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May 7, 2018
Contact: Lynn Coakley
mail@equusfoundation.org | 203-259-1550

Horse Stars from All Walks of Life Inducted into the Horse Stars Hall of Fame

Twelve horses earned their place in perpetuity in 2018 in recognition of their stellar athletic performances and inspirational impact on people.

The Horse Stars Hall of Fame, a fun and educational interactive website (horsestarhalloffame.org) established in 2013 by the EQUUS Foundation and US Equestrian, celebrates the extraordinary talent of horses and shares the stories of their amazing accomplishments.


2018 EQUUS Foundation Inductees

2018 Horse Stars Hall of Fame Inductee DBMC Hukas Olneys Prime Time
DBMC Hukas Olneys Prime Time
(Rocky)
DBMC Hukas Olneys Prime Time

When Samantha Breitling was just 10 years old, the unspeakable happened. She was out enjoying a ride when the horse she was on collapsed on her and died.

After some time passed, her parents encouraged her to volunteer at a local horse rescue. Her project became "Rocky", a miniature horse that had been abused and had no trust of humans.

Never in her wildest dreams did Samantha imagine that Rocky would become a National show horse, therapy horse and an equine ambassador for the breed.

"Being a show horse was fun," said Samantha, "but his true calling is providing therapy to all he reaches, and it has been from the very beginning." Read More



2018 Horse Stars Hall of Fame Inductee Hank
Hank
Hank

"Some 20 years ago, BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center welcomed Hank," said Megan McQueeney. "He remains the most honest, willing, confident and noble partner we have partnered with in our center."

From standing quietly while a young child who is suicidal slowly brushes and repeatedly hugs him, to allowing a veteran, who uses a wheelchair and has never ridden without assistance, to ride freely on this horse for the first time - there is nothing this horse can't do. Read More

2017 Horse Stars Hall of Fame Inductee Kerry B Proud
Kerry B Proud
(Clifford)
Kerry B Proud

Kerry B Proud (popularly known as Clifford) has been an incorrigible prankster with a heart of gold ever since his out-of-the-box-stall career began in 2001.

He has spent a great part of his life touring festivals and various events to promote the Morgan horse and literacy. Being house trained, he travels to schools, libraries and assisted living centers, painting pictures, and making an impact on everyone he meets. Read More

2018 Horse Stars Hall of Fame Inductee Latino
Latino
Latino

Purposefully bred to be a fast-paced field hunter, Latino, a Shire-cross, was donated to High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center in the late 1990's because he lacked the go power as a field hunter. Luckily it was this very quality that has made him the perfect mount as a therapy horse.

His stoic, unflappable demeanor has provided a myriad of riders with their memorable first rides, others their first independent trot and still others their first experience with an equine of his girth and stature. Read More



2018 Horse Stars Hall of Fame Inductee Quest
Quest
Quest

When Quest came to Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) in the summer of 2015, he was skeletal and riddled with parasites. He had the worst case of hoof neglect the DEFHR staff had ever seen. He and two other horses had been kept locked in stalls for over 10 years, and their hooves had never been trimmed. Quest's were 3 feet long!

Their hope was for him to be able to run with the herd and roam freely in green pastures. They didn't really think he would ever be able to do much more than that. Quest would surprise everyone. Read More


2018 Horse Stars Hall of Fame Inductee Rayne
Rayne
Rayne

Rayne is a big horse with an even bigger heart. His kindness, resilience and gift for healing those with even the greatest challenges have endeared him to all at the EquiCenter in Honeoye Falls, New York.

Every day this kind, gentle giant offers himself to help others. His calm steadiness invites even the most-wary participants to build trust and confidence. Whatever their disability, whether physical, emotional or intellectual, he meets each individual where they are on that day and helps them move forward. Read More


2018 Horse Stars Hall of Fame Inductee Spirit
Mycah with her hero Spirit at Return to Freedom's American Wild Horse sanctuary, 2008. Photo courtesy of Kimerlee Curyl
Spirit

When Spirit was born in 1995, he seemed like any other colt born to wild horses in the Bureau of Land Management's long-term holding facilities. Little did anyone know that a star was born.

