Supporting equine veterinary students for 52 years

Haley Primley standing near a fence outside the veterinary teaching hospital.

In 1968, the very first Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association Scholarship was awarded to veterinary student Arthur “Rocky” Crate (’69 DVM) in the amount of $200. He wrote, “I feel very proud, and very humble, to be so highly honored. No other scholarship would have given me the pleasure and the satisfaction that yours has given me, not only because of my love for horses, but because I hold your association, and the work which you are doing, in very high regard.”

Fast forward 51 years, and student Haley Primley (’20 DVM) was awarded the same scholarship for $1,000. “Receiving a scholarship is a huge honor. It means that there are people out there that recognize and support students who strive to achieve their goals,” says Primley who wants to practice equine sports medicine in Washington and Oregon after she graduates.

Today the scholarship is funded through the Washington Thoroughbred Foundation on behalf of the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association, which was established in 1940. The scholarship is awarded to a student who demonstrates academic merit, is a Washington resident, has a financial need, and has an active interest in horses.

“We realize that the cost of veterinary schooling has risen over the years,” says Anne Sweet, general manager for the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association. “At the same time, we have seen a decline in equine veterinarians and fewer young men and women entering the field. We hope to help and support those with an interest in and a passion for the equine veterinary field so that they can continue their studies and hopefully follow in the footsteps of those before them.”

For Haley Primley, it is more than the money, it’s also having an organization like the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association in her corner.

“That alone means so much,” says Primley. “I hope that one day after I graduate, I can return the favor and also continue to pay it forward to future veterinarians.”

Categories: Gift in Action