Past Student Award Winners – American Horse Publications

2024: Taleen Hanna

By Christine Brune, May 17, 2024

COLLEGE: Mercer University

MAJOR: Journalism and French

YEAR WON THE AWARD: 2024 Return to Horse Country, Lexington, Kentucky

FUTURE PLANS: Combine her passions for storytelling and horses into a career in equine media

2023: Josie Mac Fladager

By Christine Brune, November 5, 2023

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Tarleton State University

MAJOR: Agricultural communications with an equine science certification

YEAR WON THE AWARD: 2023 Meet at the Mesa Conference in Tempe, Arizona

CURRENT PLANS: Continue to write as a freelancer and begin her senior years semester at Tarleton State University.

2022: Reagan Smollen

By Christine Brune, October 22, 2022

COLLEGE ATTENDED: University of West Virginia

MAJOR: Animal Science and Nutrition, with an Equine Studies minor

YEAR WON THE AWARD: 2022 Back to the Bluegrass Conference in Lexington, Kentucky

CURRENT PLANS: Social Media Intern at EQUUS Television, Senior at West Virginia University graduating December 2022

2021: Hannah Waroway

By Christine Brune, September 17, 2021

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Midway University

MAJOR: Equine Rehabilitation and Equine Management

YEAR WON THE AWARD: 2021 Back in the Saddle Conference in Irving, Texas.

CURRENT PLANS: After graduation, Hannah plans to become a professional in both riding and photography. Her career goal is to establish a business that focuses on black background portraits, equine, and canine photography.

2020: Ruby Tevis

By Christine Brune, October 18, 2020

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Midway University

MAJOR: Marketing Communications, with a double minor in Equine Studies and Sports Management

YEAR WON THE AWARD: 2020 50th Anniversary conference in Lexington, KY was cancelled due to the pandemic. Ruby was a 2019 AHP Student Travel Award winner and attended the conference in Albuquerque, NM.

CURRENT POSITION: Marketing Director, TerraNova Equestrian Center

2019: Lucile Vigouroux

By Christine Brune, May 30, 2019

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Centenary University

MAJOR: B.S. in Equine Studies with a concentration in Equine Science

CONFERENCE WON THE AWARD: High Desert Media Roundup, Albuquerque, New Mexico

CURRENT POSITION: Owner and PEMF Practitioner, ProPulsion Equine PEMF, LLC, AHP Equine Media Award Winner, Freelance Journalist

2018: Emily Holowczak

By Christine Brune, June 15, 2018

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Mount Holyoke College

MAJOR: Creative Writing, Magazine Writing, English Literature

CONFERENCE WON THE AWARD: The Hunt for Excellence, Hunt Valley, Maryland

CURRENT POSITION: Manages the specialty pet verticals on PetMD by Chewy which includes all of equine; Freelance writer and avid equestrian

2017: Kaycie Timm

By Christine Brune, June 15, 2017

COLLEGE ATTENDED: West Texas A&M University

MAJOR: Agricultural Media & Communication with a minor in English

CONFERENCE SHE WON AWARD: Saddle Up for Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona

CURRENT POSITION: Advertising & Marketing Coordinator at Mustang Heritage Foundation

2016: Ema Klugman

By Christine Brune, June 17, 2016

COLLEGE ATTENDING: Duke University

MAJOR: English

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: May the Horse Be with You, Orlando, Florida

2015: Victoria “Dixie” Crowe

By Christine Brune, June 19, 2015

COLLEGE ATTENDING: University of Wyoming, graduate Colorado State University with majors in Equine Science, Journalism & Media Communications

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: Tally-Ho at the Alamo, San Antonio, Texas

CURRENT POSITION: PhD Candidate plus Freelance writer and photographer

2014: Catie Staszak

By Christine Brune, June 20, 2014

COLLEGE ATTENDED: University of Miami

MAJOR: Communication

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Gallop n’ Grits Seminar, Charleston, South Carolina

CURRENT POSITION: Multimedia Sports Journalist, CSM Catie Staszak Media, Inc.

2013: April Leonard

By Christine Brune, June 21, 2013

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Cazenovia College, New York

MAJOR: Equine Business Management

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Meet at the Peak Seminar, Colorado Springs, Colorado

2012: Dani Moritz-Long

By Christine Brune, June 1, 2012

COLLEGE ATTENDED: William Woods University, Missouri

MAJOR: Communications Journalism & Public Relations and Equine General Studies (Equine Media)

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Ride Into History Seminar, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

CURRENT POSITION: Senior News Writer at Valencia College and freelance writer. Lives in Orlando, Florida with husband, Alex, and daughter, Sagan.

