USEF Awards 2007 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award to Don Burt
RELEASE: December 20, 2007
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By Kristyn Kay
Don Burt, the 2007 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award winner (Daniel K. Lew)
Lexington, KY—An equestrian who made his name in the reining world will be wearing the Tiffany sterling silver cowboy hat this January at the annual Pegasus Awards Banquet. After decades of service to the equestrian industry, Don Burt, has been selected as the recipient of the 2007 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award and the Jimmy A. Williams Trophy. This unparalleled award is given to the horseman or horsewoman whose “life experience and accomplishments exemplify uncommon devotion to the sport of competition with horses and whose equestrian career and horsemanship have continually elevated the sport’s excellence.” When asked how he felt about the honor, Burt said that winning the Lifetime Achievement award is “one of the highlights of my whole career.”
Entering a distinguished circle of equestrians that includes George Morris; Frank D. Chapot; John H. Fritz; HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; Jack Le Goff, and husband and wife teams Kenneth and Sallie Wheeler and Ned and Nina Bonnie; Burt has over 50 years of involvement with the equestrian world behind him. Known for heading the effort to secure the approval of reining as the FEI’s first Western discipline, Burt has served on the USEF Reining and High Performance Reining Committees. However, Burt’s participation within horse sports is further reaching than just reining. Burt has raised, shown and judged almost every major breed. He has also held judge’s licenses from the American Horse Shows Association (now USEF) in Appaloosa, Arabian, hunter, jumper, Morgan, National Show Horse, and Western.
Through his writing, Burt has shared his extensive knowledge by authoring monthly columns for Horse and Rider and America’s Horse magazines and several books—Horses and Other Heroes, Winning With The American Quarter Horse, and Winning With Arabian Horses.
As a past-president of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), Burt’s influence can be felt across the Quarter Horse world. He was a judge at the AQHA’s World Championship show seven times and served on numerous committees while representing California. In 2004, the AQHA acknowledged Burt’s achievements by inducting him into their Hall of Fame.
The USEF Lifetime Achievement Award will be formally presented to Burt during the USEF’s 2008 Annual Meeting at the Louisville Downtown Marriott, January 11, at the Pegasus Awards dinner. For ticket information, visit www.usef.org.