United States Eventing Association

Two Weeks Left to Submit Your Worth the Trust Scholarship Applications

Applications for the 2019 Worth the Trust Educational and Sports Psychology Scholarships are due in two weeks on Monday, October 1. Since 2000, the Worth the Trust Scholarships for young adults and adult amateurs have provided financial assistance for the purpose of pursuing continued education in eventing, thanks to the generosity of Joan Iversen Goswell. The funds may be used for training opportunities such as clinics, working student positions, and private or group instruction, or to learn from an official, course designer, technical delegate, judge, veterinarian, or organizer.

The $3,000 Amateur Young Adult Scholarship is available to riders between the ages of 16 and 25, while the $2,000 Adult Amateur Scholarship is available to eventers 26 and up. Young Adult Amateur applicants must contribute at least 10 hours of volunteer work to a national or local charitable organization, any minority/disadvantaged group, or local eventing association or horse trials, while Adult Amateur applicants must contribute at least 6 volunteer hours. Applicants must be current members in good standing with the USEA.

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. In 2017, to continue to offer a helping hand, Iversen Goswell 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 available to adult amateurs age 26 and up and young adult amateurs age 16-25. The recipient of the Adult Amateur Scholarship will receive $500 while the Young Adult Amateur Scholarship recipient will receive $700. Like the Educational Scholarships, applicants must be current members in good standing with the USEA to be eligible.

The 2019 Worth the Trust Educational Scholarships will be awarded at the 2018 USEA Annual Meeting and Convention, December 5-9, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Recipients of the 2019 Worth the Trust Sports Psychology Scholarships will be notified in December. 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 Educational Scholarship Applications: Young Adult Amateur | Adult Amateur

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

If you have questions, 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