A lifelong love affair with horses led to Patti Carter’s most recent accolade as horsewoman of the year.
Carter, raised on the family farm at St. George, Ont., became the first Canadian to receive the American Quarter Horse Association award.
Eleven men and 11 women have received the award since its inception in 1995. It is presented annually at the AQHA convention to an outstanding horsewoman as chosen by her peers. AQHA has 850 members.
“It’s a lifetime of having character and integrity and doing the best for the horses, the best for the clients and the best for the industry,” she said.
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Carter, whose parents and daughter are also involved in the horse world, has trained, judged and coached for 22 years and operates Patti Carter Performance Horses.
She has judged the AQHA world championship show and the AQHYA youth world championship show, exhibited horses at the AQHA world show and trained students and horses for youth world cup events.
She has also served as director for the AQHA and the Canadian Quarter Horse Association and has hosted AQHA’s television show, America’s Horse. Carter was named one of the top 25 most influential women in the Quarter horse industry.
CQHA president Marnie Somers praised Carter’s commitment to and involvement with horses.
“In my opinion, in order for the vast majority of American professional horsemen members to support a candidate who is not ‘one of their own,’ she/he would have to be demonstrably better than any other nominee up for consideration,” she said.
Somers said Carter’s peers see her as a committed and successful trainer, clinician coach and judge.
