Lifetime Achievement Award Criteria for winning: This award honors a person for his or her lifelong contributions to the Saddlebred industry, dedication to the improvement of the breed, and support of American Saddlebred Horse Association. Nominations & Selection: All nominators must be active members of the ASHA and submit in writing, accompanied by a short biography of the nominee, their opinion as to why the person should receive the award. All nominees must be ASHA members. The deadline for receipt of nominations is October 31. The nominations will be reviewed by the Board of Directors and a winner will be selected by vote of all Directors. Winners receive: A custom-crafted julep cup, which is symbolic of the highest honor upon which one can be bestowed by the American Saddlebred Horse Association. Past Winners: 2008 Mrs. David Neil, Blythewood Farm 2007 Jean McLean Davis 2006 James Aikman 2005 Marty Mueller 2004 Judith Werner

The American Saddlebred Horse Association custom-crafted julep cup is presented to the winners of the ASHA Individual Awards at the Annual Meeting and Youth Conference.

Breeders Hall of Fame

Criteria for induction: A person(s) involved with a successful breeding operation which has made an impact on the American Saddlebred breed and industry. A breeder who over a lifetime has shown or proven serious interest in betterment for the breed; consistently shown improvement and eagerness to learn; exhibited good sportsmanship and good horsemanship; demonstrated long-term interest; had success with more than one horse; has reached a pinnacle of success; and has unselfishly given to others, and encouraged other breeders, in an effort to better the breed. Only members of the ASHA will be considered for induction. All previous winners of the former Breeders Award (1986-2006) automatically received induction into the Hall.

Nominations & Selection: All nominators must be active members of the ASHA and submit in writing, accompanied by a short biography of the nominee, their opinion as to why the person should receive the award. The deadline for receipt of nominations is October 31. The nominations will be reviewed by the Breeders Committee, which will present the Board of Directors with a list of finalists for induction, and an inductee(s) will be selected by vote of all Directors.

Inductees receive: A custom-crafted julep cup, which is symbolic of the highest honor upon which one can be bestowed by the American Saddlebred Horse Association.

Breeder of the Year Award

Criteria for winning: Recipients of this award are chosen based on a statistical analysis of their successful show performance during the entire competition year, relying on records produced by the American Saddlebred Registry. Only ASHA members are eligible for this honor.

Nominations & Selection: All nominators must be active members of the ASHA and submit in writing, accompanied by a short biography of the nominee, their opinion as to why the person should receive the award. The deadline for receipt of nominations is October 31. The nominations will be reviewed by the Breeders Committee, which will present the Board of Directors with a list of finalists and a winner will be selected by vote of all Directors.

C.J. Cronan Sportsmanship Award

Criteria for winning: Recipients of this award are chosen for their sportsmanship and their contributions to the breed. Such attributes considered are participation in ASHA programs, support of ASHA, and contributions to the ideals of ASHA. Only ASHA members are eligible. This award goes to a male, and the Lurline Roth Sportsmanship Award goes to a female.

Who is the award named after: C. J. Cronan was longtime Secretary of the ASHA and in the minds of many was “Mr. Saddlebred.” He is credited with forming the first American Saddlebred futurity program in 1927 at the Kentucky State Fair, which is now known as the ASR Kentucky Futurity. Cronan's model of futurities is the foundation for more than 50 American Saddlebred futurity programs across the country.

Nominations & Selection: All nominators must be active members of the American Saddlebred Horse Association and submit in writing, accompanied by a short biography of the nominee, their opinion as to why the person should receive the award. The deadline for receipt of nominations is October 31. The nominations will be reviewed by the Board of Directors and a winner will be selected by vote of all Directors.

Winners receive: A custom-crafted julep cup is symbolic of the highest honor upon which one can be bestowed by the American Saddlebred Horse Association.

Lurline Roth Sportsmanship Award

Criteria for winning: Recipients of this award are chosen for their sportsmanship and contributions to the breed. Such attributes considered are participation in ASHA programs, support of ASHA, and contributions to the ideals of ASHA. Only ASHA members are eligible. This award goes to a female, and the C. J. Cronan Sportsmanship Award goes to a male.

Who is the award named after: Lurline Roth was a Director and one of the great historic exhibitors of the Saddlebred show ring. She was involved in showing horses for over half a century and is remembered as the owner of Chief Of Longview and Sweetheart On Parade. Roth showed frequently and was gracious in victory and defeat.

Nominations & Selection: All nominators must be active members of the American Saddlebred Horse Association and submit in writing, accompanied by a short biography of the nominee, their opinion as to why the person should receive the award. The deadline for receipt of nominations is October 31. The nominations will be reviewed by the Board of Directors and a winner will be selected by vote of all Directors.

Winners receive: A custom-crafted julep cup is symbolic of the highest honor upon which one can be bestowed by the American Saddlebred Horse Association.

Frank Ogletree Youth Award

Criteria for winning: This award honors one youth each year who has exhibited a sportsmanlike attitude throughout his or her show career. Nominees must be active ASHA Junior Members who have demonstrated participation and achievement within the show ring, exhibited positive personal characteristics, as well as having served as true role models for their peers.

