The horse industry was heartbroken to learn the passing of 18 year-old, Michael Ochetto, Jr in November of 2013. According to his father, Michael Ochetto, a well known halter trainer and judge, there was an overwhelming desire for friends and family to honor the memory of his son. Ochetto decided to set up a scholarship fund through APHA for people to honor his life.
“Mikey Jr. was a very loving and giving kid that loved paint horses,” Ochetto told GoHorseShow. “He always helped everybody and was close to his family and friends including his sisters, Linley Ochetto Treadwell, and Sara Fernald as well as his mother, Jodi Fernald. He was big-hearted and would always get in trouble for using money that he was given on somebody else that needed it. He was just that type of kid and he would be honored to be able to help other young people with this scholarship fund.”
“When Michael Jr. passed away, we were all so devastated. Speaking with his father, Michael, he shared his plans for a scholarship, I asked if I could please donate the ad space and get an ad made for him,” says Stacy Chambers, an amateur competitor, who has known Michael Ochetto and his son for several years. “I called Sarah Rosciti and asked for her help in creating an ad to honor Michael Jr. She said yes without hesitation. That was/is part of who Sarah is, and I believe is representative of so many of the good people in our horse world.”
According to Jan Anderson, Executive Assistant and American Paint Horse Foundation Coordinator, the memorial endowments are set up in someone’s memory who has passed, or honorariums to recognize a living person can also be set up in the same manner. Such endowments must reach the $25,000 level before any funds are issued in the form of scholarships, and ideally, donations would continue even after the minimum level is reached.
All donations go into the fund to be issued. “We currently issue only one $1,000 annually to any individual out of that endowment, and as long as the student keeps his grades and maintains the criteria, the scholarship would be continued for up to 8 semesters,” Anderson states.
“The Ochetto endowment already has more than the $1,000 but has not yet reached the $25,000 level,” Anderson says. “APHA currently issues 48 permanent endowment scholarships each year of $1,000 each. An application form is available on the website; the only criteria is that the youth must be a member of AjPHA or APHA and have a cumulative “B” grade average and three completed and signed recommendation forms.”
To find out more how to donate to the American Paint Horse Foundation please contact Jan Anderson at 817-834-2742.
CLICK HERE to check out the ad in the February issue of GoMag.
Special thanks to Jan Anderson, Stacy Chambers and Sarah Rosciti of SR Images for donated her time to design this beautiful ad.