2011: Stephanie Smolek

By Christine Brune, June 17, 2011

COLLEGE ATTENDED: University of Nebraska-Lincoln

MAJOR: Agricultural Journalism and Animal Science

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Hoofprints in the Sand Seminar, San Diego, California

2010: Hailey Elin Harroun

By Christine Brune, June 18, 2010

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Oklahoma State University

MAJOR: Double major of Pre-Veterinary Animal Science and Agricultural Communications

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP 40th Anniversary Seminar, Lexington, Kentucky

CURRENT POSITION: After graduating from Oklahoma State in May 2010, Hailey attended veterinary school at Colorado State University and graduated in 2014. She is a Captain in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps.

2009: Erica Larson Spradling

By Christine Brune, June 20, 2009

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Michigan State University

MAJOR: Journalism with external specialty in Equine Science

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Free Rein in the Big Easy Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana

CURRENT POSITION: News Editor, The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Health Care. She is married to Adam Spradling and lives in Lexington, Kentucky. Currently, Erica competes in three-day eventing with her off-the-track Thoroughbred, Dorado.

2008: Bana Varnon Jobe

By Christine Brune, June 20, 2008

COLLEGE ATTENDED: University of Texas at Austin

MAJOR: Journalism

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Break from the Gate Seminar, Saratoga Springs, New York

2007: Nicole Lanphear Miller

By Christine Brune, June 22, 2007

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Western Washington University

MAJOR: Journalism

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Fiesta Del Caballo Seminar, Albuquerque, New Mexico

2006: Nikki Hupman Richardson

By Christine Brune, June 20, 2006

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Oklahoma State University

MAJOR: Agricultural Communications

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP It’s A Horse World After All Seminar, Orlando, Florida

2005: Jessica Eissfeldt

By Christine Brune, June 10, 2005

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Oklahoma State University

MAJOR: English and Journalism

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP North By Northwest Seminar, Seattle, Washington

2004: Melissa Dymock

By Christine Brune, June 11, 2004

COLLEGE ATTENDED: University of Utah

MAJOR: Double majors in Print Journalism and Animal Science

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Red, White & Bluegrass Seminar in Lexington, Kentucky

2003: Jessica Bieber Hein

By Christine Brune, June 20, 2003

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Texas Tech University

MAJOR: Agricultural Communications

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Hunt Country Seminar in Hunt Valley, Maryland

CURRENT POSITION: Director of Publications, American Paint Horse Association, and Editor, Paint Horse Journal, Chrome, and Flash

2002: Caraneen Smith

By Christine Brune, June 21, 2002

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Boston College

MAJOR: Communications

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Catch The Spirit Seminar, Park City, Utah

CURRENT POSITION: Owner and developer of BigEq.com.

2001: Maggie Martin Malson

By Christine Brune, June 22, 2001

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Kansas State University

MAJOR: Double majors in Journalism and Agricultural Communications

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Golden Opportunity Seminar, San Mateo, California

CURRENT POSITION: Owner of Maggie Malson Photography and Publisher/Editor at Idaho Cattle Association. Maggie lives in Parma, Idaho, with husband Josh and four children.

2000: Michelle Berg Anderson

By Christine Brune, May 19, 2000

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Washington State University

MAJOR: Mass Communications with an emphasis in Print Journalism

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP T2K Seminar, Irving, Texas

CURRENT POSITION: Digital Managing Editor, TheHorse.com. A lifelong horse owner, Michelle currently competes in dressage and enjoys trail riding. She and her husband, Seth, live in Bend, Oregon.

1999: Laura Denissen

By Christine Brune, May 21, 1999

COLLEGE ATTENDED: University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

MAJOR: Journalism with Public Relations emphasis

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Music City Seminar, Nashville, Tennessee

1999: Summer Best

By Christine Brune, May 19, 1999

COLLEGE ATTENDED: University of Florida

MAJOR: Magazine Journalism

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Music City Seminar, Nashville, Tennessee

CURRENT POSITION: Summer lives in Ocala, Florida and graduated with her master’s in mass communication from the UF College of Journalism and Communication in December 2014.

1998: Stephanie Lynn Church

By Christine Brune, June 26, 1998

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Averett College

MAJOR: Equestrian Studies and Journalism

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Seminar Del Sol Seminar, San Diego, California

CURRENT POSITION: Editor-in-Chief of The Horse. She has worked in six positions at the magazine since 1999. Her equine background is in eventing, and she enjoys photography, cooking, cycling, swimming, and traveling in her free time. Stephanie currently serves as the 2014-2015 AHP President. Stephanie is a strong believer in the student award program and has two other past student award winners on her team.

1997: Angie Welch Moore

By Christine Brune, May 30, 1997

COLLEGE ATTENDED: West Texas A&M University

MAJOR: Journalism

SEMINAR SHE WON AWARD: AHP Vail Valley Seminar, Vail, Colorado

CURRENT POSITION: 8th Grade Math Teacher and Owner/Manager of CBT Productions. Her current interest includes western shooting horse competitions. She lives in Canyon, Texas with her husband, Brant.