2011 Award Winners

Congratulations 2011 Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International Exemplary Award Winners!

(Click on the name to read the bio below)

Bios

Mary Jo Beckman
When it comes to working with PATH Intl., there isn’t much that Mary Jo Beckman hasn’t done. She started as a volunteer in 1994 and is now a certified master instructor as well as a driving instructor. She is a PATH Intl. lead faculty and evaluator, preparing future instructors for certification. She is also a lead visitor, ensuring that centers meet PATH Intl. standards for accreditation. She has served on numerous committees and serves on the board of directors for Therapeutic Riding Association of Virginia.

But perhaps the thing that we know Mary Jo best for and what beats closest to her heart is her work with PATH Intl. Horses for Heroes. Herself a retired Navy Commander, she co-founded the Caisson Platoon program with Army Command Sergeant Major Larry Pence, which provided therapeutic riding lessons at Ft. Myer, VA, for wounded military and civilians receiving treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The program started as “recreational” therapy, but the results were so impressive that after only four sessions, it became one of the physical therapy options available to those at Walter Reed. It is now in its sixth year, with Mary Jo conducting each lesson as the instructor.

After connecting with the Caisson Platoon, learning about the work at ROCK in Texas and inspired by Mary Woolverton’s work with Vietnam War veterans, Mary Jo became focused—some might say obsessed—with providing EAAT services to veterans. She was not content to provide therapeutic riding experiences to veterans at Walter Reed. She envisioned providing EAAT to veterans of all ages throughout the United States. Through much work with the PATH Intl. Horses for Heroes Task Force, Mary Jo’s vision became reality in 2007, and today there are approximately 90 centers around the nation working with their local VA offices to provide services, and more than 125 additional riding centers have inquired about how to start a program. There are more than 260 members on the Horses for Heroes list-serve, two high-quality international pre-conference workshops and a number of regional workshops and educational events. She regularly connects with Veterans Affairs administrators, medical professionals and volunteers across the country, propelling PATH Intl. and EAAT into all major media outlets across the globe.

As much as PATH Intl. is the voice of the EAAT field, Mary Jo is the voice of PATH Intl. Horses for Heroes and is the “go-to” person for answering questions about how to implement and sustain a program working with wounded military and veterans. She not only answers questions from centers but also coordinates efforts across the country, meeting with members of Congress and the Veterans Administration to help facilitate funding for all PATH Intl. Horses for Heroes services.

Through her efforts to serve both the veteran community and the EAAT field, she has brought additional international visibility and credibility to PATH Intl. Her contributions and untiring commitment make her the well-deserving recipient of the 2011 PATH Intl. James Brady Professional Achievement Award.

Corie Brooks
According to those who have worked with her, Corie Brooks at EQUI-ED in Santa Rosa, CA, exemplifies outstanding dedication to the development and promotion of driving for individuals with disabilities through her continuous work on the PATH Intl. driving program. Over the past 10 years, Corie has served on the PATH Intl. Driving Committee, has written numerous articles and presented at regional and national conferences, and was instrumental in helping to write the driving workbook, which is the criteria for the driving workshop and certification. She is currently engaged in conversation with the American Driving Society to create webinars on therapeutic driving.

Corie has been around driving all her adult life. She has been involved in breaking and training horses to drive and competes in combined driving events in shows. Her extensive driving experience includes her own PATH Intl. Level III Driving certification, and she is a PATH Intl. Lead Evaluator.

Corie's contributions to the therapeutic driving field continue as she strives to increase the number of PATH Intl. Certified Driving Instructors and centers that provide driving. It is an honor to name her the Sis Gould Driving Award recipient for 2011.

Tracy Chapman-Radley
Instructors often need to think outside the box when it comes to gaining the trust of their riders as well as creating lessons and helping them to develop confidence. Trudy Chapman-Radley at Horses with H.E.A.R.T. in Region 10, is just such an instructor. According to her fellow instructors, Trudy shows creativity in each lesson. On one occasion, Trudy had a new rider with autism come in for an intake interview. She asked the parent whether or not the child had ever worn a helmet, and the parent said that it might be an issue. Trudy gave a safety helmet to the parent to take home so that the rider could practice wearing it before she came for her lesson in two weeks. Trudy even suggested that the child decorate the helmet. When the rider came two weeks later, the helmet had colorful stickers on it. The rider calmly put it on and wore it for the entire lesson. A fellow instructor said, “This creative thinking and foresight prevented stress and a possible struggle and set the stage for rider success.”

Trudy, who has been with PATH International since 1995, volunteers full time at Horses with H.E.A.R.T., logging in over 3,600 volunteer hours in the past three years. In addition to being a PATH International Certified Instructor, she has served as president of the board, executive director, board member and riding director at the center. She has missed only one national conference since 1997.

