The Parelli Foundation is pleased to announce its first three recipients of its Future of Horsemanship scholarship awards: Avery Schaffer from Wisconsin, Ada Draghici from Nova Scotia, Canada and Anna Workman from California.

The Youth Horsemanship program at the Parelli Foundation offers Future of Horsemanship scholarships to youth ages 10-16 to support their goals in becoming natural horsemanship professionals in the equine industry. A generous scholarship donor is paired with youth accepted into the program; which helps cover the costs of assisting these talented, aspiring horse enthusiasts achieve their equestrian educational goals.

“We are thrilled to award scholarships to these smart and talented young women,” said

Theresa Fincher, Parelli Foundation’s Executive Director. “It will help them achieve their dreams and it will be so much fun to see them learn and grow their skills as they develop wonderful relationships with their horses. They are the future of natural horsemanship.”

The three recipients are:

• Avery Schaffer, who is 13 years old and from Wisconsin. She is the recipient of the Future of Horsemanship scholarship – Susan Carr Hanson Memorial Fund. She hopes to become a Parelli professional and pursue her education in equine sciences and business to teach Parelli natural horsemanship methods to others in the future.

• Ada Draghici, also 13 years old, is the first international recipient, coming from Nova Scotia, Canada. She also aspires to become a Parelli professional and is interested in pursuing classical dressage as well as teaching.

• Anna Workman, who is 11 years oldand from California, was the pilot recipient for the Future of Horsemanship scholarship. She hopes to compete professionally, pursuing a career to help horses become the best they can be and teach people how to understand their horses.

“All three have loved horses since they were young,” added Fincher. “They’ve shown dedication and commitment to learning that is far beyond what you would expect for young ladies of their age. We are so pleased to play a role in their journey to become Parelli Professionals.”

The Parelli Foundation is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for the natural horsemanship community that focuses on education for youth horsemanship, therapeutic horsemanship, horse welfare and scholarships for the talented and for career minded individuals. It follows the principles of Parelli Natural Horsemanship (PNH) but operates independently of PNH. The Parelli Foundation (previously named the Parelli Education Institute) earned the “Gold Level” designation from GuideStar, USA, Inc.; an information service specializing in reporting on U.S. nonprofit companies. Out of 1.5 million nonprofits, less than 5,000 have achieved Gold Level status. Donors to the Parelli Foundation can be assured their investments are being used wisely and appropriately, with contributions tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. To learn more, go to: www.ParelliFoundation.org.