This is your chance to recognize your fellow Ar2ARs for something other than performance in competition: their spirit and drive! So please nominate freely! In mid-November you'll vote for the winner from those nominated. The winners will be announced at the 2010 Area II Annual Meeting.
Winners will receive a lovely huge ribbon, a plush Smurf doll, a Smurf figure or keychain, and some category appropriate "goodies"! VTO Saddlery will again provide most of the goodies. Thanks VTO!
(NOTE: 2009 winners - you get to keep your dolls! Previous winners -you'll be getting keeper dolls as well!)
Except for "Hug your Smurf," all nominees must be current, paid members of the Area II Adult Riders. You may nominate more than one person per category, and/or one person for multiple categories. Please briefly describe why or for what you think each nominee deserves each award category. (Yes, you may nominate yourself!)
Winners from previous years are ineligible in that category. Previous winners are appended at the bottom of this email.
Please email nominations to me privately at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For those new to Ar2AR, a brief history of the Smurfie Awards: I founded the Smurfie Awards in 2006, in order to recognize outstanding Adult Riders on a basis other than show performance. Awards are given solely by member nomination and vote, so your participation is vital!
Diane (DC) McBroom was my inspiration for these awards, due to her response some years ago to Captain Mark Phillip's belittling remarks about lower level riders (calling them "Smurfs"), and her ongoing dedication to the Ar2ARs and "lower level" riders in general. Captain Phillips is *still* finding Smurfs showing up in the darnedest places!
THE AWARDS:
HUG YOUR SMURF Any person, Ar2AR member or not, who has done the most to support the A2AR this year: Eg: the best spokesperson, activist, fund raiser, volunteer, biggest $ contributor, publicist, etc. "The Backbone".
INDIAN SMURF The A2AR member who best displayed the greatest personal strength against adversity this year. Eg: toughness, heart, against all odds; in other words, everything we mortals aspire to! "Tough-It-Out".
COWBOY SMURF The A2AR member who this year best displayed bravery, brilliance, survivorship, riding-the-buck, grace under pressure with the toughest horse. "The Bull-rider".
PAPA SMURF The A2AR member who best displayed leadership and dispensed support, knowledge, information and wisdom to other A2AR's this year. "The Counselor".
SMURFETTE The A2AR member who consistently displayed, and helped others achieve, great style and turnout under any circumstances this year. Always proper, correct, impeccable and brilliant! "The Groombabe or Groomdude".
Previous winners:
Hug your Smurf - Adult rider program supporter
2009 Gretchen Butts
2008 Cheryl Microutsicos
2007 Pat Mansfield
2006 Holly Covey
Papa Smurf - advice and council
2009 Karen Rubin, DVM
2008 Dorothy Smith
2007 Michelle Lobsinger
2006 Eileen Morgan
Indian Smurf - strength through adversity
2009 Patricia Mansfield
2008 Barb Cohen-King
2007 Anne Beech
2006 Dorothy Smith
Cowboy Smurf - riding the buck
2009 Jeff Beshear
2008 Eileen Morgan
2007 Duncan MacRae
2006 Patty Weston
Smurfette - groombabe or groomdude
2009 Nick Olijslager
2008 Kristine Slovis
2007 Cindy Wood
2006 DC McBroom
In 2007 I also awarded DC McBroom and Cindy DePorter their own PAPA dolls to keep, for everything they've done for us. DC for standing up for the Smurfs from day one, and Cindy for basically resurrecting the Ar2AR program from a morbid state, not too many years ago. And in 2008 Holly Covey was awarded a perpetual Hug doll for all her efforts.
Yvonne