“I can’t say enough about this instructor,” says a mother of three riders with special needs. “Not only has she changed my family’s lives, she has changed hundreds of lives in the special needs community. My family is so blessed to have her in our lives. She is a special person and deserves to be named the best instructor in the country.”

Heather Hoff
Heather is the Farnam Senior Vice President; Equine Products. Heather joined Farnam in 1997. She holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University. Under Heather's guidance, Farnman has donated dewormers to PATH Intl. centers and also funds grants for PATH Intl. centers through America's Horse Cares. She was raised in North Dakota where she and her family raised horses and cattle. She was active in 4-H and has been a rodeo competitor since the age of 4. She currently competes in breakaway roping.

Milee Huffman
It’s not unusual to see a child look forward to riding lessons or being in the barn. But Milee Huffman doesn’t just exhibit a love of horses but also empathy for them. She is truly interested in learning about and practicing horse care and always takes care that her horse is comfortable.

This 11-year-old has been riding for six years and in that time has learned to read equine body language and interpret what her mount is feeling. One day at the end of a lesson, Milee’s instructor took her for a short field ride to cool down. As they were walking, Milee’s horse stepped in a patch of very loose dirt and sank to his knee. The sidewalkers provided the support she needed while the horse hopped back up. Everyone was a little shaken by the incident and paused for a moment to catch their breath. Milee reached down to tell her horse it was okay. After the ride, she checked his legs and gave him extra attention to make sure he wasn’t hurt. She put aside any fear she might have felt and instead reacted like an equine professional – all about the horse!

Milee accepts all challenges placed in her way with a glorious smile and an attitude that says she can overcome anything. Even her favorite horse, who is sometimes picky with his riders, is in love with her. You can see it on his face whenever she is getting ready to ride.

One of her sidewalkers at St Andrews Ride Like a Knight says about Milee, “She has an infectious smile and laugh that impacts everyone who crosses her path. She is a true horseman and understands that every day and every ride offers something new to learn, and she is anxious to absorb it. I couldn’t think of a better recipient for the PATH Intl. 2011 Child Equestrian of the Year Award for everything that both it and PATH Intl. stands for.”

Michael Kaufmann
Michael is earning the award this year because of his relentless efforts in organizing standards for equine-facilitated learning. He managed to keep an enthusiastic task force focused on the objective that resulted in EFL guidelines that are included in the 2011 edition of the PATH Intl. Standards for Certification and Accreditation. Michael’s name has long been connected with the association’s history, having served on the board in the ’90s, participating in the formation of the mental health and learning community, chairing many task forces and committees and even serving on the association’s staff from 2000 through 2005. He now serves as the director of the Farm and Wildlife Conservation Center at Green Chimneys in Brewster, NY, one of the preeminent PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Centers.

Pat McCowan
Pat leads the review of the process for selecting and training the faculty for the association’s various programs as chair of the Faculty Development Task Force. Given the number and levels of our certification programs, this is a daunting task. This task force this year took on the project of updating the Association Visitor Training Course. Pat has been a PATH Intl. Life Member since joining the association in 1989.  She is an advanced instructor, a lead site visitor, faculty for the Center Accreditation Training course and the Associate Visitor Training course. She has been a member of the Accreditation Subcommittee. She also coordinated the Margo O’Callaghan Competition Fund.

Martha McNiel
Martha is the founder and director of DreamPower Horsemanship in San Martin, CA. Additionally, she is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a private practice, a PATH Intl. Registered Riding Instructor and a Certified Equine Interaction Professional in Mental Health. Martha served on the EFMHA Board of Directors for five years and worked on the committee that brought about the merger with PATH Intl.

Martha presents seminars on equine-facilitated psychotherapy at regional and PATH Intl. conferences, and her seminars are used by mental health professionals to meet continuing education requirements. She currently supervises six psychotherapy interns in the practice of EFP and has successfully mentored six PATH Intl. Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructors through the certification process.

A gifted practitioner of equine-facilitated services, Martha reaches out to all the stakeholders in the field. Her center helps foster emotionally disturbed youth, veterans and their families, and others with mental and physical health challenges. Through her leadership positions at PATH Intl., she has encouraged others to reach for excellence and increased the professionalism for our industry.

Priscilla Marden, the executive director of Horse Warriors in Wyoming, said, “No one I know works longer, harder and more diligently to further and better the quality of work done by all of us in the field. Martha defines dedication to this field and has set the bar for the rest of us to strive toward.”

Shellie Muzzey
If there is an embodiment of the PATH Intl. vision to enrich and change lives through equine-assisted activities and therapies, it is Shellie Muzzey. Born with several physical challenges, Shellie has been in a wheelchair her entire life. Social struggles made her life even more difficult, and everything around her seemed to tell her that she couldn’t accomplish anything.

