USHJA Announces 2020 Recipients of the $25,000 Hamel Family Scholarship for Further Education

Lexington, Ky.—Aug. 6, 2020—The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the $25,000 Hamel Family Scholarship for Further Education as Madelyne Brymesser and Kirsten Lafforthun.

The scholarship was designed to encourage further education among equestrians, and recipients are able to use the funding for college, trade or professional school. This year, the $25,000 scholarship will help two equestrians toward their higher education goals.

“Jim, myself and our family believe that education is very important,” said Kristen Hamel. “The people you meet, the confidence that it brings and the ability to further your life goals through education help complete the person you want to be.”

“We are thrilled to have talked to this year’s awardees. They fit our vision of the type of citizen that we want to have attached to the Hamel Family Foundation,” Hamel continued.

Madelyne Brymesser, 18, of Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, is pursuing her goal of becoming a dental hygienist.

“I am beyond grateful and feel so fortunate for the support of the Hamel family and the USHJA Foundation,” Brymesser said. “I am so proud and honored to be part of an organization that provides such a variety of opportunities to their members.”

Brymesser is not afraid to work hard—she is a farm hand at her family’s dairy farm and at Hollyhurst Farm. She has also volunteered her time with the USHJA Youth Committee, Girls on the Run and as a summer camp counselor at Hollyhurst. She was the 2017 USHJA nominee for the USEF Youth Sportsman's Award.

Enthusiastic, driven and kind is how Brymesser is described. She has a passion for horses and is typically the first person to arrive and the last person to leave the barn, always helping younger riders.

Brymesser was able to complete some college-level classes in high school to get a jump start on her goals. She is planning to major in dental hygiene at Harrisburg Area Community College.

“Receiving the Hamel Family Scholarship will be an incredible help and alleviate some of my financial concern. It will allow me to focus on my studies becoming a dental hygienist, where I will be able to provide dental health awareness and help to make smiles brighter.”

Kirsten Lafforthun, 18, of Apex, North Carolina, is hoping to continue to build her business as an equine photographer by studying agriculture business management at North Carolina State University. She also plans to still ride and compete in college.

“Receiving this scholarship means the world to me,” Lafforthun said. “The Hamel Scholarship will help me accomplish my personal goals, my business-related goals, as well as my equestrian goals.”

While taking photos for fun at a horse show, Lafforthun discovered a passion for photography and started a photography business when she was just 15 years old. She has worked with competition managers to set up a booth at shows and has built an online presence with her website and social media. She balanced school, her photography business, riding and other community service activities throughout high school.

Lafforthun is described as a hard worker who is always smiling and is meticulous about her schoolwork, often using quiet time at horse shows to study. She said she has also learned so much from the sport and members of the equestrian community.

"This sport teaches us so many life skills like patience, decision making, problem solving, social skills, work ethic, motivation, determination, and so so much more," Lafforthun said. "I am so grateful that I get to say that I am apart of the equestrian community. I would not be who I am today without such an amazing group of people."

The Hamel Family Scholarship for Further Education is thanks to a generous donation from the Kristen and James Hamel Family Foundation. The USHJA Foundation awards up to $25,000 to be used for college, graduate, trade or professional school to one or more USHJA members each year. Eligible candidates may apply for the Hamel Scholarship every year but may only be awarded the scholarship once. The USHJA Foundation will award the scholarship mid-summer each year.

To learn more about the USHJA $25,000 Hamel Family Scholarship for Further Education, visit ushja.org/foundation/hamel.

Photos provided.