Who is the award named after: This award was established to honor James Frank Ogletree, Jr. (1930-1985), who gave unselfishly of his time and talents as an ASHA Director. Because of his daughter Ellen, he was especially interested in young people and encouraged their involvement with American Saddlebred horses.

Nominations & Selection: Nominations are accepted from personal or professional references. All nominations must be in writing and include the name and a brief description of why they feel he or she qualifies for this award. The deadline to submit nominations is October 31. Nominations are reviewed by the ASHA Youth Committee for recommendation to the ASHA Board of Directors and a winner will be selected by vote of all Directors.

Winners receive: A custom-crafted julep cup is symbolic of the highest honor upon which one can be bestowed by the American Saddlebred Horse Association, and a Life Membership with ASHA.

Gordon Jenkins International Award

Criteria for winning: This award is designed to honor a person who has gone the extra mile to introduce and promote the American Saddlebred horse to other countries. Candidates must be ASHA members.

Who is the award named after: Gordon Jenkins was from Canyonleigh, Australia. In the 1960s, Jenkins attended the first production sale at Sutton Farm. The owners of Sutton Farm were the first to bring American Saddlebreds to Australia. By 1978, Jenkins began breeding American Saddlebreds and he and his wife, Betty, owned the largest American Saddlebred horse farm in Australia. The American Saddlebred Horse Association of Australia was formed in 1977, and Jenkins served as president from 1983 to 1988, and then as vice president until his death in 1990.

Nominations & Selection: All nominators must be active members of the American Saddlebred Horse Association and submit in writing, accompanied by a short biography of the nominee, their opinion as to why the person should receive the award. The deadline for receipt of nominations is October 31. The nominations will be reviewed by the Board of Directors and a winner will be selected by vote of all Directors.

Winners receive: A custom-crafted julep cup is symbolic of the highest honor upon which one can be bestowed by the American Saddlebred Horse Association.

Meritorious Service Award

Criteria for winning: The Meritorious Service Award honors persons for their contributions to ASHA on almost all levels over a long period of time. Only ASHA members are eligible.

Nominations & Selection: All nominators must be active members of the American Saddlebred Horse Association and submit in writing, accompanied by a short biography of the nominee, their opinion as to why the person should receive the award. The deadline for receipt of nominations is October 31. The nominations will be reviewed by the Board of Directors and a winner will be selected by vote of all Directors.

Winners receive: A custom-crafted julep cup, which is symbolic of the highest honor upon which one can be bestowed by the American Saddlebred Horse Association.

Paul and Dorothy Gillenwater Family Award

Criteria for winning: To be awarded by the Board of Directors in recognition of the American Saddlebred as the ideal family breed, with a suitable horse and competition division for participation by each member of a family. The honoree shall be recognized for its sportsmanship and dedication as an entire family to the advancement of Saddlebreds, as amateurs and purely for the love of sport, whether for recreation, competition, breeding, or otherwise. Only ASHA members are eligible.

Nominations & Selection: All nominators must be active members of the American Saddlebred Horse Association and submit in writing, accompanied by a short biography of the nominee, their opinion as to why the person should receive the award. The deadline for receipt of nominations is October 31. The nominations will be reviewed by the Board of Directors and a winner will be selected by vote of all Directors.

Winners receive: A custom-crafted julep cup, which is symbolic of the highest honor upon which one can be bestowed by the American Saddlebred Horse Association.

Wing Commander Medal

Criteria for winning: Individuals receive this honor for demonstrating outstanding service to the ASHA and the breed, and through their dedication, have attracted interest in the highest quality show horses of the breed, thereby contributing to advancing the popularity of American Saddlebreds to the public. Only ASHA members will be considered for this honor.

Who is the award named after: CH Wing Commander is considered to be one of the, if not the greatest five-gaited American Saddlebred stallion ever, claiming the Five-Gaited World’s Grand Champion title six consecutive years between 1948 and 1953.

Nominations & Selection: All nominators must be active members of the American Saddlebred Horse Association and submit in writing, accompanied by a short biography of the nominee, their opinion as to why the person should receive the award. The deadline for receipt of nominations is October 31. The nominations will be reviewed by the Board of Directors and a winner will be selected by vote of all Directors.

Instructions for Making a Nomination

Members wishing to make nominations should respond in writing explaining in detail why an individual is deserving of a specific award.  The nominations are reviewed by the Association’s Executive Committee and other committees as necessary; no more than 3 finalists in each category are chosen to be voted upon by the full Board of Directors in December.  The Wing Commander Medal of Honor recipients receive a polished brass Wing Commander Medal of Honor, which is affixed to a grey and maroon ribbon.  All other award winners receive a custom-crafted silver julep cup, and the Ogletree Youth winner also receives a lifetime membership in the ASHA.

Please send nominations to ASHA, c/o Brenda Newell, 4083 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511, by fax to 859/259-1628, or email to b.newell@asha.net; please be sure to include “Award Nomination” in the subject line.