February 18, 2010 – In 2009, AHP expanded the Student Award Contest to include up to three $750 travel awards to attend the AHP annual seminar. This year, three more lucky and talented students will be traveling to the 2010 AHP 40thAnniversary Seminar in Lexington, Kentucky, on June 17-19. The students will have an opportunity to meet leading equine publishing professionals and discuss career possibilities during the three days of educational sessions and related activities.
American Horse Publications is pleased to announce the three Travel Award winners for 2010.
Laura Villasana is a two-time winner of the AHP Student Travel Award, having also earned the honor in 2009. She is a junior at the University of Kentucky majoring in Journalism and Spanish. She has traveled to 17 different racetracks across two countries, two Thoroughbred training tracks, the North American Racing Academy, eight farms and attended numerous Thoroughbred sales. Since the age of 12, she has interviewed many owners, trainers, jockeys, exercise riders and grooms. These interviews and her numerous racetrack photographs result in articles on the horses and people in the industry, written in both English and Spanish.
She has worked for The Special at Keeneland, The Saratoga Special and The Thoroughbred Times in her pursuit to become a professional Thoroughbred horse racing photographer and sports journalist. She wants to show the world that all the members of the industry have stories to tell and to show the emotion and commitment that there is for the sport as well as the passion.
She has begun her own photography business where she hopes to focus on photography full-time as well as establish her own Thoroughbred industry magazine.
Laura is the daughter of Carol and Ken Pepper of Stow, Ohio.
Hailey Elin Harroun is a senior at Oklahoma State University where she double majors in Pre-Veterinarian Animal Science and Agricultural Communications. She grew up on an Angus cattle ranch in northeastern Washington and showed horses, cows and chickens in 4-H for 12 years. She competed in several events with her two Quarter Horses, and has taken hunter/jumper lessons as well as rode with a working cow horse and reining trainer for almost three years.
On campus, Hailey was treasurer and then subsequently president of the OSU Horseman’s Association. Events she coordinated included 4-H horsemanship and judging clinics, the Oklahoma Equine Special Olympics, Tulsa State Fair horse show management and Remington Park racetrack tour.
In 2007, she interned with Deer Park Veterinary Clinic as an equine breeding and foal care assistant. In 2008, she interned with the American Quarter Horse Association, writing 19 articles for the association’s three publications.
Hailey has been accepted to the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She plans to specialize in equine orthopedic surgery and aspires to use her agricultural communications degree to write veterinary health articles for equine publications.
Hailey is the daughter of Patrice Johnson of Bellingham, Washington, and Steve Harroun of Rice, Washington.
Jada Buchanan is a senior at Ball State University where she majors in Public Relations and minors in Communication Studies. She has been riding and showing since she was a preschooler and credits horses with instilling confidence in her abilities. Whether it was winning her first ribbon or being named Congress Champion for her speech on Secretariat, she feels the equine world has helped shape her positive attitude and abilities.
Since elementary school, she has always preferred to write about topics from the equine world. She intends to pursue a career in the equine industry where she can promote the positive attributes of having a horse in your life. She says it will be her way of repaying her horses for their contributions to her accomplishments.
Jada is the daughter of Jim and Valerie Buchanan of Greencastle, Indiana.
High school seniors and undergraduate college students pursuing a career in equine publishing were eligible to compete for the 2010 AHP travel awards. Applicants were scored on the following criteria: academics, relevant experience, skills/abilities, presentation of materials, and career goals/assertiveness. All Student Award applicants receive a complimentary student membership and complimentary seminar registration for the 2010 seminar in Lexington. Applicants who applied in 2010 and meet eligibility are encouraged to apply for the 2011 Student Award.
Committee Chairman Cheryl Erpelding reports, “The 18 students who applied for this year’s award were very talented and the competition was tight. It’s a promising sign for the future of equine publishing.”
The three travel award winners will be interviewed at the Lexington seminar and one student will be selected as the 2010 Student Award winner. The Student Award winner will win a cash award of $1,000 plus an all expense paid trip hosted by Publishers Press to one of their Two-Day Customer Education Seminars in Louisville, Kentucky, to have a unique experience to learn the printing process. The 2010 Student Award winner will be announced on Friday, June 18, 2010 at the Student Award Party held during the AHP Seminar in Lexington.
The Student Award program, started in 1993, was initiated to promote awareness to students of the career opportunities available in equine publishing. “This program has been a win-win for both the students and the association,” says AHP Executive Director Chris Brune. “Not only does it offer students a chance to learn about a career they may be passionate about, but it also has given equine publishing a long list of talented young people who are an asset to our industry and our association.”
American Horse Publications offers students interested in a career in equine publishing with several opportunities to participate in its association. To request information about any of AHP’s student programs, please contact: Chris Brune, American Horse Publications, 49 Spinnaker Circle, South Daytona, FL 32119; (386) 760-7743, e-mail:ahorsepubs@aol.com. Information is also available online at the AHP web site at www.americanhorsepubs.org under Students.
American Horse Publications is a non-profit association of more than 450 equine-related publications, professionals, businesses, and students involved in the equine publishing industry. Celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2010, AHP continues to promote better understanding and communication within the equine publishing industry.
