodland, Texas) is an Equine Industry and Business major at West Texas A&M where she will be trying out for both the hunt seat and western IHSA teams.
Having been the only person in her family interested in horses, she begged her parents to let her begin riding lessons at age six. Growing up with horses in her life, she was taught skills that carry over into her day-to-day life, including compassion and resilience. Her background in riding allowed her to get involved as a volunteer in the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council’s SPURS (Super People Using Riding Skills) program where she cumulated 1,467 volunteer hours.
“I knew that my success in the program relied on not only my horse skills, but also on my leadership skills which were required to be able to effectively learn and teach others about horse care,” said Borchardt. “I had a lot of help from mentors and coaches to better myself as a leader and to ensure that I was setting an example of good leadership to my peers and younger scouts. Through trial and error, I learned that good leaders instill confidence in others, are not quick to pass judgment, display good communication skills, respect and motivate their peers, and remain open-minded and collaborative when working with others.”
Her long-term goal is to work in the equine industry, exploring the business and management area of the industry and training hunter/jumper horses.
Alina Cierkowski (Emumclaw, Wash.) is a dressage rider who got her start in the sport on a horse she developed herself, igniting her passion to ride up the levels in the sport which she plans to continue doing throughout her college career.
“My past horses taught me lessons that helped me mentally, while [my current] horse taught me physically,” said Cierkowski. “I knew that I had to correctly ask and use the right aid or the movement would not be completed properly. He taught me how to be accountable for my actions and have more awareness of not only what he is doing, but what my body is doing, which has undoubtedly taken me and will continue to take me far.”
Now attending Emory and Henry College, Cierkowksi will be majoring in Business Administration with an Equine Studies minor. She plans to take advantage of the rider opportunities available to her there by riding on the intercollegiate teams, in addition to riding their horses at USDF and USEF recognized shows to be able to pursue her goal of getting all her scores towards a bronze medal in dressage.
“There are so many things that all these horses taught me, and even though I have not yet accomplished my goal of earning my USDF bronze medal, I have accomplished my little goals along the way,” said Cierkowski. “While only accomplishing my little goals, these horses became the best teachers in the world who developed me as a rider and human.”
She plans to use her knowledge and experience gained during her time at school to open her own training business after working under a professional as an assistant trainer to further grow her resume.
Sophie Naquin (Folsom, La.) is an avid equestrian with goals to compete in dressage, hunters, and jumpers, while pursuing a dual degree in Equine Studies and Pre-Veterinarian at Emory and Henry College.
She got her start in riding through the United States Pony Club and was hooked ever since. After getting her own horse in 2021, her eyes were opened to the need for more large animal veterinarians in her local equestrian community.
“There are only a handful of large animal veterinarians in our town and sometimes a horse owner may have trouble getting someone out on site,” said Naquin. “Loading a sick horse up and driving well over an hour away to Louisiana State University Animal Hospital is sometimes the only choice. I would love to give back in the future as a large animal veterinarian to the community that has opened my eyes to the equestrian world and the possibilities within.”
Naquin learned first-hand the importance of patience and dedication when working with horses after purchasing Mulligan, a young and untrained horse, who she was able to take to U.S. Dressage Finals. While staying consistent with her personal horse’s training, she also volunteered at New Heights Therapeutic Riding Center where she saw the greater impact that horses can have on people’s lives.
“These skills of patience, consistency, and partnership are life skills that will carry me throughout my life and especially as I embark on my college career.”
Paige Sawyer (Wichita, Kan.) is an experienced equestrian who has shown her two Morgans throughout her riding career.
Sawyer most notably finished in the top ten in the AMHA Westen Seat Gold Medal Finals at Morgan Grand Nationals and won the AMHA Reining Seat Gold Medal Finals. She kudos her accolades to the invaluable lessons learned through caring for and developing her horses.
“The journey to this achievement was filled with challenges, but each obstacle taught me resilience and the importance of persistence,” said Sawyer. “Achieving these goals reinforced my belief that hard work and dedication can lead to remarkable outcomes.”
Outside of riding, Sawyer shares her knowledge with the next generation of riders covering topics on riding and proper horse care. This has sparked an interest in her to educate young riders on the importance of the skills and compassion needed to work with animals.
“Through this experience, I have learned the importance of patience and effective communication in teaching practical skills and instilling respect for animals,” said Sawyer. “This work has solidified my passion for working with both children and animals in an educational setting.”
While furthering her studies at Kansas State University, Sawyer plans to major in Animal Science with a Bioscience and Biotechnology focus with a minor in Business. She aspires to open her own veterinary upon graduating from Veterinary School, which she intends to complete at Kansas State as well.
Find out more about the US Equestrian Higher Education Equestrian Scholarship here.
Learn more about the youth programs offered through US Equestrian here.
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