Monday, November 13, 2017

AHP NEWSGROUP: Certified Horsemanship Association Honors 2017 CHA Instructor of the Year and Clinic Instructor of the Year at the CHA International Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or clandwehr@CHA-ahse.org

 

Certified Horsemanship Association Honors 2017 CHA Instructor of the Year and Clinic Instructor of the Year at the CHA International Conference

 

(November 2017) – Every year the Certified Horsemanship Association's International Conference honors two of its instructors with the CHA Instructor of the Year and the CHA Clinic Instructor of the Year at the Awards Banquet at the CHA International Conference. This year, two special women were honored on Saturday night at the 50th Anniversary Celebration in Lexington, Kentucky, on October 28, 2017, at the Marriott Griffin Gate Resort and Spa. CHA recognized Jenn Gay of Pinckney, Michigan, as CHA Instructor of the Year and Shellie Hensley of Macksburg, Iowa, as CHA Clinic Instructor of the Year.

 

Each year CHA recognizes an outstanding individual that has been nominated by their students to receive recognition for what they do best – teach people to ride! CHA Certified Instructor Jenn Gay's love of Girl Scouts started in early childhood, and now she has created an amazing place for Girl Scouts of all ages to come and learn about horses at her Heavenly Horse Stables. Gay started riding at age nine, volunteering at age 12, and teaching beginners by age 17. She is active with various Girl Scout troops and currently serves as the Outdoor Education Specialist for the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan after serving as their Equestrian Director and other positions there for almost 12 years. Her students are able to earn badges and work on volunteer projects, while troop leaders in southeastern Michigan know that Heavenly Horse Stables is the place to go for equestrian education. Gay has been a CHA Certified Instructor since 2005 in English and Western disciplines, and she currently serves as the Michigan representative for CHA's Region 4.

 

Gay said that being named the CHA Instructor of the Year was empowering. "I had a calling for teaching others, and as I heard Christy Landwehr, CHA;s CEO, read quotes about the awardee I had thought to myself, 'I hope my students feel that way about me,' and I found out that it is exactly how they feel!" said Gay. "This award is truly a symbol of hard work and dedication to my mission of teaching people today to make a better world for horses tomorrow. I am now eager to work on my goal of becoming a CHA Clinic Instructor and continue to welcome newcomers to the horse industry."

 

"I see her students being calm and focused as well," said one of Gay's students. "They really strive to be 'just like her.'  She is a friendly, optimistic person whose enthusiasm rubs off on those around her. Her lessons leave an ever-lasting impact on her students.  She has taught me the importance of consistency and timing when working with horses. Her encouraging nature makes the most nervous of riders feel empowered and able to take on the new challenges she sets before them.  Her bubbly fun personality and her commitment to teaching everyone something new helps bring riders back. Not only is she teaching people horsemanship and riding, she has her riders think their processes through, 'Plan your ride, ride your plan.'"

 

The CHA Clinic Instructor of the Year Award goes to a CHA clinic staff person who has shown outstanding service to CHA by conducting meaningful clinics and influencing the careers of numerous instructors over many years. In addition to being a CHA Clinic Instructor, Shellie Hensley is also CHA Certified at Level 3 for riders with disabilities, a CHA Site Visitor, a Life CHA member, and has been a member since 1994. She has served on the CHA Board of Directors several times. Hensley started H Mill Iron Horsemanship with her husband, Randy. She was previously the Innisfree Equestrian Center as the Equestrian Director, Pegasus Farm Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Ohio as an instructor, and Camp Y-Noah as the Equestrian Director and an Assistant Equestrian Director. This Grass Lake, MI, native is a graduate of Murray State University.  

She currently lives with her husband and the horses of H Mill Iron in Macksburg, IA. 

 

Hensley said that as she listened to the comments being read about the winner at the awards banquet, she wondered who it was so she could work with her. It finally hit her when they mentioned one of her quotes from her Facebook page. "Cue the tears!" said Hensley, adding that she was so surprised she doesn't remember what she said during her short acceptance speech.  "Why the strong reaction?  CHA is a membership driven organization, and our members are the backbone and boots in the dirt, living the CHA WHY statement. We are all working to move CHA forward in the equine industry and inspire others toward safe horsemanship, and that includes the importance of certification. To be named Clinic Instructor of the Year is a humbling experience, and I am so incredibly blessed to be able to do what I do in life and have the time and freedom to serve an organization I believe in so deeply."

 

Barbara Klatt, another CHA Clinician shared more about Hensley. "She has a quote on her Facebook page, 'I am an ordinary woman living an extraordinary life.' There is nothing ordinary about her.  I believe she is an extraordinary woman bringing her unique style and grace into everyone's life who has the opportunity to interact with her. She is passionate in how she lives every part of her life.  She cares deeply about her horses, her students, her family, and her friends.  This comes through in every aspect of how she conducts herself as a CHA Clinic Instructor."

 

For a complete list of this year and past award winners, visit http://cha-ahse.org/store/pages/50/Award_Winners.html.


CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit
www.CHA-ahse.org or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHAinstructors.com.

 

 

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Monday, June 26, 2017

Certified Horsemanship Association Honored as a Finalist for Prestigious 2017 Equine Industry Vision Award


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or
clandwehr@CHA-ahse.org

Certified Horsemanship Association Honored as a Finalist for Prestigious 2017 Equine Industry Vision Award

(June 2017) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has been honored as one of four finalists for the 2017 Equine Industry Vision Award, sponsored by Zoetis, which is presented annually in recognition of outstanding leadership, creativity, and meritorious contribution toward positive changes in the equine industry. According to AHP, “This distinguished award is a unique opportunity to publicly recognize ingenuity, originality, and effective innovation that exemplifies commitment, dedication, and service to this industry.”

