AjPHA Presidential Service Project Gains Traction

Meredith Milton, the 2014–2015 AjPHA president, took on a big project when she announced she wanted to create an endowment for the Youth Superior Sportsmanship Award to increase the annual scholarship from $500, sponsored by Hart Trailers, to a $2,500 scholarship. A natural leader and outgoing young horsewoman, she wasted no time in networking with Paint Horse industry leaders to help her generate ideas and organize fundraisers.

“I have had a blast so far, and it’s only month three!” Meredith said. “I can’t wait for the spring when things start picking up more.”

Meredith, a high school senior from Aledo, Texas, started by hosting a Calcutta at the 2014 World Wide Paint Horse Congress in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the end of July.

“We had a silent auction for all the horses in the Senior Trail,” Meredith said. “There were about 35 entries, and we raised just under $5,000.”

It was a successful jump start to her project, which she credits to Karen Kennedy, Diane Gage and the entire show staff at the WWPHC for helping her raise funds at one of the largest Paint shows of the year.

For October, Meredith plans to host several more Calcuttas.

“Nothing is completely finalized yet, but it’s getting close. I have been in contact with show managers all over the country recently, ranging from California to Illinois to South Carolina to Delaware,” Meredith said.

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