After dinner we moved on to the outgoing President’s speech and her awards. Debra is one of the most dynamic people I have ever met. She is someone I admire and look up to and someone who I look to whenever I have breeding questions or need a question answered. She ALWAYS has the answers. Well she was going through her plethora of awards and the last one was the Walter Farley Award for the most distinguished youth. Here is her speech:
“As I stand on the rail and wander around show grounds there was one individual BRAHA youth that kept standing out. I have watched this young lady grow from a kid learning to ride to a poised, confident horseperson. Handling many situations, becoming a leader, and becoming an accomplished equestrian. She graduated this past year from her pony mounts to her very own Arabian mare. She and her mare have been quite successful in the ring, but it is really her accomplishments outside the ring that impress me the most. I am very proud of this young lady and happy to honor her tonight with the Walter Farley Award for most outstand youth. Congratulations, Rachel Dors.”
As Debra was reading her speech she would go a sentence or two and get so chocked up she’d have to stop. I was thinking to myself, wow she feels so much pride that whoever this is, she just loves them. When I herd Rach’s name it was an unbelievably proud moment. Well, as you can probably tell I was so overwhelmed myself with emotion I cried too. I was so thankful for so many things at that one moment. Thankful for the true friends that were around me, thankful for a very understanding husband (about the horses, that is) and so very thankful for a child that is so very special to everyone around her, not just her family. She got this beautiful little award to have as a keepsake and her name goes on the perpetual plaque, which she gets to keep for a year and then it will go to the new receiver.
The night went on with our babies winning lots of Futurity stuff. Our farm really cleaned up this year. Here is a picture of the two boxes of awards and prizes we brought home that night:
Rach counted, we brought home 26 awards and our “barn brats” brought home an additional 6 awards. Not only did Rachel get the outstanding youth award, but she also got the “Equine Stanley Cup” as we affectionately call it, it is the BRAHA Annual Perpetual Trophy in Memory of MTA Annie’s Jett Frost, donated by Ann and Fred Mack for the Youth High Point Hunter Champion. To go along with that she received two high point awards; one for the ½ Arab Hunter Pleasure division with Blossom, and one for Youth 13 and under. The statues are glass Arabians, signed and numbered and in a limited edition. One is gray and one is chestnut, you had a choice when you received your award, the first one Rachel picked was gray as her mare is gray and for the next one she chose the chestnut and told me it was just in case I didn’t get one of my own I could have hers!! It was the first time ever I wanted something chestnut! For me the icing on the cake was when High Point Stallion of the year for the Maryland Futurity was announced. KKoi was the winner. Sherry Crow, the awards presenter, explained that it was not based on how many babies were representing him or if they won their classes, it was based on points accumulated by how many other babies they had beaten. How exciting, I already was dancing on the clouds and then that announcement! Our little farm. What an evening, what an evening, all I can say is wow!
