FORT WORTH, Texas – Don Manuello of Sterling, Colo., was presented with the American Paint Horse Association’s (APHA) highest member honor, the Distinguished Service Award, at the organization’s annual convention and membership meeting in San Diego, Calif. This award is given annually to a special APHA member who has helped the association make significant strides through the years. Manuello was recognized in 2008 for more than 20 years of exemplary service to APHA in an effort to advance the Association and improve the breed both locally and nationally.
During his more than 20 years of membership and service to the Association, Manuello spent 11 of those years, 1990-2001, as an APHA National Director. He has also served as director and president of the High Plains Paint Horse Club, director of the Rocky Mountain Paint Horse Association and a member of the Zone 3 Coordinating Committee, National Western Club, Judges Committee of the National Western Stock Show and Equine Committee of the National Western Stock Show—all of which directly affect the equine industry in his home state of Colorado. In addition to these duties, Manuello spent more than 15 years as the media director for the equine industry’s Color Breed Council Judges Seminar.
Manuello’s extensive knowledge of the Paint Horse breed and tireless work ethic led him to serve as a ringmaster or ring steward for 22 consecutive APHA World Championship Paint Horse Shows, along with numerous other large horse shows across the country. While he continues to ring steward today, Manuello has served as APHA’s vice chairman of the Judges Committee for 10 years and as a contributing member of the Association’s Nominating Committee, Professional Horseman’s Committee and the Rules Committee.
“There are countless situations beyond the recorded ‘official’ positions Don has held where he was the driving force behind the success for our breed, judges and members,” said fellow APHA-member and friend Karen Banister of Brighton, Colo. “Only the individuals blessed by him at that single moment in time will remember his actions. But, for those people, his personal effect on their lives will never be forgotten.”
More about the American Paint Horse Association
Currently, American Paint Horses are being registered at APHA’s Fort Worth, Texas, headquarters at a rate of more than 30,000 horses each year. APHA has registered more than 953,000 horses in 59 nations and territories since it was founded 47 years ago, and now serves more than 80,000 active members around the world. Among its many activities, APHA works to preserve bloodlines and maintain the outstanding characteristics of the American Paint Horse breed. For more information about APHA, contact the Association at (817) 834-2742, or visit apha.com.
