September 20, 2002

WKU Freshman Receives
Equine Group's $2,500 Scholarship

Bowling Green, Ky. - A Western Kentucky University freshman from Brownsville has received a $2,500 scholarship from the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association.

Daniel Starnes, son of Larry and Linda Starnes, has been a member of the TWHBEA since 1992 and has earned the title of Youth Superior Champion. With his whole family involved in the Walking Horse industry, "I was genetically predisposed to be a horse lover," he said.

Starnes, a 2002 graduate of Edmonson County High School, plans to major in pre-medicine at Western and attend veterinary school at Auburn University.

Starnes, 18, has demonstrated leadership abilities by holding offices in 4-H, FFA, Walking Horse Owners' Youth Association and the high school's international club.

This year he received the Kentucky 4-H Award of Excellence for his equine safety efforts. After a family friend had been injured in a fall from a horse, Starnes mobilized the Edmonson County 4-H Cave Riders Horse Club to publicize and demonstrate equine safety at eight events over a one-year period. About 500 children and adults were outfitted with helmets.

The TWHBEA annually awards six $2,500 undergraduate and two $2,500 graduate scholarships based on academic achievement, extracurricular activities, financial need and involvement in equine activities.

Awards were presented Aug. 29 before a crowd of 26,000 at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in Shelbyville, Tenn.

For more information, contact the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association at (931) 359-1574 or the WKU Agriculture Department at (270) 745-3151. More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via E-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.


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