AHP Student Award celebrates its 10th Anniversary

The 10th anniversary of the Student Award was even more memorable since it was held in a 50s diner and called the AHP Doo Wop Hoof Hop. Poodle skirts, dungarees, rolled-up tees, bowling shirts, and saddle shoes were among the popular attire. Members of all ages danced and sang the night away to tunes from the fabulous fifties and munched on all the favorite calorie-laden food from that era. The AHP cheerleaders gave a rowdy cheer for Pfizer Animal Health, sponsors of the dinner, and the American Quarter Horse Association, sponsors of the reception.

After winning the AHP Student Award in 1994, Jennifer (Ruth) Denison interned at Horse & Rider and later worked for 6 years as Assistant Editor, Associate Editor and Senior Editor. She is currently Associate Editor of Western Horseman and Managing Editor of Equestrian Retailer. She and her husband, Robert, live in Woodland Park, Colorado, where they are remodeling their home and horse property.

"Winning the Student Award inspired me to pursue my lifelong goal of becoming an equine journalist," Jennifer says. "Today, the organization and members continue to motivate me to reach the next level in my career. I'm proud to be among such a talented group of peers."

Stephanie Lynn Church, the 1998 Student Award winner, is the News Editor at The Horse in Lexington, Kentucky. "There's something new every day, and I still get the buzz from following breaking news stories," she says. "Working with veterinarians is a lot of fun, and I am getting more comfortable with translating vetspeak into something that the horse owner can understand, but yet challenges them."

Summer Ann Best, the 1999 Student Award winner, is currently Communications and Marketing Director for Seminole Feed in Ocala, Florida. She is also the Editor of ec magazine, an equine health and nutrition magazine published by Seminole Feed. Previously she spent two years as field editor for The American Quarter Horse Journal and had interned with the Paint Horse Journal and NSBA Magazine.

"I credit AHP with nearly all my success in this industry," Summer says. "Everything-from my first internships, to my first job, to relationships I continue to build-is related somehow to AHP and its networking and educational opportunities. I'm sincerely grateful to belong to the organization, and I'm thrilled to have received my first big boost from each of you."

Michelle Berg Anderson, the 2000 Student Award winner, is the Assistant Editor for the Appaloosa Journal, where she has been employed for four years and completed an earlier internship. She and her husband, Seth, bought a house last spring in Moscow, Idaho.

Maggie Martin Malson, the 2001 Student Award winner, is Editor and Publisher of the quarterly Line Rider Magazine and News Brief newsletter for the Idaho Cattle Association. She and her husband, Josh, live in Parma, Idaho, and are expecting their first child this fall.

"I feel as though I have achieved success both personally and professionally," says Maggie. "I'm very thankful for the opportunities I received at the internship at AQHA and for receiving the AHP Student Award-the experience has proved invaluable. I am very lucky to be involved in the equine and livestock publishing industries."

Caraneen Smith of Carlisle, Massachusetts, last year's winner and a recent graduate of Boston College, is the owner and developer of BigEq.com. "Attending the AHP Seminar, and learning about the equine publishing industry and meeting the people who make it happen was an eye-opening experience," she says.

The former winners summed up the success of the Student Award program in their 10-year report.

The AHP Student Award Program works!
The majority of recipients work successfully in the equine publishing industry.
AHP Student Award winners give back to the program, mentoring future equine publishing professionals and sharing what AHP has ingrained in them even hiring interns through the program.

During the past decade, American Horse Publications has seen a steady growth in participation from students seeking careers in equine publishing. In 1993, AHP named its first Student Award winner. In 1998, the association offered a Student Membership category and developed the AHP Internship Handbook. In 2002, the AHP Student Mentoring Program was initiated. Today, Student membership is at its highest with 37 members for 2003.

To further gauge the success of these programs, you only have look at the staffs of AHP members. Through active pursuit of their careers, these individuals became involved in American Horse Publications through membership, internship or the Student Award, and made a place for themselves in our industry. Former student members like Teresa Jacsob, Equine Resources International; Lisa Munniksma, USDF; Heidi Nyland, Horse & Rider; Christy West, The Horse, Andrea Caudill, AQHA, and Janna Krajci, American Miniature Horse Association, have earned positions within their chosen fields. Numerous college students have interned at AHP members through the AHP Internship Program.

