WESTPORT, CT – January 25, 2012 – The EQUUS Foundation has partnered with the College Preparatory Invitational (CPI) Horse Show Scholarship Fund to establish a scholarship open to the participants at the College Preparatory Invitational Horse Show, held January 13-15, 2012, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida.
The mission of the CPI is to prepare and educate student riders in grades 8 – 12 about the format of college equestrian competition, encourage academics and horsemanship, and to provide the riders with resources to create their desired college equestrian experience.
All the horses and necessary tack for the show are provided by CPI. The show is specifically geared to promote college recruitment of equestrians by providing the opportunity for coaches and potential students to meet.
Along with the competition, the CPI offers seminars and question and answer sessions during the show. Riders and their families learn about the college equestrian experience and familiarize themselves with the different associations that govern collegiate riding.
The CPI Horse Show Scholarship Fund offers scholarships to reward the student riders that exhibit academic excellence as well as competitive success.
“Each year we strive to offer more scholarships, opportunities, and benefits to the CPI riders. With the generous contributions from organizations like The EQUUS Foundation, this truly enables us to achieve this goal,” said Heidi Lengyel, CPI Co-Founder with Jeanne Rouco-Conesa.
“The success of the College Preparatory Horse Show and other equine organizations that provide continuing equine education is based on the volunteerism from our equestrian youth, communities and businesses. Volunteerism is an invaluable asset to us and the CPI is extremely grateful,” added Lengyel.
The $1,000 CPI Champion of Equine Service Scholarship sponsored by The EQUUS Foundation is part of the Foundation’s Champions program, an incentive-based equine service volunteer program to recognize and reward individuals and organizations on the carrots4acause network.
All participants at the 2012 CPI Show who volunteer a minimum of 24 hours for an organization(s) on the carrots4acause network during the 2012 calendar year and have a GPA of 3.0 will be eligible for the CPI scholarship.
“Our Champions scholarship program is geared towards stimulating volunteerism and advocacy on behalf of horses. We are pleased to partner with CPI to offer this scholarship. Heidi and Jeanne have worked diligently to make a difference in the lives of our future college bound juniors,” said Catherine Herman, Vice Chairman of The EQUUS Foundation.
For more information about the CPI, visit their website at www.collegeprepinvitational.com.
About The EQUUS Foundation, Inc.
The EQUUS Foundation, a national charitable foundation established in Connecticut in 2002, is dedicated to improving the quality of life of horses, promoting the use of horses to enrich the lives of people in need and educating the public about the horse’s unique ability to empower, teach and heal. The goal is to transform the way horses are treated and perceived and build a more compassionate America that values the magical and powerful bond we have with horses.
The Foundation accomplishes its mission by providing financial support through the award of grants to horse-related charities across the United States; operating a network of equine organizations and equine enthusiasts; providing scholarships to award volunteer service on behalf of horses, offering insight on the management and financial practices of horse-related charities through a thorough review of their operations; and conducting information outreach to educate the public about horses.
Horses have a way of making us feel everything from excitement to joy to tranquility. Age is not a limitation – horses are aiding children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. By bonding with these gentle giants, we learn to take control of our lives and become more capable of facing life’s challenges. No other animal can make us feel the breadth of emotions that our equine partners do.
The Foundation awarded its first grants in 2003 to seven local horse charities. Recognizing that horses are enriching the lives of millions of people of all ages every day, in 2008, the Board of Directors made a commitment to expand nationally, and also adopted the name, “Horse Charities of America”, to more clearly convey its commitment to all equine charities.
The Foundation funds a broad range of programs, most of which are directly involved with horse rescue and welfare, or are providing equine assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) to the public. The Foundation also funds programs with its Alliance partners that educate the public about horses, provide services that benefit the equine community, and help stimulate advocacy and volunteerism.
Thanks to the generous support of individual donors, corporate sponsors, and foundations who share our vision, participation at our signature events, and our Horse Whisperers named grant program, the Foundation has grown exponentially. Since then, the Foundation has awarded nearly $2 million in grants and has achieved national recognition as the primary organization solely focused on both horse welfare and fostering the horse-human connection in the sport and therapeutic communities.
Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Contact The EQUUS Foundation, Inc., at 168 Long Lots Road, Westport, CT 06880, Tele: (203) 259-1550, E-Mail: equus@equusfoundation.org, Website: www.equusfoundation.org.
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