Minimum requirements for awards are:
1. Applicant meets the following:
- Parent or Grandparent is an honorably discharged veteran (DD214 or NG22 for parent/grandparent must be submitted as proof of service along with proof of relationship to veteran. Note: mask/black out any personal information on form such as social security number, phone number and home address before submitting.). OR
- Spouse and children of current active duty, reserve, or national guard members (Spouse or dependent children should submit DEERS Eligibility Verification or Enrollment documentation as proof of status. Note: mask/black out any personal information on form such as social security number, phone number and home address before submitting.) OR
- Spouse and children of military members Killed in Action or Missing in Action are also eligible. (Spouse or dependent children should submit verification documentation as proof of status. Note: mask/black out any personal information on form such as social security number, phone number and home address before submitting.)
Applicants must meet this requirement AND:
2. High School applicants must have competed in a recognized youth rodeo association (AJRA, NLBRA etc.), National High School Rodeo Association, or been actively involved in 4-H, Future Farmers of America (FFA) or other farm and ranch focused organizations. (Documentation showing participation in the above activities must be provided with application.)
OR
3. Applicant may be an Undergraduate or Graduate student who currently or previously competed in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) (must submit proof of competing) OR is majoring in one of the following degree programs and meets the requirements of 1 above:
- Agriculture related program
- Veterinary Science program
- Sports Marketing or Management
- Museum Studies or Management
Undergraduate and graduate students must submit transcripts showing major course work.
4. Applicants must show a minimum of 2.9 GPA. High School and college students must provide a copy of current transcripts.
5. Applicant must show financial need by submission of previous tax year Form 1040/1040A/1040EZ for themselves or parent if still a dependent claimed on the tax form. Note: mask/black out any personal information on form such as social security number, phone number and home address before submitting.
6. Complete and submit a 500-word essay in your own words detailing why military service and support of the western lifestyle is important to the applicant and the country
7. Undergraduate and Graduate students may apply for follow on funding under this program each year if they meet the requirements of a-c above. Returning applicants must also submit a 500-word essay in their own words describing how their current course of study can promote military service and the western lifestyle
NOTE: Military Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame directors, trustees, officers, senior managers, scholarship selection committee or their family members are NOT eligible for scholarship awards under this program. In addition to these prohibited individuals, individual donors reported on the Hall of Fame IRS Form 990, Schedule B and their family members are also ineligible for scholarship awards under this program. (Note that for these purposes, “family members” include spouses or domestic partners, siblings, children, and grandchildren, as well as spouses or domestic partners of siblings, children, and grandchildren)
Non-U.S. Citizens are also ineligible for scholarship awards under this program.