Walter Straus, the beloved Texas horseman and former president of the U.S. Combined Training Association (now the U.S. Eventing Association) will receive the 2005 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award and its signature Jimmy Williams Trophy. Straus, 86, will get to don the sterling silver cowboy hat when he\’s formally presented with the award at the U.S. Equestrian Federation convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Jan. 13 at the Pegasus Awards dinner.

“I am deeply honored,” said Straus, who lives in Dallas, Texas. “What I am and what I\’ve become is because of the wonderful examples in my life—my father and the many teachers and students I\’ve had over the years.”

His son, Eric Straus, is currently the USEF secretary.

Walter taught riding and hosted horse trials and horse shows for years at his Three Day farm in McKinney, Texas, and he still teaches. He was an R-rated judge in jumper, hunter, hunter seat equitation, dressage and eventing. He was a president of the Texas Hunter-Jumper Association and of AHSA Zone 7, and he served many years as a director of the U.S. Equestrian Team. He was the USCTA president from 1988 to 1990 after serving several years as a vice president of the organization, concentrating on administration. Walter was born in Germany but moved with his family to the United States before World War II and served in the U.S. Army during the war.