(21-DEC-17) AURORA, COLO. – Every year the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) honors top equestrian leaders on their numerous accomplishments and achievements within the horse industry through various awards. One of the most coveted awards, the Equestrian of the Year Award, is an ultimate goal for many horsemen and women in the industry.
Eight nominees have been selected for the 2017 award. You can vote for your favorite finalist on the Equestrian of the Year webpage through midnight on January 12, 2018. Of the eight finalists, two of the nominees are leaders in the Arabian horse industry. The winner will be announced at the January 18 dinner during the US Equestrian Meeting in Lexington, Ky.
The individuals are:
Josh Quintus
Pilot Point, Texas
(Bio courtesy of USEF)
Josh Quintus serves as the trainer at Colonial Wood Training Center, Inc., in Pilot Point, Texas, and has over 30 years of experience in the Arabian horse industry. Celebrating a year of success, Quintus earned national titles in the Western Pleasure division at the 2017 Arabian Horse Association’s (AHA) Canadian and U.S. National Championship Horse Shows, including two national championships in Arabian Western Pleasure and Arabian Western Pleasure Junior Horse, and a reserve national championship in the Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian Western Pleasure Futurity and the Arabian Western Pleasure Association (AWPA) Arabian Horse World $100,000 Arabian Western Pleasure Futurity. Additionally, Quintus earned top-10 placings in the Arabian Western Pleasure Open, Arabian Western Pleasure Futurity, and the AWPA Equine Athlete $50,000 Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian Western Pleasure Futurity at U.S. Nationals against a field of top horsemen and women.
An all-around horseman, Quintus also holds his national/regional Arabian judges card and since 2002 has been awarded 87 regional level and 84 national level awards in the Western Pleasure division.
Andrew Sellman
River Falls, Wis.
(Bio courtesy of USEF)
Andrew Sellman, owner of and trainer at Argent Farms located in River Falls, Wis., is a respected horse trainer and an admired leader within the Arabian horse industry. In 2017, Sellman amassed a prestigious and admirable competition record, winning a total of six national championships and nine reserve national championships at the Arabian Horse Association’s Canadian and U.S. National Championship Horse Shows. At U.S. Nationals, Sellman placed in 11 out of the 12 classes he entered. He received eight top-10 placings, two reserve national champion titles, and a unanimous national championship in the Arabian Senior Gelding class with Marvellous Xceptshahn.
Sellman’s lifetime winnings include 91 national championships, 68 reserve national championships, and 152 national top-10 winners. His regional record boasts 139 championships, 59 reserve championships, and 47 top-five placings. As a sought after Arabian horse handler worldwide, Sellman has been asked to compete and handle horses in the countries of Australia and Brazil.
Find more information, and for a full schedule of US Equestrian’s 2018 Annual Meeting, visit www.usef.org/annual-meeting and follow US Equestrian on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