“It is such an honor for CHA to be a Top Four Finalist out of 18 nominations for the Equine Industry Vision Award,” said CHA CEO Christy Landwehr. “The Certified Horsemanship Association is celebrating 50 years of promoting safe horsemanship through certifying instructors, accrediting equine facilities and producing educational manuals, events, and webinars, so this is a great year for our association to be recognized in this way.”

CHA CEO Christy Landwehr attended this year’s American Horse Publications’ Conference “Saddle Up for Scottsdale,” June 15-17 as an AHP Business Member. CHA has been an AHP Business Member for the past 15 years. Landwehr participated as a speaker on two panels, “Careers in Equine Media for Students” and “How to Position Your Brand as a Value,” on June 16.

“Our association benefits so much from our business membership with AHP,” says Landwehr. “The press releases we can send out each month and the networking and education at the conference are all great benefits for our staff and members.”

As the largest certifying body of riding instructors in North America, CHA has certified more than 30,000 instructors and accredited more than 2,000 facilities, such as riding lesson programs, camps, colleges and universities, boarding barns, show stables, dude ranches, trail ride operations, and rescues. CHA is grounded in education and safety in horsemanship, and CHA members help others have safe, effective, and fun experiences with horses.

CHA was up against three other finalists out of 18 original entries. The three finalists included: Tootie Bland, the creator, owner, and producer of the colt-starting competition called Road to the Horse; Dot Morgan, the executive director of New Vocations, which is the nation’s oldest and largest racehorse adoption program; and Sydney Knott, the president, CEO, and founder of Horses4Heroes, Inc., a national non-profit dedicated to empowering people and families by enriching their lives through health and wellness programs with horses.

American Horse Publications is a non-profit association that promotes excellence in equine publishing media and has united equine-related media, businesses, professionals, colleges, and students for almost 50 years. The AHP Board of Directors and a Zoetis representative judged finalists on their performance in relation to achievement(s) cited and their demonstration of the following attributes and abilities: 1) The vision and innovation of a true pioneer; 2) Leadership, commitment, dedication, and willingness to serve; 3) Original and effective ideas and/or products, services, and programs; 4) High moral, ethical, and professional standards.

Winners of the Equine Industry Vision Award include: Alexander Mackay-Smith in 2002, Don Burt in 2003, the American Quarter Horse Association in 2004, John Ryan Gaines in 2005, Stanley Bergstein in 2006, David O'Connor in 2007, Sally Swift in 2008, Charlotte Brailey Kneeland in 2009, John Nicholson in 2010, Robert E. Cacchione in 2011, Equine Land Conservation Resource in 2012, Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) in 2013, Patti Colbert in 2014, Gayle Ecker in 2015, Gary Carpenter in 2016 and Sydney Knott in 2017.

To learn more about CHA and its mission and programs, please visit http://CHA.horse.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit
www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHAinstructors.com.

 

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Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Julie Goodnight Joins Fight Against Heart Disease; Attends American Heart Association Beach Ride

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact: Jennifer Waites

174 East Bay Street Suite 300A-B

Charleston, SC 29456

843-480-4907

http://AHABeachRide.org

 

 

Julie Goodnight Joins Fight Against Heart Disease; Attends American Heart Association Beach Ride

 

The 36th Annual American Heart Association Beach Ride to raise $350,000 for Research

 

On Wednesday, Nov. 1st approximately 1,300 horses and trail riders will arrive at Lakewood Camping Resort for the annual American Heart Association Beach Ride. Participants will travel from more than 22 states for this five-day event that features a vendor village, a costume parade, karaoke competition, nightly entertainment, auction and a celebratory 20-mile beach ride on the beautiful beaches of Myrtle Beach.

 

Trainer and clinician Julie Goodnight, known for her Horse Master TV show on RFD-TV (http://TV.JulieGoodnight.com), is joining the AHA’s fight to end heart disease and stroke. She will attend on November 1st and 2nd to offer a clinic to beach ride attendees and host a special VIP event for top fundraisers. Watch a free sample of Goodnight’s water-obstacle training at http://TV.JulieGoodnight.com and see many more free articles and videos when you become a member at http://HorseTrainingHelp.com.

 

The 20-mile beach ride will take place Saturday, November 5 at 8:00 a.m. between Lakewood Camping Resort and Second Avenue Pier. This year, the American Heart Association will celebrate the 36th anniversary of the Beach Ride. 

 

“In its 36 years, the Beach Ride has raised $3 million for cardiovascular research helping AHA discover better treatment for heart disease and stroke, said Sara Nelson, director of development at the American Heart Association. “The progress we’ve made in the fight against heart disease would not be possible without the Beach Ride and the support of the Myrtle Beach community. We’re thankful to the community for graciously hosting this unique event year after year. “

 

Research funded by the AHA Beach Ride has many important scientific advances including drug-coated stents, CPR guidelines and microsurgery. Through events like the Beach Ride the American Heart Association is currently funding $5 million in research throughout South Carolina health intuitions. The goal for the 2017 American Heart Association Beach Ride is to raise $350,000 for heart and stroke research. For more information, visit http://AHABeachRide.org.

 

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s leading killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit www.heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. 

 

 

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