The Mounted Patrol Foundation and the Woodside-area Horse Owners Association (WHOA!) are now accepting applications for the $10,000 Woodside-area Equestrian Merit Scholarship Award. For the third year, this scholarship is jointly sponsored by the two organizations for a deserving local high school senior with a demonstrated involvement in equestrian activities as well as academic achievement, community service, and financial need.

Both the Mounted Patrol Foundation and WHOA! share a deep interest in the next generation of equestrians, as well as a commitment to helping them achieve worthwhile goals, through each organization’s ongoing activities and their joint sponsorship of the $10,000 Woodside-area Equestrian Merit Scholarship Award.

Application deadline is April 30, 2022, at 3:00 pm. Applications must be complete; incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Selection criteria include demonstrated equestrian involvement, academic achievement, community service, and financial need.

Eligible applicants are seniors who attend high schools in San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Francisco Counties, and who have been accepted to and plan to attend a college, university, or other continuing education program this fall.

Applicants will need to provide a complete application and at least one reference letter from their faculty/teacher, college counselor, or someone who can attest to their equestrian involvement. Up to three reference letters will be accepted.

Finalists will be required to provide transcripts showing their GPA, and demonstrate the need for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or equivalent documentation.

The $10,000 Woodside-area Equestrian Merit Scholarship Award will be paid directly to the recipient’s college, university, or continuing education program in support of the recipient’s tuition, fees, room, and/or board. The scholarship will be awarded mid-May 2022.

Applications and important submission information are available online at https://whoa94062.org/grants-awards/ and http://mountedpatrolfoundation.org/Woodside_area_Equestrian_Merit_Scholarship.htm.

The Mounted Patrol Foundation believes that horses and equestrian activities have helped create a wonderful, healthy community in Woodside, California, and the surrounding area. Historically, horses were essential to life in the United States for transportation, work, and pleasure. The Mounted Patrol Foundation seeks to honor this legacy by continuing to support, maintain, develop, and encourage equestrian facilities, activities, and heritage in the Town of Woodside, the County of San Mateo, and the State of California. Their vision also includes the preservation of horse habitats and trail systems to provide both opportunities and environments conducive to the enjoyment of horses for horse owners and the public at large. The Mounted Patrol of San Mateo County Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3), charitable organization that works in collaboration with local government, other public agencies, and other non-profits to support and promote equestrian activities and facilities in the area. Learn more at www.mountedpatrolfoundation.org

The Woodside-area Horse Owners Association (WHOA!) works independently and in collaboration with other organizations and local government to ensure that the presence of the horse in Woodside and the surrounding San Mateo County communities is recognized, protected, and promoted. Its mission is to preserve the fundamental role of horses in maintaining the rural character of the Town of Woodside and neighboring foothill communities, to enhance opportunities for equestrian activities, and to promote the enjoyment of horses in all their various roles. WHOA! envisions a community where horses and horse activities for equestrians and the general public are appreciated, and where the rural landscape, trail networks, and horse properties are preserved. Operating under the fiscal umbrella of the Woodside Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, WHOA! has gifted more than $200,000 to local equestrian projects and programs thanks to generous sponsors, volunteers, and the proceeds of its annual Woodside Day of the Horse celebration. Find out more at www.whoa94062.org