Scholarships of up to $1,000 apiece will be awarded annually to one outstanding senior and one outstanding junior member of SWDEA. Scholarships will be awarded in January of each year, beginning January 2010 if funds are available.
 
To qualify for a scholarship an individual must be a member in good standing of SWDEA for the past two years.
 
Each scholarship will be awarded by a committee comprised of the scholarship chair, the president, the volunteer coordinator and the prior year's scholarship winner. (For the first year of the new scholarship program the committee shall be comprised of the scholarship chair, the president, the volunteer coordinator and a fourth individual selected by the president.) If the individual applying for the scholarship is the trainer of or student of a member of the committee, that committee member shall declare a conflict of interest and refrain from voting. The president, at his or her discretion, may name a temporary voting replacement for the committee member that has a conflict.
 
Scholarship applicants must supply the following:

ü     An essay that outlines their personal riding goals

ü     A document that details what the scholarship money will be used for

Scholarship money may be used for purposes that include lessons, clinics and USDF sanctioned events, including annual conventions, but may not be used to purchase riding apparel or tack.

Applicants will be judged based on the following:

Criteria	Percentage Value
essay	30 percent
the volunteer hours contributed to SWDEA	30 percent
participation in scholarship classes at SWDEA shows	30 percent
the purpose for which they are seeking scholarship money	10 percent

Scholarship classes, where money raised will be put into the scholarship fund, will be offered at each SWDEA show. Participation in any special show organized specifically to raise money for scholarships will also be considered.
 
In order to be considered by the scholarship committee, volunteer hours will be calculated by the volunteer coordinator, based on a credit system approved by the Board of Directors. The volunteer hours to be considered must be worked during the year prior to the award. (For example, credits compiled during 2010 will be considered for the scholarship to be awarded in 2011.)
 
The winner of each scholarship will be required to write an article for the SWDEA newsletter detailing what he or she learned or any benefits that were received as a result of the scholarship. Any winner who does not provide this article within six months of receiving a scholarship will not be allowed to submit another scholarship application for a period of two years.