11.28.13

Kentucky Horse Council Honors 2013 Industry Contributors with Excellence Awards

Posted in Kentucky Horse Council at 7:23 pm by EPR

Lexington, KY, November 10, 2013 – The Kentucky Horse Council Excellence Awards recognize the individuals, groups and associations whose dedication and innovation, through outstanding achievements, positively impact our Kentucky equine community.  This year’s award winners were celebrated at the KHC Annual Member Meeting on November 10, where recipients received public accolades for their work and accomplishments.

Volunteer of the Year:
The Kentucky Horse Council chose Donna Waldrup from Nicholas County, KY, as the 2013 Volunteer of the Year.  Donna has spent long hours over the last four years, working on KHC events & programs, such as the Kentucky Round-Up, the Kentucky Trail Summit, and the Annual Convention.

In addition to her full time job with AT&T, Donna remains extremely active in the equine industry.  Her equine activities include (but definitely are not limited to): working as a part-time rider for Blue Grass Stockyards East, participating in the Cowboy Church Network of Kentucky and Blue Grass Cowboy Church, volunteering at the Kentucky Horse Park and with the Back Country Horsemen, and competing in ranch roping, working cow horse, penning/sorting, and mounted shooting.  This year, Donna competed in CMSA mounted shooting with the Cowtown Rangers and won the State Championship for Ladies Level 1!

“The Kentucky Horse Council has been fortunate to have an incredible database of knowledgeable and dedicated volunteers,” said Anna Zinkhon, President of the Kentucky Horse Council.  “This past year, Donna Waldrup stood out, and showed everyone what an ideal, hardworking volunteer can do.  Her service to the Kentucky Horse Council is invaluable and highly appreciated.”

Ambassador Award
The KHC Ambassador Award is an annual award with the following criteria:

• Evidence of significant, long term collaboration with one or more Kentucky equine groups
• History of positive involvement with the Kentucky Horse Council through board, committee or volunteer work
• Pioneer or groundbreaking work advancing equine causes in Kentucky

This year’s Ambassador Award was presented to Madelyn Millard of Lexington, KY for her service and dedication to the equine community in Kentucky.

As former president of the Kentucky Horse Council (KHC), Madelyn has made the KHC critical to the industry’s health and well-being.   During her tenure as president, Madelyn guided the KHC board and staff to develop programs in horse welfare, equine professional education, youth support, trail protection, legislative involvement and communications.  Some of these programs are now even national models.

Madelyn also had the vision to recognize that the Kentucky Horse Council was not just a state organization, but also an important participant in the national industry through equine connections and partnerships.  She is involved with the equine industry at the national level and has been active in the Coalition of State Horse Councils, first serving as Vice-Chair in 2010 – 2011, and then being elected Chair in 2012 at the American Horse Council’s Annual Meeting.

“It is my honor and privilege to present Madelyn with the first annual Ambassador Award,” said Anna Zinkhon, President of the Kentucky Horse Council.  “We thank her for her vast contributions to the equine industry, within the state, the nation, and globally.  She has shown the world the dedication it takes to make a positive impact on the entire equine community, and has become a role model in the process.”

For more information about the Kentucky Horse Council, visit www.kentuckyhorse.org or call (859) 367-0509.

ABOUT THE KENTUCKY HORSE COUNCIL – The Kentucky Horse Council is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated, through education and leadership, to the protection and development of the Kentucky equine community.  The Kentucky Horse Council provides educational programs, grants, scholarships, personal liability insurance, trail riding programs, and an annual statewide equine industry directory.

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