The Student Award Fund Auction began in 1993 as a way for members to support the program. The 11th annual Student Award Fund Auction raised over $2,240 in the silent auction and over $450 in raffle ticket and tattoo sales, for a total of $2,690. Proceeds benefit the Student Award, which rewards a college student pursuing a career in equine publishing with a cash award and an all-expense-paid trip to the annual AHP meeting. The Fund also provides complimentary student membership and seminar registration certificates to all Student Award applicants and supports the Student Mentoring Program.

The highest-priced item sold in the silent auction was a 20-book set of "Thoroughbred Legends" and bronzed horse head bookends, which was purchased for $200 by Cindy Deubler, Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, and donated by Blood-Horse Publications. Rob Banner, The Chronicle of the Horse, who recreated his role as Elvis, purchased the black leather jacket donated by AQHA for $150. Kim Herbert, The Horse, was the highest bidder of $135 on the LaEspuela hunter green saddle bag donated by Leather Goods of Spain Sol International. Kim also purchased the Rambo Supreme Waterproof Sheet for $105 donated by Horseware Ireland. And Rob Banner also bought the foxhunting bookends for $100 donated by Merial.

This year's biggest spender was Kim Herbert of The Horse, whose purchases totaled $270. Others who spent over $200 included Rob Banner, The Chronicle of the Horse; Stacy V. Bearse, Blood-Horse Publications; and Cindy Deubler, Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred. Spending over $100 were Lua Oas Southard, Equine Resources International; Natasha Wieschenberg, Breyer Animal Creations; Lauren Baker, Flying Changes Magazine; and Lilo Navales, Leather Goods of Spain Impex Sol International.

The silent auction and raffle are not possible without generous donations. This year's donors included: the American Quarter Horse Association, American Youth Horse Council, Appaloosa Journal, Back In The Saddle, Blood-Horse Publications, Breyer Animal Creations, California Thoroughbred, Certified Horsemanship Association, Fancy Publications, Farnam Companies Inc., Horseware Ireland, In & Around Horse Country, Leather Goods of Spain Impex Sol International, Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Maryland Hunt Cup, Maryland Jockey Club, Merial, Pfizer Animal Health, Josh Pons of Country Life Farm, Primedia Equine Network, Quebecor World TPC Group, Rocky Mountain Rider Magazine, Shawan Downs, Lua Oas Southard, Mitch Tenney, and The Texas Thoroughbred.

A big thank you goes to those who purchased auction items: Lauren Baker, RobBanner, Stacy V. Bearse, Cindy Deubler, Katie Elliott, Maureen Gallatin, Doug Hayes, Kim Herbert, Frank Hurtig, Ellen Kiser, Shaneen Kohler, Dan Kramer, Sandy Kucharski, Tammy Lewis, Chuck Manson, Jill Montgomery, Lisa Munniksma, Lilo Navales, Amy Owens, Betsy Parker, Holly Parker, Kate Riordan, Lua Oas Southard, Ellie Trueman, Natasha Wieschenberg, Lisa Marie Wood, and Valerie Young plus all who bought raffle tickets and tattoos.

Recognition for their assistance in planning and preparing for the Student Award event goes to the event committee: Deborah Taylor, Pat Trowbridge, Doug Hayes, and Summer Best; the auction committee: Lua Oas Southard, Teresa Jascob, and Pat Doennig; and staff assistants, Tammy Lewis and Ellen Kiser. The event would not be possible without continued support and enthusiasm for this special evening from sponsors, Dan Kramer of Pfizer Animal Health and Cindy Perez, of AQHA. Additional thanks is expressed to Sue Copeland, chairman of this year's Student Award contest; Steven Price, who judged the competition; Connie Lechleitner, chairman of the Student Mentoring Committee; and especially Summer Best and Jennifer Denison who produced the presentation on the past Student Award winners.

College students, who will be juniors or seniors at the start of the 2004-2005 undergraduate college year with at least one semester before graduation, and who are actively pursuing a career in equine publishing, will be eligible to compete for American Horse Publications 2004 Student Award. The next AHP Annual Meeting and Seminar is scheduled for June 11-12, 2004 at Marriott's Griffin Gate Resort in Lexington, Kentucky.

American Horse Publications is a non-profit professional association of over 300 equine-related publications, individuals and businesses which share an interest in equine publishing. Established in 1970, AHP has continued throughout its history to promote better understanding and communication within the equine publishing industry.

For further information on the AHP Student Award or any of its student programs, contact: Chris Brune, American Horse Publications, 49 Spinnaker Circle, South Daytona, FL 32119; (386) 760-7743 or visit the AHP website at www.americanhorsepubs.org.