The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award was presented Tuesday to two people who have contributed mightily to the horse industry through their dedication and energy that helped advance the hunter and jumper disciplines on a national scale.
Otis Brown of Ocala, Fla., has been with USHJA since the beginning. An active committee member, he is well known as both a trainer and a horse show judge.
“I’ve been devoted to the horse industry for all my life, basically. That’s why we do it, because we love the animals, and I’ve been so fortunate to have the great ones that I’ve had. I really think I owe my career to Patty (Stovel, who died earlier this year), the horses I’ve been lucky enough to have, and the people who helped me along the way,” said Otis, known fondly as “Brownie.”
DiAnnLanger, a North Carolina resident, was a top competitor who transitioned to a concentration on breeding horses and developing top riders for the future. Her contributions to the USHJA’s programs showcase her commitment to youth education and competition, as does her work with young riders for the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
“I want to dedicate this award to the past generation of horsemen who taught me. Who also worked so hard to establish horse shows,” said DiAnn.
“I also want to push it forward to the current generation of horsemen who now took that show and made it into horse sport. And pass it forward to the youth, who will redefine it and become the guardians. But most of all, I want to give a shout out to all of us that have come through our life, touched our hearts, and especially that first one who grabbed ahold of us and said, ‘Come on, you’re now a horse family.'”
There would not have been a USHJA without the decisive action of David O’Connor as the president of the new USEF two decades ago. Fittingly, he received the William J. Moroney Visionary Award, named after the first president of the USHJA who is now the USEF’s CEO.
Speaking about David, Bill said, “He is one of those people that is constantly looking for opportunity out there. This organization and all the people who have ever been involved in it and all the people that have been members of it, he is the one that made this happen.. If anything, he is the father of USHJA.”
David, an Olympic eventing individual gold medalist who is the USEF’s chief of sport, said, “It’s been a great experience all the way through. I think every time you do one of these things, you end up learning more than you expect because of the people you get to work with. You always end up getting more out of all of the experiences and all of the people and all of the situations that you end up in.”
David O’Connor
The Plains, Va., resident added, “And this is such an unusual thing because it’s the horse, so we all get to wrap our lives around the horse, and we have to make sure that we never put the economics over the ethics over the care of the horse. And the elation and the disappointments of competition can’t overrun our basic love for what we do. And we all have to remember why we did it in the first place.”
Other awards at the USHJA convention in Tucson included Volunteer of the Year, which went to Robin Greenwood and the President’s Distinguished Service Award, received by Leea Bridgeman, Joe Dotoli, Steve Hankin, Rachel Kennedy, Cheryl Rubenstein and Andrea Wells.
Leea, a Kentuckian who is on the USHJA board, has shown dedication and a collaborative approach in helping the president advance the organization’s mission and priorities. Joe, who lives in Rhode Island, is a judge, trainer and has served as chair of the USHJA Safety Committee. Steve, the president and CEO of the Desert International Horse Park, was cited for his dedication to the sport and commitment to enhancing the exhibitor experience, transforming the landscape of West Coast competition.
Rachel, a Marylander, is a rider, trainer, and judge who serves on the Judge’s Task Force and the International Hunter Derby and Incentive Task Force, where she recently stepped into a key leadership role. She was recognized for her dedication as well as her expertise. Cheryl, a Memphis resident who serves on several USHJA committees as well as the board of directors, is the national vice president on the hunter side of the organization. Andrea serves on the Officials Education Committee, Judges Task Force, and Joint Equitation Task Force. In addition to her committee work, the Ocala resident has led numerous webinars for licensed officials and members.