Around the Rings- Wisconsin Quarter Horse Association Banquet

Competitors gathered January 27th in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to celebrate achievements earned during the 2017 Wisconsin Quarter Horse Association season at the club’s annual banquet. Several members were inducted into the Hall of Fame, including Bob and Eleanor McKillips, Gary Rudolph, Rochester’s Star, and Reds Double Sonny.

WQHYA youth members Savanna Hauer and Paige Smalkoski were recognized with the Booster Award and Sportsmanship Award, respectively. Paige hosts a lemonade stand at WQHA shows throughout the summer and contributes the proceeds to the youth team. Erika Vandevelde was presented with the Youth Scholarship.

The Bill Goggins Memorial Award – In 1989, WQHA member Bill Goggins was killed in an automobile accident shortly before that year’s awards banquet. At the banquet that year, Bill would have been receiving his very first WQHA award as the WQHA High Point Novice Amateur Western Pleasure exhibitor. Bill’s family requested that the award be given to Darrel Holman, who was the reserve winner that year. Bill, Darrel and Jerry Pappendorf all competed together that year and called themselves ‘the over the hill gang.’ They had a lot of fun showing together, and Bill made a lot of WQHA friends while at the shows that year. Bill was in his fifties when he decided to learn to ride and pursue his dream of showing horses. He was the President of Wausau Paper Corporation and always said that the worst day that he had at a horse show was better than any day at his office, although he was pretty colorful in the way he said it. Bill’s family was never into horses, but supported his addiction, and continued to show his horses even after he died because they felt it would have made him happy.  The 2017 winner was Melissa Baker & Dun A Little Lazy.

The Gary Rudolph Memorial Trophy is presented by the Wisconsin Amateur Quarter Horse Association in memory of Gary, who passed away in September, 2015.  Gary was a member of the Wisconsin Quarter Horse Association where he served on the Board of Directors and the State Show Committee and helped wherever needed on various other committees. His passion was raising, training and showing Quarter Horses. He was always available to offer a helping hand behind the scenes, offer a kind word or just a smile!  The 2017 recipient was Nancy Holman.

Scroll below to view fun photos from the Banquet. If you’d like for your club’s photos to appear on EquineChronicle.com, email B.Bevis@EquineChronicle.com.