Mildred N. Vessels Special Achievement
This award is given yearly to an outstanding woman within the American Quarter Horse racing industry to recognize her achievement within in the industry throughout the year. The award is voted on by the AQHA Racing Committee.
Mildred (Millie) N. Vessels was a longtime horsewomen whose heritage runs deep within the American Quarter Horse racing history books. Born in 1923 in Blythe, California, Millie grew up in Long Beach, the daughter of a Swedish ironworker. In 1948 she married Frank Vessels, Jr, whose father established Los Alamitos Race Course on his ranch near Cypress, California. In the early days of Los Alamitos, Millie and her husband aided Frank Sr. in the management of the racetrack, and upon the elder Vessels' death, Frank Jr. took over management of the track. In 1974, a year after the Vessels' stallion Timeto Thinkrich won the All American Futurity, Frank Jr. died, leaving Millie to manage Los Alamitos Race Course. During her leadership of the track, Los Alamitos became the nation's leading American Quarter Horse racetrack in terms of attendance and handle. In 1984, Millie sold Los Alamitos and the adjacent property and began concentrating on her own Vessels' Stallion Farm and the San Luis Rey Downs training center, both located in Bonsall, California. Millie passed away on January 20, 1992 at the age of 68. She is the mother of Frank "Scoop" Vessels, III, 2004-2005 AQHA President.
Here are the winners since the award started: 1994 -- Connie Hall 1995 -- Shirley Schvaneveldt 1996 -- Tami Ann Purcell 1997 -- Donna McArthur 1998 -- Vessels/Knorpp et al "The Girls" 1999 -- Mrs. Gwendolyn Eaves 2000 -- Amy L. Owens 2001 -- Debbie Schauf 2002 -- Sandy Erwin and Janet VanBebber (tie) 2003 -- Tomey Swan 2004 -- Jean Dillard 2005 -- Joan Dale Hubbard 2006 -- Ginny Harding 2007 -- Carol Cooper 2008 -- Ann McGovern 2009 -- Mary Kyler 2010 -- Vel Evans 2011 -- Dawn and Rhonda Rae List
Gordon Crone Special Achievement Award
This award is given yearly to an outstanding man within the American Quarter Horse racing industry to recognize his achievement within in the industry throughout the year. The award is voted on by the AQHA Racing Committee.
A longtime horseman from Kansas and an AQHA director from 1985-1992, Gordon Crone worked to promote American Quarter Horse racing both in his state and nationally. Gordon and his wife, Juanita, raced the champion gelding Vespero in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Vespero, a son of the Three Bars (TB) stallion St Bar, was named the 2-year-old champion gelding in 1978. When he won the Rainbow Futurity, trainer Marilyn Asmussen became the first female trainer to saddle a major stakes winner. Gordon passed away on February 12, 1994 at the age of 74.
Here are the winners since the award started: 1994 -- Spencer L. Childers 1995 -- Joe Kirk Fulton 1996 -- Edward C. Allred 1997 -- Blane Schvaneveldt 1998 -- Jack W. Brooks 1999 -- John H. Bassett 2000 -- Frank Vessels III 2001 -- Joe B. Turner, Jr. (awarded posthumously) 2002 -- Edward C. Allred, Jim Helzer and Ben Hudson (tie) 2003 -- R.D. Hubbard 2004 -- Duayne Didericksen 2005 -- Jerry Windham 2006 -- Russell Harris 2007 -- Dee Raper 2008 -- John Andreini 2009 -- Paul Jones 2010 -- Dr. Steve Fisch 2011 -- Leverne Perry
AQHA Racing Council Special Recognition
In 1989, the AQHA Racing Council established the AQHA Racing Council Special Recognition Award to honor "a lifetime of outstanding service and dedication" to the development, promotion and enhancement of American Quarter Horse Racing.
Here are the winners since the award's inception: 1989 -- R. D. Hubbard 1990 -- Ralph W. Shebester 1991 -- Edward C. Allred 1992 -- Vessels Stallion Farm, LLC 1993 -- Clarence Scharbauer, Jr. 1994 -- Lloyd Shelhamer 1995 -- James E. Helzer 1996 -- Taylor Powell 1997 -- James Barton 1998 -- Blane Schvaneveldt 1999 -- Henry E. Brown 2000 -- Walter Merrick 2001 -- Mrs. Anne B. Windfohr Marion 2002 -- Jay Pumphrey 2003 -- Robert Gentry 2004 -- John T.L. Jones 2005 -- Frank "Scoop" Vessels 2006 -- Dutch Massters III 2007 -- Floyd E "Butch" Wise 2008 -- Jerry Windham 2009 -- Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association 2010 -- Spencer Childers 2011 -- Dr. Glen Blodgett
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