United States Eventing Association

Eventing is a challenging sport for both the body and the mind, and the three different phases of competition test the rider’s intelligence, bravery, and skill. No matter what level a rider competes at, they may experience obstacles such as loss of confidence, fear of injury, or the inability to focus or to perform under pressure, and often riders are unaware of the bad habits that stand in the way of their path to success. Speaking with a qualified sports counselor can help that rider develop tools that will help them create more productive attitudes and behaviors, improving them as a rider. The Worth the Trust Sports Psychology Scholarships have been created to provide eventers with this opportunity.

Since 2000, the Worth the Trust Educational Scholarships have provided financial assistance to young adult amateurs and adult amateurs for the purpose of pursuing continued education in eventing thanks to the generosity of Joan Iversen Goswell. In 2017, to continue to offer a helping hand, she created the Worth the Trust Sports Psychology Scholarships to help amateurs master the ever-challenging psychological side of the sport.

The Worth the Trust Sports Psychology Scholarships are awarded yearly to one Adult Amateur, age 26 and up and one Young Adult Amateur, age 16-25. The recipient of the Adult Amateur Scholarship will receive $500 while the Young Adult Amateur Scholarship recipient will receive $700. Applicants must be current members in good standing with the USEA.

The 2019 Worth the Trust Sports Psychology Scholarships winners will be notified in December 2018. The deadline for applications is October 1, 2018. Applicants should submit an essay explaining why the scholarship is important to him or her, how they intend to use the funds, and their riding and competing experiences.

2019 Worth the Trust Sports Psychology Scholarship Applications: Young Adult Amateur | Adult Amateur

For more information, please contact Nancy Knight, (703) 669-9997

About the Worth the Trust Scholarship
Since 2000, the Worth the Trust Scholarships has provided financial assistance for young adult amateurs and adult amateurs for the purpose of pursuing continued education in eventing. These scholarships is provided by Joan Iversen Goswell in honor of her horse, Worth the Trust, a 15.3 hand Thoroughbred gelding (Wind and Wuthering x Stop Over Station), who competed successfully for many years, including winning the Kentucky Three-Day Event in 1997 with Karen O'Connor. In 2017, to continue to offer a helping hand, Goswell created the Worth the Trust Sports Psychology Scholarships to help amateurs master the ever-challenging mental side of the sport. Click here to read the story of Worth the Trust's 1997 Kentucky Three-Day Event win.

Interested in learning more about sports psychology and how it can help improve your riding? Click here and here to read articles from Horse and Hound.

"During the morning, Carl [Hester] was asked two other unusual questions. The first [was] about his mental preparation for competitions . . . Carl said that he didn’t need additional help with his mental preparation as what he already did worked for him. A ‘no stone unturned’ preparation combined with a ‘just another day at the office’ attitude and a supportive team. However, he said that the regular use of a sports psychologist was a valuable tool for Charlotte [Dujardin] and he could tell by her riding if she had recently had a session. At a competition Charlotte needed her own space, [Hester explained;] ‘She needs to hide in a darkened lorry while other students need to have constant positive support. In most cases, mental problems are about a lack of confidence, so we do what each rider needs as an individual to maintain confidence.’" – William Micklem