The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) has announced its 2005 Individual Annual Award winners with Marty Mueller, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Groves and Ray Sheffield receiving top honors.

The winners will be recognized at the 2005 American Saddlebred Annual Meeting during the American Saddlebred Ball and Annual Prize Giving on Saturday, February 19, at the Keeneland Race Course Entertainment Center.

Seven individuals will be honored at the Ball with the Association’s most prestigious awards.

This year’s winners are: Lifetime Achievement Award – Marty Mueller; Breeder’s Award – Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Groves; Meritorious Service Award – Ray Sheffield; Gordon Jenkins International Award – Nancy Becker; C.J. Cronan Sportsmanship Award – Keith Bartz; Lurline Roth Sportsmanship Award – Ann Curl; and Frank Ogletree Youth Award – Shelby Reimer.

Mueller, a French Lick, IN, resident, is the second Lifetime Achievement Award winner after the award was first presented at the 2004 Annual Meeting. Mueller took a job at Sunnyvale Farm in California in 1950 and worked with a difficult and temperamental two-year-old colt. The exceptional trainer used his knowledge and patience to persevere; that colt was CH The Lemon Drop Kid, one of the breed’s most recognized horses.

Franklin and Carolyn Groves have enjoyed owning and breeding with top horses for many years, including CH Belle Elegant, CH Irish American and CH Foxfire’s Prophet, which have produced or sired many world’s champions, stakes winners and outstanding broodmares. Some of their recent successful produce are In My Heart and Seismic Force. They currently reside in Las Vegas, NV, and have had breeding operations in Minnesota and Kentucky.

Sheffield, owner of The National Horseman for several decades, has provided the ASHA, UPHA, American Saddlebred Museum and other organizations space gratis on a regular basis. Sheffield began working at The National Horseman after serving during World War II. The Saddlebred lover worked his way through the reins of the magazine until he eventually purchased it and eventually sold it in 1999.

ASHA Members nominate individuals for the awards and the Board of Directors selects each winner.

For American Saddlebred Ball and Annual Prize Giving ticket, table and sponsorship information please contact Amy Parker at (859) 259-2742, ext. 324, or by e-mail, [email protected].