The U.S. Equestrian Federation has announced Joseph “Joe” Dotoli as the recipient of the 2017 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award, and Western dressage, Western pleasure equitation and showmanship competitor Connor Farley as the recipient of the 2017 Junior Equestrian of the Year Award. USEF will present Dotoli and Farley with these prestigious awards at the Pegasus Awards Dinner on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018.

Dotoli, of Chepachet, R.I., has been part of the horse industry for nearly 50 years as a professional rider, trainer, judge and horse show manager. He got involved with horses when he was in high school. That passion continued through his years at Stonehill College, and he started his professional career in 1968 as the owner and operator of Young Entry Stable in Medfield and Hamilton, Mass. His record in competitions as a rider and trainer is remarkable, studded with championship wins at nearly every major hunter/jumper show in the nation including the Devon Horse Show (Pa.), the Hampton Classic (N.Y.), the National Horse Show (Ky.), the Pennsylvania National Horse Show and the Washington International Horse Show (D.C.). An even greater legacy is Dotoli’s work with younger equestrians who also have gone on to achieve much success. Among them is his eldest daughter Annie Dotoli, now a professional horsewoman in her own right, and Olympic gold medalist Peter Wylde.

Joe’s steadfast commitment has resulted in a lasting impact on equestrian sport. He was the lead instigator in the formation and success of the New England Equitation Championships (NEEC) beginning in 1976. What started as a class with 16 competitors has transformed into a five-day stand-alone event featuring over 400 junior and adult riders. In an attempt to create more interest in horsemanship, Joe was instrumental in creating the three-part horsemanship challenge, which has been duplicated around the country.

After a number of tragedies resulting from those choosing not to wear a helmet, Joe dedicated nearly three years of his life to the passage of the “Safety Helmet Rule.” This made it mandatory for hunter/jumper competitors to wear American Society for Testing and Materials helmets. Due to a large part of his work on this initiative, USEF awarded him with the 2001 USEF Distinguished Service Award for contributions to equestrian sport.

In the past several years, Joe has become a notable author penning the following books: “Wylde Ride–A Horseman’s Story,” a biography of Peter Wylde, and “A Piece of Chalk,” a retrospective of the busing crisis in Boston in the 1970’s. Currently, Joe serves on the board of directors of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association. He is also a member of the NEEC committee, USEF Safety Committee, USHJA Horse and Rider Welfare Committee and USEF Accident Review Committee.

He is married to his wife, Fran, of 50 years and has two children and three grandchildren.

USEF is also pleased to announce Farley as the 2017 Junior Equestrian of the Year. Farley, a native of Waverly, W.Va., is an example of excellence in the rising generation of equestrians and models how the juniors of today will go on to advance the sport. Read more about Farley on the USEF website.