Of all the awards the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) offers, it is the Volunteer of the Year Award, that is deemed the most prestigious. The 2007 Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Shelby French of Sweet Briar, VA, on December 13, at the USHJA Evening of Equestrians Dinner. French has been instrumental in developing grassroots outreach programs, has traveled to the Lexington office for program meetings, has been a member of the Board of Directors, co-chaired the Affiliates Council and chairs the Community Horse Show Committee. She made it her mission to develop the Affiliate Equitation Awards program and to see it implemented for 2008. French is the director of riding at Sweet Briar College and encourages her students and everyone around her to get involved to make equestrian sport better. Through the dedication of members like French, USHJA and the sport of hunters and jumpers continues to excel into the future. USHJA congratulates French on this well deserved honor.

A complete listing of the awards presented at this years USHJA Evening of Equestrians Awards Dinner will be featured in the February issue of USHJA In Stride.