Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2004
Contact: Molly Benstein
(303) 696-4589

Three AHA Members Receive National Volunteer Service Awards

On Friday December 5, during the first annual Arabian Horse Association Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, three volunteers were presented with National Volunteer Service Awards for their exceptional work, spirit and enthusiasm. Ron Campbell of Eatonia, Saskatchewan, Dean Meier of Waukesha, Wisconsin, and Sharon Richards of New Castle, California, were chosen by their peers as outstanding models of selfless service to the association and the Arabian horse.

Ron Campbell of Eatonia, Saskatchewan, was given the award before he passed away on September 16 for his generous devotion to Region 17 and unstinting efforts on behalf of the Canadian Arabian and Half-Arabian National Championship Show. A long-standing active member of the Region 17 West Central Arabian Horse Association, Campbell held executive positions in the club and had been a regional delegate and volunteer at many Region 17 shows. Campbell volunteered at the Canadian National Show for 16 years. As barn manager for 14 of those years, Campbell was incredibly devoted to the welfare of the show's horses. He was always there to take care of emergencies and reassure exhibitors who placed the utmost trust in him. Campbell's hard work, dedication and tireless efforts to help further AHA and the Arabian breed will be greatly missed.

As the Region 10 Chairman for the 2003 AHA Convention and a member of the Annual Convention Planning Committee, Dean Meier was the key person in planning the convention. It was his great organizational skills that have helped pull everything together along with his close cooperation with the committee and chairs from Region 11. As a member of the AHA Ways & Means Committee, which he has served on for many years, Meier has worked to keep AHA fiscally sound. Dean has also served Region 10 faithfully as its current Vice Director and former Region 10 Show Manager. Meier is one of those dedicated, invaluable volunteers whose unfailing devotion to AHA has helped ensure a bright future for our organization.

Sharon Richards has not only been a devoted member of Region 3 and AHA for more than 30 years, she has helped pioneer new ideas that have shaped the show world. Richards has been instrumental in creating the Region 3 Sport Horse Regionals, the first Regional Championship Sport Horse Show for just the sport horse division. As an original member of the Youth National Show Commission, Sharon helped turn it into one of the most successful youth equine competitions in the U.S. In 2000, she volunteered to take on the Region 3 Chairperson's role to host the 2002 AHA Convention and used her superb organizational skills to turn it into one of the more population conventions. An exemplary volunteer, Richards has been a past Regional Director and Vice Director, she has served on numerous national committees and she has been an invaluable asset to her region and the association.

AHA is a 40,000 member equine association that registers and maintains a database of more then one million Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses. It administers more than $4 million in annual prize money, produces national events, recognizes more than 400 Arabian horse shows and distance rides and provides activities and programs that promote breeding and ownership. For information about Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses, call 303-696-4500, e-mail info@ArabianHorses.org or visit www.ArabianHorses.org.