From: The United States Equestrian Federation
January 16, 2016 - Lexington, Ky. - On a night dedicated to the horse, two special athletes were recognized for their excellence in 2015 during the USEF's Year-End Awards Gala. In a year that witnessed equestrian athletes excel, PVF Peace of Mind and Brunello reached the pinnacle of their sports and for their achievements were named International and National Horse of the Year, respectively.
Voting was open to the public through January and both horses, already fan favorites, were rewarded for their tremendous results throughout 2015 with support from voters.
Brunello: National Horse of the Year
1998 Hanoverian gelding
Owners: Janet Peterson and Liza Boyd
Janet Peterson and Liza Boyd's Brunello has been turning heads in the hunter ring with his signature style and consistent top placings for years. With Boyd in the tack, the pair has been a fixture in USHJA International Hunter Derby competitions since the program's inception and scored their biggest victory in August when they won their third consecutive USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship in Lexington, Ky. The pair won both the Classic Hunter Round and the Section A Handy Hunter Round on their way to securing this unprecedented victory.
U.S. Equestrian Federation interim CEO Bill Moroney presented the USEF Emerson Burr Trophy to Liza Boyd, who owns National Horse of the Year Brunello with Janet Peterson. (Nancy Jaffer)
Boyd was on-hand for the Equestrian of the Year proceedings on Friday night, January 15, for which she won the USEF Emerson Burr Trophy for the third consecutive year.
Because she was unable to stay for the Horse of the Year award, Bill Moroney read a tribute Boyd wrote for Brunello, "Everything has been said already about his career and his achievements," she noted, "so I thought about what makes him so special to me and all of the special attributes he has. I came up with this:
"Brunello--B: Brave to gallop under the lights. R: Rideable, to turn oh-so-tight; U: Unique, not your typical hunter type. N: Naughty-In his stall he will bite. E: Ego he thinks he's always right. L: Longevity-At 18 he's still jumping with height. L: Lexington-three times he has had a magical derby night. O: Owl-For his wisdom and insight."
To see the video honoring Brunello at the USEF Year End Awards Gala on USEF Network, please click here.
