The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation has announced the allocation of $20,000 in scholarships to students pursuing equine studies or a related field within the state of Kentucky.

Ten separate $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to students from any state who have decided to study within the equine, animal science or agriculture industry of Kentucky. The scholarships are also open to individuals with family employed in Kentucky’s equine, animal science or agriculture industry.

The goal of these scholarships – made possible by the Race for Education – is to shed a light on career opportunities in the vibrant equine industry of Kentucky, which is home to thousands of horse farms and over 240,000 horses. The equine industry employs over 60,000 people and has a $6.5 billion annual cumulative direct, indirect, induced economic impact.

“Young people are the lifeblood of our industry. I am continually excited to be able to offer support to students who have chosen the equine industry as a career path,” stated Elisabeth Jensen of KEEP.

Students who wish to apply for one of the 10 scholarships can visit this form on the website.

Additional scholarships are available at raceforeducation.org.

The mission of the KEEP Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), is to support the economic success of Kentucky’s signature industry by ensuring its continued economic viability, making the industry accessible for all who want to participate, introducing more young people to the industry and its opportunities, and educating the people of the Commonwealth about the importance of horses to the state, its economy, its heritage, and its people.

The KEEP Foundation seeks to fulfill this mission through:

• Generating wider interest from the general public and creating new fans and participants for Kentucky’s horse industry.
• Raising public awareness on the importance of all horse breeds and disciplines in all 120 counties of the “Horse Capitol of the World” through educational events and community engagement that explores the breadth and depth of Kentucky’s horse industry.
• Attracting new people and populations to careers in the industry and reducing the barriers of entry to career paths in the industry.