UPHA Foundation Donates Over $700,000 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and other Charities

UPHA Foundation Donates Over $700,000 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Other Charities

The UPHA Ribbons of Service program is a wonderful example of how young people can use their passion for horses to help the children of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and learn to give back to their communities. To date, UPHA youth members have raised over $550,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and almost $150,000 to other nonprofit charities.

COVID-19 restricted Ribbons of Services participants traditional fundraising and community service efforts. However, they rose to the occasion and created new ways to raise funds and perform their community service hours. A few of their fundraising and community service projects are featured in the video below. 2020 proved just as successful as participants volunteered 1,988.5 hours in community service and collected over $65,500 in funds to be donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and over $4,400 to other nonprofit charities.

Platinum Level

Congratulations to the following Ribbons of Service participants completing a minimum of 10 community service hours and fundraising a minimum of $1,000 for St. Jude or other approved charity to achieve the Platinum Level:

Willow Allen

Callie Burroughs

Abby Connolly

Karysn Corwin

Abby Cruser

Collins Dabezies

Olivier "Cle" Dabezies

Ashlyn Deaton

Carolyn Dreyer

Gavin Gove

Elizabeth Hampton

Ella Hampton

Kylie Janes

Cara Jones

Magnolia Jones

Maggie Keith

Kendall Kelledy

Ayla Kinney

Caroline Kivett

Campbell Kreitzer

Aubrey Kufeldt

Sydney Ladine

Ava Lambert

Kennedy Martin

Amber Miltz

Samantha Nguyen

Aisley Pace

Avery Pierce

Layla Pierce

Ria Raju

Jacqueline Schatzberg

Kolby Smith

Maya Tasch

Salay Tompkins

Alyssa Watanapongse

Scholarship Award Winners

Scholarships are graciously donated to reward those participants raising the most funds or completing the most community service hours. Congratulations to the following participants earning scholarships for their efforts in 2020:

Willow Allen

$2,000 Becker Brothers, LLC 

Saddle Seat Equitation Youngest

Participant Award

Aubrey Kufeldt

$2,500 Grace Arnold Western Seat Award (All Breeds)

Ella Hampton

$2,500 Golden Creek Farm, Inc. 

Arabian Breed Saddle Seat Equitation Award

$1,500 Kenneth & Ceil Wheeler 

Saddle Seat Equitation Rider Community Service Award

$1,000 William Woods Saddle Seat Equitation Rider Community Service Award

Cara Jones

$2,500 Golden Creek Farm, Inc. American Saddlebred Saddle Seat Equitation Award 

Ashlyn Deaton

$625 Academy Walk & Trot Rider/Driver Most Funds Raised

$625 Academy Walk & Trot Rider/Driver Community Service

Maya Tasch

$1,500 Dave and Sarah Patton American Saddlebred Breed Performance 13 & under Award 

$1,000 Independent Equine Agents Performance Youngest Participant Award

Sydney Ladine

$2,500 Golden Creek Farm, Inc. National Show Horse Saddle Seat Equitation Award

Caroline Kivett

$1,500 Charles N. Gish Memorial Morgan Breed Performance Rider/Driver Award 17 & Under Award

$1,000 The Kelley Family Morgan Breed Performance Community Service Award

$2,500 Terri and Roland Sturm Family Foundation Morgan Breed Hunt Seat Scholarship Award 

Jacqueline Schatzberg

$5,000 Golden Creek Farm, Inc. 

Saddle Seat Equitation Overall Award

(All Breeds)

$2,500 Golden Creek Farm, Inc. 

Morgan Breed Saddle Seat Equitation Award

Ayla Kinney

$625 Academy Walk/Trot/Canter Rider/Driver Most Funds Raised

$625 Academy Walk/Trot/Canter Rider/Driver Community Service

Kendall Kelledy

$2,500 Grace Arnold Hackney Pony Breed Award

$750 Louise Bennett Hackney Pony Breed Community Service Award

Samantha Nguyen

$1,500 Dave and Sarah Patton American Saddlebred Breed Performance 14-17 Award

Elizabeth Hampton

$2,000 CA Gabriel Fund Arabian Breed Performance 17 & Under

"Cle" Oliver Dabezies

$750 Louise Bennett American Saddlebred Breed Community Service Award

For additional program information, please visit the UPHA website at: UPHA Ribbons of Service.

Questions? Please contact UPHA at jmellenkamp@uphaonline.com or 859-231-5070 or UPHA Ribbons of Service Committee Chair, Fay Lowry at faylowry65@yahoo.com.