REINING HORSE FOUNDATION INC

Youth leadership and officers: "educating the future of reining" the national reining horse youth association (nrhya) is a leadership organization supported by the foundation, open to all youth members of the association. Nrhya elects two delegates in each region of nrha competition and has six elected national officer positions - president, vice president, treasurer/secretary, historian, international liaison, and event coordinator. Affiliates can also elect a youth affiliate liaison role to allow for more leadership positions across the country. The nrhya has initiated a youth leadership and educational program titled the varsity reining club that is supported by the foundation and is open to all youth members of the association. The varsity reining club (vrc) was established to engage youth members and encourage them to become more active at both the local and national levels. This program offers nrhya members opportunities to contribute to the youth association in addition to developing valuable life skills that will allow them to be successful contributing members of society. In addition to the youth members interacting with one another and participating in the program, the foundation wants to provide life skills that will help them grow and mature. Stressing the importance of community service, being an active member in a group and learning to work with others, public speaking, written communications skills and creativity are all important skills that can be further developed by participating in this program. Nrhya members are awarded points for participating in the following leadership and educational type activities of the varsity reining club: community service, volunteering and assisting and approved nrha events, assisting with fundraising activities of local clubs, photography of equine-related activities, creative writing concerning equine events (fictional or non-fictional), a news style article reporting on factual events that is equine related, arts and crafts with an equine-based theme, and holding and organizing an nrhya meeting. The foundation provides 13 scholarships totaling $5,000 in total awards to the vrc program each year, and the scholarships are awarded based on the points earned by the vrc participants.