Selected as model and muse for the DreamWorks Pictures animated film, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, in 2002 and the Netflix series, Spirit: Riding Free in 2017, Spirit became an ambassador for wild horses and the inspiration for people nationwide to become advocates for the wild horse.

Spirit the horse, the movie, and the TV series have connected countless numbers of people to wild horses and the challenges they face. Read More



2018 Horse Stars Hall of Fame Inductee Sugarfoot
Sugarfoot Wood
Sugarfoot

"Sugarfoot came into our family as a tiny miracle on October 20, 1988," said owner Theresa Wood. His mother had been purchased for her 2nd birthday and to everyone's surprise, she was pregnant. With a normal birth and start to life, love and attention from day one, he broke his leg at six months old. Several of the vets said the only option was to put him down, however, the last vet saw the warrior strength in his eyes and agreed to treat him and try to save him.

When his successful competitive career came to an end, Sugarfoot successfully transitioned to a career as a therapy horse, giving a sense of independence to more individuals than any form of man-made modality could ever do. Read More

2018 Horse Stars Hall of Fame Inductee Zipped In Black Magic
Zipped In Black Magic
Zipped In Black Magic

Every good therapy horse must have certain qualities - steadiness, reliability, a calm disposition, and the ability to accept both riders of varying abilities and unusual situations.

Zip exhibits all of these characteristics and more, but what sets him above the rest is that Zip does all of this while being completely blind. From the moment he arrived at All Riders Up, Zip has risen to the occasion. Read More

2018 US Equestrian Inductees
US Equestrian inducts the horses selected as Horses of Honor each year. 2017 Horses of Honor, HH Azur and Verdades, were inducted last year.

2018 Horse Stars Hall of Fame Inductee Co Fan S
Co Fan S
Photo courtesy of S.S. Billings
Co Fan S

Co Fan S is an exquisite example of the Friesian breed, excelling in a diverse range of disciplines, while also displaying the classic traits of the breed with his handsome, upright conformation and intelligent, willing personality.

Co Fan S's success in the show ring is attributed not just to his athleticism and talent, but also to his relationship with junior rider/driver/exhibitor Janae Griffin and her trainers (and parents) Bruce and Staci Griffin. Read More




2018 Horse Stars Hall of Fame Inductee Cuba
Cuba
Photo courtesy of Shawn McMillen Photography
Cuba

Cuba is ranked among the top hunter derby horses in the country. Initially starting his career targeted towards the equitation classes, he quickly made the switch to the hunter divisions largely due to his beautiful style, massive scope and signature jumping form.

On earning the title of the 2017 US Equestrian National Horse of the Year, owner John Ingram said, "We are grateful to have Cuba in our lives. People who love this horse can rest assured that he will be well taken care of for the rest of his life. We look forward to a long relationship with this special horse". Read More

2018 Horse Stars Hall of Fame Inductee Winding Oaks Tom Foolery
Winding Oaks Tom Foolery
Photo courtesy of Picsofyou.com
Winding Oaks Tom Foolery

Affectionately known as "Tommy", Winding Oaks Tom Foolery and his full brother Tanner captured the 2017 US Equestrian Federation (USEF) Pair Pony Combined Driving National Championship by winning the FEI Pony Pair CAI2* at Live Oak International in Ocala, Florida, in March.

Named a National Horse of Honor in 2017 by US Equestrian, Tommy, guided by the able hands of Kathleen "Katie" Whaley, prove that it's the team that makes for great success. Read More



About EQUUS Foundation: The EQUUS Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity established in 2002, also known as Horse Charities of America, is the only national animal welfare charity in the United States dedicated solely to horse welfare and the horse-human bond. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Contact the EQUUS Foundation, Inc., at 168 Long Lots Road, Westport, CT 06880, Tele: (203) 259-1550, E-Mail: mail@equusfoundation.org, Website: equusfoundation.org.

About US Equestrian: Established in 1917, the United States Equestrian Federation (US Equestrian), the governing body of equestrian sport in the United States, is dedicated bringing the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible. Learn more about the US Equestrian at www.usequestrian.org/
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