scholarship

The Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation awarded two recipients the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Experience Scholarship, the program announced Thursday. The award, open to graduates of Irish equine programs, grants one year placements at leading Kentucky farms to provide the next generation of young people with an opportunity to further develop their horse skills. For 2025, the board selected Ciaran Phelan who will work with Springhouse Farm in Lexington and Lola Queck who will work with Hunter Valley Farm in Versailles. Ciaran worked at Coolmore Stud and Lodge Park Stud, graduated...

The Gulfstream-based Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (FTHA) awarded 16 college scholarships to children of qualified Florida-licensed backstretch employees and trainers Tuesday, the organization announced. To date, the FTHA, which aims to "foster, promote and improve business conditions in the racing industry", has given more than $400,000 in scholarships through the Kent Stirling Scholarship Program. "This is a fitting tribute to Kent, who devoted his life to our industry and to its people," said FTHA President Joe Orseno. "He was diligent in his efforts on behalf of the owners and trainers,...

Applications are now open for the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Experience Scholarship 2025. Applicants must be recent graduates of the University College Dublin, University of Limerick, The Irish National Stud, CAFRE Enniskillen, or Kildalton Agriculture College. The application period runs until July 15. Scholarships cover airfare, visa expenses, a year-long placement at a Kentucky farm, and wages and housing. The scholarships are made possible by the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation, the Irish National Stud, Springhouse Farm, and Hunter Valley Farm. For more information, or to apply, please visit the Gerry...

Up until August 9, 2020, Stephen Panus was leading the type of life that many of us envy. He was the president of the Jockey Club's America's Best Racing brand, lived in an affluent community in Connecticut and, most importantly, had a close-knit family that he adored. There was his wife Kellie and sons Jake and Liam, both of whom were special in their unique ways. "Jake was an immense, magnetic personality who lived his life uplifting others," Panus writes in his recently released book "Walk On." It's not that...

Sean Berns, Sarah Pepper and Larry Mulvany are the recipients of the Gerry Dilger Equine Foundation Kentucky Experience scholarship, which places the winners on Kentucky farms for a period of one year beginning in January 2024. Like the late and beloved Dilger, Berns graduated from the prestigious Irish National Stud and will be placed in Kentucky at Springhouse Farm. Though not originally from a horse background, Berns has studied equine business at Maynooth College and has worked at Derrinstown Stud and Coolmore in Ireland and at Newgate Stud in Australia....

The Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation would like to express its gratitude and appreciation to all its supporters that have contributed to the charity that assists young people starting off in the bloodstock business. Based in Lexington, Kentucky, the foundation commenced its activities just three years ago in memory of County Clare native Gerry Dilger whose Dromoland Farm specialized in successful sales pinhooks and an elite breeding operation with great partners that produced consecutive Kentucky Derby winners Nyquist (Uncle Mo) and Always Dreaming (Bodemeister). However, Gerry was equally renowned as...

The Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (FTHA)'s Kent Stirling Scholarship Program will award $44,500 in grants to 13 students for the 2023-24 academic year. The students are Luis Agudelo, Juan Chavez, Helen Collazo, Liseli Coy, Ronald Coy, Wilkenson Eugene, Natalie Fawkes, Jessica Flores, Vanesa Hernandez, Justin Morales, Joli Russo, Ana Ruiz, and Isabel Ruiz. They will be studying for various degrees, including in business, law, medicine, computer science, culinary arts, drama, and forensic science. "We are delighted to be awarding FTHA Kent Stirling Scholarships to 13 students--the most ever," said Kathy...

The Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation (TERF) has awarded $12,000 to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. In alignment with a mission to support and promote equine education by supporting organizations that are educating the public on the proper care of horses, TERF's scholarship recipients are Brooke Schiltz and Kaitlin Dullea. Schiltz hopes to go into racetrack practice in Florida and Dullea hopes to pursue a surgical residency. "The Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine is very grateful for the support TERF is providing to its students, especially those planning to...

Students enrolled in the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) can now apply for the 2023 Elizabeth Bracken Memorial Scholarship, which aims to support students aspiring to build careers in Thoroughbred racing, NYRA announced. The scholarship was created in 2021 to honor the memory of Elizabeth Bracken, an RTIP graduate who spent 16 years at NYRA before returning to RTIP as Associate Coordinator and an instructor. Bracken died in November 2019; she was 52. "We can't thank NYRA enough for their continued support of the RTIP via this...

The Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation will hold its inaugural golf tournament and auction Oct. 10 at Houston Oaks Golf Course in Paris, Kentucky. In a short period of time the foundation has awarded scholarships to eight young people from North America and Europe. This was made possible by the support and collaboration of KEMI, Irish National Stud, Springhouse Farm, Lane's End, University of Limerick, University College Dublin and the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. This inaugural golf tournament has sponsorship and donation opportunities...

Applications for the Odds On Racing Scholarship, a four-year, full-tuition scholarship award for new and transfer students to participate in the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program beginning this coming fall. "This is an incredible opportunity for students who may have thought that attending the University of Arizona to prepare for a career in racing was financially out of reach" said Robert Hartman, Chair of the Race Track Industry Program. "This scholarship covers all tuition costs of attending the UArizona's Race Track Industry Program." The scholarship is thanks to...

Clear Creek Stud will award a $5,000 scholarship to Rhett Sonnier on Fair Grounds closing day Mar. 28. This is an award that Clear Creek Stud sponsors in the name of their clients for a student with Louisiana-based connections to the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse breeding and racing industry. Applications were submitted to and accepted by the Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. Sonier is in his third year at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. His family has been involved in the horse industry in Louisiana for generations, breeding,...