When she first came to Sagebrush Equine Training Center for the Handicapped in Hailey, ID, Shellie was closed, quiet and depressed, and she couldn’t read. Thanks to her team of volunteers incorporating word puzzles on the ground in the arena into her regular lesson plan, she is now able to read stories with only a little bit of assistance. Through her years at Sagebrush, Shellie has grown more confident. While her life has been hard, she has developed perseverance and an attitude that says she can do anything.

When she first came to Sagebrush, she was very afraid: of the horses, of the lift used to help her mount, of being up off the ground. Despite her concerns, she would take a big breath and say, “Okay, I’m ready!” She has bravely faced her fears with smiles, hugs, growing self-confidence and a huge amount of courage.

Despite her struggles, she is committed to coming to her session each week. She is always concerned about the health, happiness and overall wellbeing of the horses, the volunteers, the center’s staff, and all the other riders. Each week before her lesson, she takes a moment with her team to say a prayer for everyone who participates in the program. She recognizes the blessings she has received through therapeutic riding, and she wishes to give back what she can to everyone involved with the center.

Lindsey Jameson, Sagebrush’s program director, says, “No matter how bad Shellie is feeling, she always feels better when she comes to the center. This is a place where she can relax, be herself, open up and confide in her team, and enjoy the experience of riding. It is as if when she’s on the horse, her spirit is set free.”

It is with great pride that we name Shellie Muzzey the PATH Intl. Adult Equestrian of the Year.

Jacob O'Brien
It has often been said that PATH International Centers couldn’t do the wonderful work they do without volunteers. No one exemplifies that more than Jacob O’Brien of Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center in Richland, MI, region 4. Jacob has been with the program since he was 9, first as a student and then as a volunteer when he was 13, and he does anything that needs doing, logging now more than 200 hours a month.

As anyone who works in a center knows, there are many times that volunteers fluctuate, and Cheff is no exception. But Jacob comes in on a regular basis on days he is not scheduled simply because he heard that the center might be short and he wanted to be available.

Jacob is an integral part of the center’s activities, including interaction with riders. A new rider was very nervous about the entire horse experience. Jacob took notice of his nerves and stepped in to offer his assistance, sharing with this rider his own experiences from when he first started riding. In his calm, quiet and reassuring manner, he worked with this new rider, assuring him that the experience would be safe and fun. He worked as the off-side spotter in the mounting process and reassured the rider that he would stick with him throughout the ride. He helped give the rider the confidence and reassurance he needed. Kim Henning, the volunteer coordinator and instructor at Cheff, said, “It is at times like this that as an instructor I truly appreciate the impact a really wonderful volunteer can have on a rider and a lesson.” Tara East, Cheff’s executive director, said, “He is a shining example of everything a great volunteer should be and everything our program stands to accomplish.”

It is an honor and a privilege to name Jacob PATH International’s Volunteer of the Year.

Ryan Ohrmundt
Ryan Ohrmundt first came to BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding and Educational Center in Harvard, IL, region 7, because of high anxiety and stress when he returned home from War. His anxiety interfered with his life so intensely that he had to quit his job and find one less intense. Ryan soon found what can be accomplished through the power of the horse to change lives.

Ryan has been able to use riding as a detachment to clear his mind and reduce his anxiety levels. He enjoys riding because, as he says, he does not associate it to anything else in his life. It is the one time he truly is at peace. As soon as he enters the barn for his lessons, his entire demeanor changes. He lights up as he sees his horse and immediately appears calm and collected. He is gentle, loving and kind to every horse he rides.

Ryan’s gratitude for the Horses for Heroes program comes through as he introduces others to the program and as he helps out before and after lessons to keep the facility clean.

Whether it is grooming and tacking his horse, riding independently or participating in therapeutic driving, Ryan exhibits and eagerness to learn. In fact, he chooses to ride the horses that others feel can be difficult at times so that he can challenge himself. He rides once a week preparing for upcoming horse shows, demonstrations and drill team events.

Ryan truly deserves the PATH International Horses for Heroes award as he is the essence of what equine-assisted activities and therapies can accomplish.

Lara Oles
Lara Oles first became involved at National Ability Center in Park City, UT, a few years after an accident left her with limited use of her right side. Prior to her accident, she had been an avid equestrian and dressage competitor, and although she had worked herself up to riding her own horse independently, she was still lacking the confidence and skills to progress her skills to her pre-accident level. Shortly after attending the World Equestrian Games and witnessing the Para Dressage competition, she was inspired to reach farther than she thought possible and dream of one day competing herself in Para Dressage.

