Lexington, Kentucky –  Joan Lurie of Willowbank Farm, Shelbyville, Kentucky, is among the United States Equestrian Federation’s 2008 Equestrians of Honor, which automatically qualifies her as a candidate for the USEF Equestrian of the Year award, one of USEF’s most prestigious awards. Lurie, one of seven honorees selected as an Equestrian of honor, will receive the Norman K. Dunn Trophy.

Any USEF member can vote for the USEF Equestrian of the Year. Simply visit www.usef.org and click on the Equestrian of the Year Voting link on the bottom-left of the homepage. Voting closes on January 9, 2009, at 5 PM EST.

All of the Equestrians of Honor will be recognized during the Annual Pegasus Awards Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 17. The Annual Meeting will be held January 14-18 at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Norman K. Dunn Trophy

Joan Lurie – American Saddlebred, Morgan

From a young age, Joan Lurie worked in many states and with many breeds. Lurie won many top in-hand titles with such Morgan greats as World's Champion stallion Century Free Spirit, World's Champion stallion Tug Hill Whamunition and World's Champion mare Liberation Starbrite. However, in 1981, when she moved to Kentucky and opened the renowned Willowbank Farm, she broadened her operation to include American Saddlebreds. Over the years, Lurie has trained more than 25 in-hand Saddlebred World’s Champions. In 1999, her youngsters went "three for three" winning World’s Championship titles at the Kentucky State Fair in both the Kentucky yearling and weanling futurities and the weanling breeders class.

2008 was no different for Lurie, and her ability to spot and prepare "the best of the best" shone after winning the World’s Championship American Saddlebred Registry (ASR) Futurity of Kentucky Weanling with I’m In Heaven, and the World’s Championship ASR Futurity of Kentucky Yearling class with Nutorious at the Kentucky State Fair. In addition, Lurie went back to her early Morgan roots at the Oklahoma City World's Championships, and her entry, Brenda Starr, won the Grand National Four-Year-Old Mare title.

2008 Accomplishments:
Kentucky State Fair World’s Championships
World’s Champion ASR Futurity of Kentucky Weanling
World’s Champion ASR Futurity of Kentucky Yearling
Grand National and World's Championship Morgan
Grand National Four-Year-Old Mare

Prior Accomplishments:
Has trained more than 25 in-hand World’s Champions, including:
2007 Kentucky State Fair World’s Championships
World’s Champion ASR Futurity of Kentucky Weanling
World’s Champion Weanling Breeders   
2006 Kentucky State Fair World's Championships
World's Champion Weanling Breeders