Photos by Mike Mullins and Jane Garrison

More than 50 people attended Western Carolinas’ 2009 Awards Banquet, which recognizes members and their horses for their achievements during the previous year. The dinner was held in late January at FENCE in Tryon, NC.

Preceded by a Board of Directors meeting at which plans for 2010 were discussed, the dinner was followed by a talk by three members of the Clemson Collegiate Horseman’s Association. (WCAHA has entered into a partnership with Clemson and the CCHA to co-sponsor a fun-filled weekend called Equine March Madness, at T. Ed Garrison Arena in Clemson March 13 and 14.) The weekend will include an All-Breed Show, several clinics including Halter, Endurance, and Getting Ready to Show Your Horse, a mock Endurance ride, and a Tack Swap.
                Beautiful plaques and trophies were presented to Champions and Reserves in the various divisions include the following:

1. Endurance—Cinderella Story, Trisha Dingle, Champion
2. PB/HA Sport Horse—Citadel Baashana, Three Palms Arabians, Champion; ZP Helios+++, Elaine Sweet, Reserve Champion
3. PB Sport Horse Under Saddle—Just Say Show, Sally Harrison, Champion; Royal Pain WP, Trisha Dingle, Reserve Champion
4. HA Sport Horse Under Saddle—ZP Helios+++--Elaine Sweet, Champion; Docs Finally A Dancer, Jeanne Kowalczyk, Reserve Champion
5. Dressage—ZP Helios+++, Elaine Sweet, Champion; AM Romany Honor, Elaine Sweet, Reserve Champion
6. PB Halter—Citadel Al Razeelah, Three Palms Arabians, Champion; Ali Mutazz, Christine Natelli, Reserve Champion
7. PB/HA Hunter Pleasure—Doc’s Finally A Dancer, Jeanne Kowalczyk, Champion; Royal Pain WP, Trisha Dingle, Reserve Champion
8. PB/HA Western—IM A Rich Girl, Maddy Winer, Champion; Just Fabulous, Sally Harrison/Ginny Milks, Reserve Champion
9. PB/HA English—Big Bey Be, Sally Harrison, Champion; Careless Kiss, Jeanne Kowalczyk, Reserve Champion

A familiar face is Ginny Milks on Sally Harrison's good old show mare, Just Fabulous. They were was reserve champions in purebred/HA western horse this year.

Carol Johnson accepts the Pegasus award given to a club volunteer from President Sarah Hendricks. Johnson has served as Futurity Chairperson for the past four years.

Carey Cosgrove, left, and Victoria Tardiff—close friends and both hauling home the hardware in the High Point Youth division.

Elaine Sweet and her geldings ZP Helios+++ and AM Romany Honor, had a field day in the Sport Horse categories.

Approximately 50 WCAHA members and their families enjoyed good food and an evening of camaraderie at the 2009 Awards Banquet and membership meeting.

Jeanne Kowalczyk and Sally Harrison show off two of the awards they and their horses earned in 2009.

Club members got a chance to see the lineup of available stallions in the 2010 All-Star Stallion Futurity Auction, which is conducted to fund the club’s Futurity programs.