Since 2007, the National Reining Horse Youth Association (NRHyA) has offered youth reiners an online program that rewards members for their leadership and community service activities outside of the show arena. The Varsity Reining Club (VRC) was established to engage youth members and encourage them to become active at both the local and national level. This program offers NRHyA members opportunities to contribute to their association and develop valuable life skills. Going into the fifth year of this program, VRC will continue to prepare NRHyA members to be successful, contributing members of society.

Youth members are awarded points by doing any combination of projects listed at www.nrhya.com. Each youth can submit activity reports in a variety of subject areas they find fun and interesting such as arts and crafts, photography or can be awarded for their volunteer work in their community or for helping out at shows. Other subject areas encompass creative writing, fundraising or leadership activities, including holding or attending NRHyA meetings.

In 2010, VRC offered more scholarship money than ever before to reward members for work in their communities as they fought for VRC’s most prestigious award, “Youths of the Year,” which recognizes the youth earning the most points. This year, 13 youth will be recognized and $5,000 in scholarships will be awarded for their efforts.

In the Varsity level (ages 14-18), the top eight individuals split $3,500 in scholarships. First place was earned by Evergreen, Colorado’s Christi Gordon who accumulated 3,065 points by submitting more than 150 activities including arts and crafts, photography, report back and community service with a variety of organizations including baking pies for the Loving Hands Food Bank, helping with the Slammers youth baseball league and sharing her love of horses with kids and the Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado. She also spent many hours conducting meetings and fundraising activities with the Rocky Mountain Reining Horse Youth Association.

Second place went to Alexis Daggett of Montello, Wisconsin who submitted more than 100 activities and earned 2,232 points for her work that included pitching in at shows in the North Central Affiliate and earning good grades while in school where she also volunteered her time tutoring students.

VRC member and past NRHyA President, Jordan Willette of Prescott, Arizona earned third place honors and 1,015 points for her 80 submissions.

Fourth place went to Grand Junction, Colorado’s Taylor Sturm who earned 905 points and submitted more than 45 activities including pitching in at her local shows and volunteering time at a homeless shelter.

Samantha Belcher of Carbondale, Colorado earned fifth place and 825 points by helping at shows, reporting the results, and conducting meeting to spread the word about NRHyA in her more than 40 submissions.

Sixth place was Petaluma, California’s Nicole Hupke with 780 points and more than 25 submissions including good grades, community service, photography, fundraising and arts and crafts with her submission of pointillism of a horse.

Tara Power of Katy, Texas earned 615 points and seventh place with her more than 10 community service submissions which included volunteering with the children’s ministry at her church.

Rounding out the Varsity scholarship earners was Bettendorf, Iowa’s Laura Green in eighth place with 410 points for her activities in community service, pitching in at local shows and earning good grades.

In the Junior Varsity level (ages 13 & under), the top five individuals split $1,500 in scholarships. First place goes to Amy Stoney for the second consecutive year. Earning over 1,000 points more than she did in 2009, Stoney totaled 3,245 points and turned in more than 300 submissions. Amy showcased her talents in photography with numerous equine photos from her family’s ranch Stoney’s Performance Horses in McClave, Colorado. She also presented activities in fundraising, creative writing, good grades and pitching in for her work with the Rocky Mountain Reining Horse Association.

Second place was earned by Reilly Quist of Delta, Colorado with her more than 25 submissions totaling 855 points in photography, community service, good grades and her arts and crafts submissions which brought home honors in the 2010 NRHyA Derby Art & Photo Contest.

Stillwater, Oklahoma’s Emma Holbrook placed third with 615 points for her more than 15 submissions in creative writing, pitching in and community service for her work with the Oklahoma Special Olympics.

Fourth place was Courtney Yohey of Modesto, California with 597 points for her activities in creative writing and participation with the West Coast Reining Horse Association including fundraising, attending meetings, pitching in at shows and reporting on activities with articles in the NRHA Reiner magazine.

The final scholarship earner for the Junior Varsity level is Delta, Colorado’s Saeda Quist with 495 points for her work in arts and crafts, attending meetings, earning good grades and her community service activities with her local soccer club.

For more information on the National Reining Horse Youth Association’s Varsity Reining Club, please visit www.nrhya.com , find NRHyA at www.facebook.com/nrhya or contact 405-946-7400 and [email protected].