Salem, NH — When the CHHA Scholarship Committee met in June, we had many applicants for the two available scholarships. After carefully reviewing all the applications, Parker Steck and Casey Hite stood out.

Along with all our other scoring criteria, both girls had great faith statements. They also show a passion for and commitment to harness racing.

We unanimously awarded the John and Janet Klark Memorial Scholarship to Parker Steck to help fund her second year in nursing studies at Ashland University. Our CHHA Scholarship committee chairperson, Lisa Schwartz, reminded us how John Klark, past director of CHHA, walked the same path Parker walked when he lost his wife as a result of an automobile accident. Parker and her family lost her 18-year-old brother, Ryder, in a car accident five years ago.

Parker’s parents bought her a pacing filly, Riding Out A Storm, for her 18th birthday. She thought she hit the lottery and spent weekends and vacations at the barn doing everything she could to make Stormy great. Stormy paid her way picking up checks all summer but was not able to contribute to Parker’s college tuition.

Parker reminded us in her essay how her brother Ryder’s death changed her life a few years ago. Thanks to their faith, Parker and her family seem to be in a better place. Of course, they still miss Ryder. By the way, Ryder was nicknamed Storm Boy.

CHHA Scholarship Committee chairperson Lisa Schwartz wrote to Casey Hite, “The Rambling Willie Scholarship is special to us because that was “The Horse that God Loved” and so entitled was the book about him. He had a race tour of 17 cities during his time and is an Immortal Hall of Fame member, as we may well know. Rambling Willie was not only a great competitor earning over two million dollars, he was the greatest four-legged promoter of Standardbred racing of his time. A marketing wonder!”

Because of Casey’s faith-filled application and her passion for the promotion and marketing of Standardbred racing, Casey received the Rambling Willie Scholarship to continue her studies in Corporate Communications at Pennsylvania State University – Fayette.

Lisa points out that CHHA is making, “a wise investment in the future of the corporate communications role Casey is sure to be playing in the perpetuation of the Standardbred industry.”

As Casey approaches her senior year she writes, “God has blessed me with amazing relationships and memories to last a lifetime while working toward my degree.”