Presley Jean Cooper, a proper cowgirl from Livermore, earned this year’s $10,000 Equestrian Merit Scholarship with her extreme dedication to her rodeo and school communities. An active member of 4-H, Future Farmers of America, and the California High School Rodeo Association, as well as a varsity lacrosse player, she was still able to earn Cum Laude grades.
She’s off to Fresno State University to earn a degree in Agricultural Business and continue competing on the rodeo team. She displayed an impressive understanding of the budgeting it takes to succeed in school while maintaining a relationship with horses, and she teared up with gratitude when she found out she would be able to add this scholarship to the sensible, detailed budget she has already created for her university years.
She says she would ”like to thank WHOA!, not only for awarding me this generous scholarship, but for helping give me the opportunity to attend seven years of school to achieve my goals. Defending agricultural land and water rights has always been a dream of mine!”
The Mounted Patrol Foundation (MPF) and the Woodside-area Horse Owners Association (WHOA!) jointly sponsor this $10,000 award to a high school senior involved in equine-related activities and resides in Bay Area Counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma) who has been accepted to and plans to attend a college, university, trade school or other continuing education program each fall.
