In June, I attended the Diversity in Horse Sports forum hosted by Heels Down Mag for a few reasons: I wanted to listen to stories of equestrians whose paths have differed from mine, I wanted to learn from these horse women, and I wanted to know what I could do to help.
The simple, clear answer came from Abriana Johnson: “Act first, talk about it later.” She acknowledged that solidarity with an Instagram post is a nice gesture, but it’s simply that: a gesture. She questioned the audience of nearly a hundred equestrians, “What are you doing in your community? What funds have you allocated? How have you used your influence to make a difference?”
Time for action. A seed of an idea was planted that night, and with the help of many others it took root and began to grow. Today, alongside my friends and co-board members, Shaquilla Blake and Jacqueline Ely, we are excited to announce the launch of Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship which will give financial stipends for riding, training or showing and also provide mentorship for young equestrians.
Our mission is to provide opportunities for youth aged 17-27 from marginalized communities to become involved or stay involved in horse sports through financial awards and mentorship focusing on not only horsemanship and equestrian pursuits, but also career planning and education. We believe that opportunities for riding, training, and showing are not easily attainable to individuals facing socioeconomic and accessibility hurdles as well as overt and passive discrimination based upon their race, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Together we seek to bridge this gap through the sharing of knowledge, opportunities, and solidarity.
All applicants will be matched with a mentor who will be asked to meet virtually with the youth applicant at least once. Ongoing communication will be up to the mentor and the applicant to decide upon, but our goal is that within these meetings, mentors can provide perspective on career choices, share resources and ideas to help further that applicant’s riding goals, or even connect applicants with potential opportunities within the mentor’s circle– opening doors for connections that lead to internships, jobs, or meetings with helpful horse people from the applicant’s area.
scholarship page
Our mentors have competed or trained in eventing, dressage, hunters, jumpers, and even working equitation. We have amateurs and professionals alike who have started young horses, retrained off the track Thoroughbreds, and developed their own show horses. The horsemanship skills range from running a backyard farm, to showing on a budget, to managing an equine business. With mentors from most major cities across the US and a wide variety of colleges and universities, we hope that these connections will open doors for the applicants and provide opportunities for young professionals.
A few of our mentors have careers within the horse industry, but most are ambitious amateurs who have chosen careers that will help fund their riding and competition plans. The mentors have joined the program because all of us believe the horses have given us so much: it is time to give back and help others find the empowerment of being a horse person. Want to join us? Head over to the Scholarship page to learn more about ways to donate, mentor, or get involved. Together we can make a difference, one rider at a time.
