2025: Ella Barnett
By Christy Jenkins, May 18, 2025
COLLEGE: Centenary University
MAJOR: Equine Media and Public Relations
YEAR WON THE AWARD: 2025 Cowboy Up, Dallas, Texas
FUTURE PLANS: continue writing for the equine industry in a marketing capacity
2024: Taleen Hanna
By Christine Brune, May 17, 2024
COLLEGE: Mercer University
MAJOR: Journalism and French
YEAR WON THE AWARD: 2024 Return to Horse Country, Lexington, Kentucky
FUTURE PLANS: Combine her passions for storytelling and horses into a career in equine media
2023: Josie Mac Fladager
By Christine Brune, November 5, 2023
COLLEGE ATTENDED: Tarleton State University
MAJOR: Agricultural communications with an equine science certification
YEAR WON THE AWARD: 2023 Meet at the Mesa Conference in Tempe, Arizona
CURRENT PLANS: Continue to write as a freelancer and begin her senior years semester at Tarleton State University.
2022: Reagan Smollen
By Christine Brune, October 22, 2022
COLLEGE ATTENDED: University of West Virginia
MAJOR: Animal Science and Nutrition, with an Equine Studies minor
YEAR WON THE AWARD: 2022 Back to the Bluegrass Conference in Lexington, Kentucky
CURRENT PLANS: Social Media Intern at EQUUS Television, Senior at West Virginia University graduating December 2022
2021: Hannah Waroway
By Christine Brune, September 17, 2021
COLLEGE ATTENDED: Midway University
MAJOR: Equine Rehabilitation and Equine Management
YEAR WON THE AWARD: 2021 Back in the Saddle Conference in Irving, Texas.
CURRENT PLANS: After graduation, Hannah plans to become a professional in both riding and photography. Her career goal is to establish a business that focuses on black background portraits, equine, and canine photography.
2020: Ruby Tevis
By Christine Brune, October 18, 2020
COLLEGE ATTENDED: Midway University
MAJOR: Marketing Communications, with a double minor in Equine Studies and Sports Management
YEAR WON THE AWARD: 2020 50th Anniversary conference in Lexington, KY was cancelled due to the pandemic. Ruby was a 2019 AHP Student Travel Award winner and attended the conference in Albuquerque, NM.
CURRENT POSITION: Marketing Director, TerraNova Equestrian Center
2019: Lucile Vigouroux
By Christine Brune, May 30, 2019
COLLEGE ATTENDED: Centenary University
MAJOR: B.S. in Equine Studies with a concentration in Equine Science
CONFERENCE WON THE AWARD: High Desert Media Roundup, Albuquerque, New Mexico
CURRENT POSITION: Owner and PEMF Practitioner, ProPulsion Equine PEMF, LLC, AHP Equine Media Award Winner, Freelance Journalist
2018: Emily Holowczak
By Christine Brune, June 15, 2018
COLLEGE ATTENDED: Mount Holyoke College
MAJOR: Creative Writing, Magazine Writing, English Literature
CONFERENCE WON THE AWARD: The Hunt for Excellence, Hunt Valley, Maryland
CURRENT POSITION: Manages the specialty pet verticals on PetMD by Chewy which includes all of equine; Freelance writer and avid equestrian
2017: Kaycie Timm
By Christine Brune, June 15, 2017
COLLEGE ATTENDED: West Texas A&M University
MAJOR: Agricultural Media & Communication with a minor in English
CONFERENCE SHE WON AWARD: Saddle Up for Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona
CURRENT POSITION: Advertising & Marketing Coordinator at Mustang Heritage Foundation
2016: Ema Klugman
By Christine Brune, June 17, 2016
COLLEGE ATTENDING: Duke University
MAJOR: English
SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: May the Horse Be with You, Orlando, Florida
2015: Victoria “Dixie” Crowe
By Christine Brune, June 19, 2015
COLLEGE ATTENDING: University of Wyoming, graduate Colorado State University with majors in Equine Science, Journalism & Media Communications
SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: Tally-Ho at the Alamo, San Antonio, Texas
CURRENT POSITION: PhD Candidate plus Freelance writer and photographer
2014: Catie Staszak
By Christine Brune, June 20, 2014
COLLEGE ATTENDED: University of Miami
MAJOR: Communication
SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Gallop n’ Grits Seminar, Charleston, South Carolina
CURRENT POSITION: Multimedia Sports Journalist, CSM Catie Staszak Media, Inc.
2013: April Leonard
By Christine Brune, June 21, 2013
COLLEGE ATTENDED: Cazenovia College, New York
MAJOR: Equine Business Management
SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Meet at the Peak Seminar, Colorado Springs, Colorado
2012: Dani Moritz-Long
By Christine Brune, June 1, 2012
COLLEGE ATTENDED: William Woods University, Missouri
MAJOR: Communications Journalism & Public Relations and Equine General Studies (Equine Media)
SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Ride Into History Seminar, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
CURRENT POSITION: Senior News Writer at Valencia College and freelance writer. Lives in Orlando, Florida with husband, Alex, and daughter, Sagan.
2011: Stephanie Smolek
By Christine Brune, June 17, 2011
COLLEGE ATTENDED: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
MAJOR: Agricultural Journalism and Animal Science
SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Hoofprints in the Sand Seminar, San Diego, California