Can I get money for a school rodeo?
Three years ago, I wouldn’t even dream of doing something like this. However, a lot has changed since then. Graduating high school brings about a big change. The biggest change could be one of probably two things; staying in school or pursuing higher education. College is very important today, and for us rodeos, college is a very possible choice after high school. It was an easy choice for me. I still rely on making a living in the arena. A problem soon arose when I discussed this with my parents.
“You know, Teddy, you’re not going to be able to rodeo all your life, are you?” My mother declared.
“Dang, that’s what I was hoping to do,” I replied.
Well in the last two years I’ve been hurt a few times and I still don’t want to get a real job so now I’m a college kid. And you know what? School really isn’t that bad. What many students and parents may not realize is how easy it is to get scholarships to go to college. The best part is just how many are out there and how many different organizations are awarding them. Scholarships can come directly from high schools and colleges, state foundations, private donors, rodeo associations and businesses. Another place they come from that I found out about this year is rodeo committees. Not so much in Canada so far, but I’m looking. The Alberta High School Rodeo Association has to be one of the best associations in North America for high school students to learn, rodeo and set themselves up for a successful future in college and in the rodeo arena.
Since I would like this article to be useful to its readers, I would like to talk about all the scholarships that I know of for graduating high school students. The money is there, for the most part it depends on whether one takes the time to apply or not. The biggest expense when applying for scholarships is the stamp for the envelope. Sure, you might win some scholarships now, but you can’t get any free money if you don’t try. Here are a few that all you high school students should apply for:
Montana Silversmiths Pursuit of Excellence Scholarship: Deadline: August 1st. This scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors and current students with a minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher. For those of us north of the 49th you should average around 70%. For more information and to apply, visit: montanasilversmiths.com. Or call 888-677-9487 for an application form.
Bill Keller Memorial Scholarship: Deadline: August 28. Open to students who have completed 12th grade or are currently in college. Up to four $2,500 scholarships are awarded each year. Scholarships are awarded to students majoring in agriculture and broadcasting, as well as those who are great ambassadors for the legacy of Mr. Bill Keller. Professional rodeo competitors can also apply for a scholarship to support their post-secondary education.
Alexander Rutherford High School Achievement Scholarship: Deadline: May 1 if you will be attending school in September and December 1 if you will be starting college in January. If your grade 10, 11 and 12 average scores are above 75% in all four core subjects along with one optional class, this scholarship could be worth a lot of money. If your average is over 80%, it could be even higher. And the best part is, if you apply and your grades are right, then you get the money. Your high school counselor should have the information about this scholarship, but if not, look it up.
Alberta High School Rodeo Association Scholarships: Deadline April 1st. You must now be an AHSRA member to apply for these scholarships. So those of you who want to go to college and are not members yet should join. This association is absolutely the best place to start your rodeo career. Nowhere else will you find better help, storage and a positive atmosphere to be the best you can be. You can start now at Jr. High School Rodeo in sixth grade and almost have your entire freshman year of college paid for before you even get there.
The last type of scholarships I want to talk about in this article are those offered by colleges and universities in Canada and the United States. Some of the schools in Canada that are part of the Canadian Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (CIRA) are: Olds College, Lakeland College in Vermillion, AB, Red Deer College, NAIT, SAIT, The University of Lethbridge, U of A and U of C CIRA is growing and a great place to continue your education and rodeo at the same time. College rodeo in the United States is done in the National Interscholastic Rodeo Association (NIRA). Member schools are scattered throughout the western United States, which is divided into eleven regions geographically. There are many scholarships awarded to students across North America by NIRA member schools. If you are a student looking to go to college here in the United States, look up College Rodeo. There you can find all the contact information for each school’s coach. You don’t have to be the best in Canada to get a scholarship to go to school somewhere here. All it takes is desire.
Good luck and remember:
“As long as there is a sunset, there will be a West” Dr. Lynn Phillips
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