Nebraska Horse Council
HORSEPERSON OF THE YEAR
Nomination Guidelines for Horseperson of the Year
The Nebraska Horse Council will honor someone as our HORSEPERSON OF THE YEAR. They will be recognized next March at the Nebraska Horse Expo and included in that year’s Nebraska Horse Expo Program.
This person should be someone special; someone who stands out from the rest and who is a model for others in the Nebraska horse industry. Of course, the Nebraska Horse Council directors don’t know all the horse people in the state, so the person who is selected as Horseperson of the Year is usually nominated by one or more people who do know them and recognize them as worthy of this honor.
Do you know a special horseperson who should be considered for Horseperson of the Year? Please bring them to our attention!
Some selection criteria:
- Long term, serious commitment to equine activity in Nebraska.
- May be either professional or amateur.
- Should have contributed in many areas, for example, Western or English Shows, 4H, Little Britches or High School Rodeo, trails, carriage driving, equestrian legislation, clinics, or other equine related activities. Not just within a single breed or discipline, but many areas.
- Usually the individual will have been a horse owner for many years, although it certainly is not a requirement. They may have worked “behind the scenes”.
- Normally a mature individual, with long term commitment to the horse industry.
- The individual should have excellent character, a role model for others.
- The individual will likely be recognized by members of many horse-related groups, perhaps even by the general population.
(Note: current Directors of the NE Horse Council are not eligible for consideration.)
Application Procedures for Horseperson of the Year
Write a letter nominating that special individual. Clearly indicate reasons why this individual meets the above requirements. Be accurate; facts will be checked. Include only information that you personally know about. Don’t repeat ‘stories’ about this person unless you were there when it happened.
Ask others who know this individual to also send in letters telling why they think this person should be Horseperson of the Year. But don’t flood the committee with similar letters; it’s not a popularity contest. Try to get letters from people who can give other examples of why this person should be selected.
- Ask people from other breeds or equine disciplines to send in letters.
- Ask people who can give recent examples of why this person should be selected.
- Ask people who can give examples from the past.
Board resolutions from equine organizations are also acceptable, but it’s often more impressive to the committee if instead each member of the Board takes a minute to write down one personal example that shows why they think this individual should be selected.
All information you want the committee to consider must be postmarked by January 1 prior to that year’s Nebraska Horse Expo.
Please try to keep this a secret from the individual you are nominating, it’s more fun if this is a surprise to them!
Send your letter to this address:
Horseperson of the Year Committee
Nebraska Horse Council Att: Cindy
920 County Road 4
Ashland, NE 68003
Email: