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Popko earns Zak Family Ranch Scholarship

In the arena Kerry Popko ended her California Junior Rodeo Association career at the CJRA finals in Riverside November 23-25, 2007 by winning the Pole Bending average and that event’s year-end title.

The final event of her CJRA career was the CJRA awards banquet January 12, 2008 in Chino, and Popko added the Zak Family Ranch Scholarship to her CJRA honors.

“I was greatly honored,” Popko said. “I can’t thank them enough for choosing me.”

Zeb Zak was involved in CJRA competition before his 2007 high school graduation and his brother Zan Zak IV also competed in CJRA competition when he was eligible.

The Zak family chose to remain involved with the CJRA after their two sons reached adulthood, and the family chose to award two $750 scholarships to CJRA competitors.

“We just wanted to help out the association,” said Zan Zak III. “It was a great family association for us, and we really enjoyed it.”

The scholarships awarded for the 2007 season were the first Zak Family Ranch Scholarship awards. “It’s just there to help out the kids,” Zak said.

Both of the Zak children are currently in college, although neither currently competes in National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association competition. The Zak Family Ranch is located in Hemet.

“It was so nice of them. I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done,” Popko said.

One scholarship is earmarked for a male competitor while the other is slated for a cowgirl. Jeremiah Nichols of Sage joined Popko as a recipient of the initial Zak Family Ranch Scholarship awards.

The Zak Family Ranch Scholarship is open to current high school seniors and graduates of the previous year. It is based on grades, extracurricular activities, an essay on what the competitors learned from their CJRA experience, the amount of time the competitors were in CJRA, and letters of recommendation. A four-parent committee headed by Menifee’s Sue Cleveland evaluated the applications.

“She’s done such a great job,” Zak said of Cleveland.

“It was a really tough competition,” Cleveland said. “The kids did a really nice job on it.”

The committee also consisted of French Valley’s Gina Groff, Indio’s Patty Bates, and Ramona’s Vanessa Aspin. Cleveland sent the application packets to the other three committee members for evaluation.

“Unlike many of the seniors, I only participate in a few events. I was hoping that my character would shine above what they usually see at a rodeo,” said Popko, who competed in Barrel Racing as well as Pole Bending at CJRA rodeos when she felt her horse was healthy enough to handle both events.

Popko’s essay, titled “A Cowgirl’s Utopia,” opened with a description of a successful run while focusing on the influence Junior Rodeo had on her life. Popko had been an English rider before her seven years in Junior Rodeo and had participated in equitation, pleasure, and hunter/jumper competition. Although she was successful in the arena, the competitors were not friendly with each other.

After Popko began taking riding lessons from Delia Devenport, who was then at Rawhide Ranch in Bonsall, Popko made the transition to Barrel Racing and soon learned that rodeo competitors are willing to provide each other with tips.

Popko addressed the friendships she has made during her CJRA career and cited Mindy Devenport, Bliss Bates, and Jennifer Rosenburg (whose horses were boarded at the Stenerson Ranch in Bonsall) as role models who inspired Popko when she was younger. Popko noted that some of the younger competitors looked up to her as a role model in more recent years. Popko’s essay also noted her increased relationship with her horse, Banjo.

“I’m really grateful that my essay was able to show everything rodeo meant to me,” Popko said.

Popko entered her final Fallbrook High School semester with a cumulative 3.4 grade point average, and she is currently in advanced placement English and government classes.

Her extracurricular activities include serving as the school’s Associated Student Body public relations commissioner for 2007-08, leadership in the school’s Link Crew which helps incoming freshmen, in the Breaking Down the Walls program, and participation in the school’s Invisible Children chapter.

She was on the high school volleyball team and also spent the 2007 boys volleyball season volunteering as an assistant coach for Escondido Adventist Academy.

Popko was in the high school’s French Club for three years.

She also competes in California High School Rodeo Association competition and was the 2006-07 CHSRA District 8 queen.

The Popko family moved from Playa Del Rey to Fallbrook when Kerry was in first grade. She attended Maie Ellis Elementary School, La Paloma Elementary School, and Potter Junior High School before her four years at Fallbrook High School.

Popko has applied to California State University Long Beach, California State University Fullerton, San Diego State University, Chapman University, and Northern Arizona University. She plans to pursue a career in communications or public relations.

The banquet also included $300 scholarships to each year-end event champion, so Popko added that amount to her Zak Family Ranch Scholarship courtesy of her year-end Pole Bending championship.

“I’m really, really grateful,” Popko said. “I can’t wait to show them what their money, what their charity, will do and where I will go with it.”

 

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