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Minnesota Walking Horse Association
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2007 MWHA Horse Person of the Year
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Each year the MWHA seeks nominations of a MWHA member who exemplifies commitment to and support of the MWHA. The winner of this award will be decided upon by a committee of the past three winners of the Horseperson Of The Year Award.
Areas of consideration are:
- Continued support to MWHA as a trainer, owner, breeder, participant, or volunteer helper.
- Active in promoting Walking Horses (Example: Managing shows, trail rides, clinics, etc.).
- Involved in current MWHA programs.
This award of appreciation is announced annually at the MWHA Awards Banquet held each January. We would like to personally thank everyone that submitted nominations for the year 2007. It was not an easy choice!
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We are proud to announce that we have a tie for the 2007 MWHA Horseperson Of The Year Award!!
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DALE LEBAHN OWATONNA, MN
Nomination was submitted by MWHA Member, Joleen Waalen |
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I nominate Dale LeBahn for the 2007 MWHA Horseperson of the Year award. He has been a member of MWHA many years.
I remember when their daughter, Rocky, was showing horses in the juvenile classes.
When Rocky decided to train horses, Dale & Jeanne encouraged and supported her by turning their barn into a training stable and called it Walking L Stables. Besides showing their own horses and customer's horses, Dale readily gave trophy donations to other MWHA shows he didn't attend.
He was always the first one to give two trophy donations to the Early Bird Show. When MWHA needed
another horse show, Dale volunteered to organize and manage a show, which became the MWHA Jamboree. It was first held at the Steele County Fairgrounds in Owatonna where extra stalls had to be put up and taken down. Many times
Dale had to do this by himself. He wanted to improve the show by going to an indoor arena, so therefore moved the show to Mason City, IA, where it has been held for many years. He has lived through the frustration of the
grounds personnel changing their show dates every year. Dale gets every class sponsored by personally contacting area businesses.
He would attend the Early Bird Show and work the crowd getting donations. Every year Dale greets us when we get to the show and brings us shavings. Many years ago, five people from MWHA and CBWHA got together to plan a co-sponsored horse show, which became the Twin State Show.
When the original planners decided they didn't want to manage the show any more, there was a possibility that the show would be discontinued. Dale came through and volunteered to represent the MWHA and he contacted someone from the CBWHA to be their representative so the show went on.
This past year, Dale had a serious illness, but he was there at the Jamboree show, smiling, greeting us
and asking how many bags of shavings we needed.
Due to his health and closing their training operation, he and Jeanne have decided to no longer manage the MWHA Jamboree Horse Show. The show can be replaced, but Dale's enthusiasm and talents won't be.
It is with great gratitude and appreciation that I nominate Dale LeBahn. |
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MERRY KAY BANDELIN
ARLINGTON, MN
Nomination was submitted by MWHA Member, Carol Kirchoff |
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I would like to nominate Merry Kay Bandelin to receive this
award. She is a long time member of MWHA and does an excellent job of promoting the breed. She
participates in MWHA shows, and no matter how she placed, she has a smile and never gets frustrated.
She is always willing to lend a helping hand to others as well. There were a couple of times, which she helped us out and without her, we would have never made it. Merry Kay actively promotes the Tennessee Walking Horse breed, by supporting the shows, participating in the futurity, and participating in clinics. She is always
willing to learn something new and absorbs a lot of information to pass onto others. I have learned so much for this woman and appreciate all that she has done for us and the MWHA club. She is a hard working dedicated horseperson, who loves her horses inside and out.
I believe she is a great candidate for this award and deserves recognition. She is a great asset to the MWHA club, and I feel honored to know her.
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If you know of a person that deserves to be nominated for the 2008 Member of the Year Award please submit your nomination no later than November 1, 2008. For complete rules and entry form click here Horseperson of the Year Award Form or go to our download forms page.
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