Cashlee Hepworth

Dear Mountain State Stock Dog Association,
My name is Cashlee Hepworth. My parents are Tyson and Stephanie Hepworth and I live in
Auburn Wyoming. I am a 2025 graduating senior from Star Valley High School. I love spending
time with my friends and family, trialing dogs, training dogs, riding horses, and being out in
nature. I have been associated with the Mountain State Stockdog Association for around six
years. The first time I had had the opportunity to watch the MSSA finals I was with my dad
sitting in the grandstands. We noted that there were a couple people in the Valley that would
trial with their dogs and we contacted them. Later in the year at the Lincoln County Fair I met
Steve and Sheri and talked to them about getting a puppy from them. With the deal of getting a
puppy from them was the stipulation that I had to have the dog trial ready within two years and I
have to trial him. When I went to pick up my dog they brought out a bunch of younger pups that
I had to choose from, I didn’t even look at the older ones. While getting the puppy that I had
chosen ready to go home we noticed that it wasn’t moving its back legs very well, we sat and
watched it for a while and decided that it would be better if I just picked a new pup out. This is
when the older pups were brought in and I got to pick out one of them that I had originally not
wanted to pick from, and this is when I met Rooster, my spunky dog that loves me and doesn’t
like other people but for some reason he puts up with them, with the occasional nip. The other
puppy turned out to be fine and it was meant to be that I got Rooster. When I brought Rooster
home he stayed in my room for a couple nights because we didn’t have a place for him outside.I
started working with him on a leash and getting him to come here and lay down. Once I got him
started on that my dad helped me get him loaded up on a barrel and we progressed from there
to putting him on a barrel in a sheep pen and making him stay and listen even with the sheep
there as a distraction. When we got him listening to directions(right and left), we started getting
help from people in the valley as well as Steve and Sheris help on how we needed to get him to
work the livestock and not just run in circles around them. I started officially trialing rooster two
years after I got him in the novice class and my dad trialed him in the intermediate and futurity
classes. Currently he is getting run in the Novice by my mom, Intermediate by me, and in the
Open class by my dad, and sometimes my brother runs him in the junior handler classes when
they are available. I have also had the opportunity to work for the MSSA dog trials throughout
Utah, Idaho, and the finals in Star Valley for 5 years. Throughout being involved in the MSSA I
have had the opportunity to meet a lot of wonderful people who live all over the states. This has
really helped me because when you meet people from different regions, you hear new opinions,
life experiences, and ways of thinking. Everybody who trials has a different way of training their
dogs and you can learn something from them. When you watch a person trial their dog, weather
they are in a class higher than you, a class lower than you or even in the same class as you,
you can learn from them and how they work their dog even if you don’t like something they do
that is learning that you don’t want to work your dog that way so you find another way or you just
don’t train that aspect on them. After high school, I plan to pursue a career as a mortician, a
profession I have admired for its unique combination of compassion, technical skill, and
meaningful service to grieving families.This career path requires a deep understanding of
human anatomy, funeral practices, and emotional intelligence, all of which I am eager to learn
and develop through formal education and hands-on training. I have interned with the local
Funeral Home so I could get hands-on experience before jumping into the schooling. To achieve
my goal, I intend to enroll in a mortuary science program in Oregon at Mt. Hood Community
College, where I will gain the knowledge and licenses necessary to enter the field. These
programs are often intensive and require a significant financial commitment. This is why
receiving the MSSA Scholarship Fund would be incredibly beneficial to me. The support would
alleviate the financial burden of tuition, books, and other associated costs, allowing me to focus
entirely on my studies.
With Kindest regards,
Cashlee Hepworth

What scholastic honors or distinctions have you received?

I have the “Distinguished Scholastic Achievement Award” twice for wrestling and twice for soccer. I also have earned Varcity lettering three times for wrestling.

Description of Financial Need (how will the funds be used)

this financial need will be used towards books and helping pay for classes and extra equipment I will need.

How are you affiliated with MSSA

Stocksetter/ Handler