Toward this goal, Lara has been determined and hard working. Her drive to increase her skills and get back to the level she once rode at is amazing and her positive attitude is infectious.

Her instructor says, “The day Lara came into our center for the first time, I knew I had to be on top of my game! She came in with such determination and drive to start training for her personal goal of one day being in the Para Dressage games that there was never a moment of down time. From the start, we were setting goals only to break them in a matter of lessons.”

She had only been with the center for a few weeks when she first cantered. The sense of accomplishment that spread over her face was a joy to see. She told the staff that it had been since before her accident that she had allowed herself to trust the horse and herself enough to canter. Through this special relationship with her horse, she has allowed him to teach her the idiosyncrasies of the cues and feel of how they are supposed to be executed as he allows her to learn.

Lara’s drive for personal achievement has been an inspiration to other participants and staff, making her worthy of being name the PATH Intl. 2011 Independent Adult Equestrian of the Year.

Carly Renguette
Life changes in the blink of an eye. Most riders at PATH Intl. Centers come for equine-assisted activities and therapies because of a disability they were born with. But for Carly Renguette, our Youth Equestrian of the Year, life changed dramatically when she sustained a cervical spinal cord injury that left her a spastic quadriplegic and placed her first on a ventilator then in a wheelchair. Carly knows in a way that others sometimes do not what she has lost. And yet this 16-year-old young woman doesn’t complain and is always smiling. Her therapist at Midwest Therapeutic Riding Program said, “Even on the days she is in pain or having difficulty breathing, she always wants to try ‘just one more thing.’” 

Carly is a vocal proponent of EAAT, sending an email update about her progress to over 100 people. She has given speeches about program benefits and has participated in fundraisers. Most notably, she gave a 15 minute presentation in which she told her story to over 160 people and created a slideshow showing her progression since beginning her equestrian activities. 

Carly has progressed from a wheelchair to a walker and is now using arm crutches. Just recently she walked independently. As with most people, she was excited but a little scared on her first ride. Her white knuckles as she held on to the reins showed her nervousness. She needed side walkers to hold on to her to keep her balance and she only made it a few laps. But now? She rides rarely touching the saddle except to take a break. She once challenged herself and stood up in the stirrups for 20 laps just to say she could do it.

Carly credits her progress to horseback riding and wants to become either a physical or occupational therapist, incorporating hippotherapy into her practice. She says she wants to make a difference in other people’s lives. Little does she know, she already has. We are proud to name her PATH Intl.’s 2011 Youth Equestrian of the Year.

Valentino
Sometimes a horse seems destined to work with those who have special needs. Valentino, a Tennessee Walking Horse Cross in Region 5, was abandoned as a yearling and left completely alone in a pasture. Neighbors fed him when they could and called an equine rescue when he turned three, after he had been alone and neglected for more than a year.

At the same time, Therapeutic Animal Partners in Spring Hill, TN, was looking for fresh horses for its center. “We decided to consider bringing this one particular horse to our center,” says Director Terri Knauer. “After watching his training sessions at the state horse fair we were hooked. He was young, the perfect height for a therapy horse and full of potential.”

Valentino was adopted and trained specifically for EAAT. Every center needs a “go-to” horse, and Valentino is that. He is quiet, intelligent, kind and patient with his riders, intuiting when to respond to an exact cue and when to build confidence in a rider by giving the intended response. His eager attitude for interaction with participants shows that he loves his lessons. He loves toys and games and sometimes breaks a tense moment by picking up a toy in his mouth to help a frustrated rider.

One child came to the center missing the horse she used to ride at another center. On being introduced, Valentino gently blew on her neck then dropped his head so they could look into each other’s eyes, and the two held each other’s gaze for half a minute. That moment bonded these two and gave this young girl the hope that she could find love, trust, confidence and companionship with another horse.

Like many of PATH International participants, Valentino has overcome adversity and has found a permanent home as the rock of Therapeutic Animal Partners’ program.

Tracy Weber
Tracy Weber is the chair of the Community Initiatives Work Group behind the launch of the new member benefit, Community Connections. This effort grew out of the EFP/EFL Membership Task force chaired by Leif Hallberg, who is now working with PATH Intl. on a contract basis to launch the community initiative. Tracy is a relatively new volunteer to PATH Intl. although she has logged many volunteer hours with other organizations. Her unique approach has been refreshing as this new membership program takes off. She has experience as a marketing director, researcher, executive director of a non-profit, entrepreneur, farm owner and is considered a pioneer in the field of equine-assisted learning. She is passionate about integrating experiential learning and a holistic world view in to her farm program and faculty work with several universities where her focus is on leadership and relationship management. With a master and doctorate in the field of education, she has helped those launching PATH Intl. Community Connections embrace a member-driven, user-defined initiative.