Morgan Community Represented in USEF National Awards Voting
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Three members of the Morgan show horse community are nominated for National USEF Awards, which will be presented at their January convention. Horses of Honor and Equestrians of Honor are nominated by their USEF affiliate organization or USEF breed or discipline committee, and the finalists are selected by the USEF Awards Committee. The final Horses of the Year and Equestrians of the Year are determined by member voting.
Owned and shown by Sharon Boyce-Bender, and trained by the recently deceased Tom Tornatore, Graycliff Tony Hawk GCH (Graycliff Tony GCH x Graycliff Ballo Bella) has been nominated for a National Horse of Honor award. The athletic performer has been the World Champion Amateur Park Harness Horse six out of the past seven years with one reserve world championship. Five of those world championships were with Bender, while the first was with his previous owner, Phil Alderman.
Two Morgan enthusiasts have been nominated for a National Equestrian of Honor Award: Allyson Nord Wandtke and Amanda DuPont. Wandtke has been one of the Morgan breed’s top amateur riders for many years. This past season she rode SSLLC Extreme Waze CH to the Amateur Park Saddle World Championship, DRHF Imagine That CH to the Amateur English Pleasure World Championship and CN Restless Love GCH to the Amateur Masters English Pleasure Reserve World Championship. Among her many highlights, Wandtke has won the Amateur English Pleasure World Championship 12 times with three different horses. She is also a past winner (2022) of the Open Park Saddle World Championship with Carol Dawson GCH.
Also nominated for a National Equestrian of Honor Award, Amanda DuPont has been a leading professional from her Windward Farm, Port Matilda, Pennsylvania. Windward’s My Mania, Cingate Starstruck, JY Seraphic, Derawnda Lincoln GCH, and WVS Dark Mystery were among her personal world and grand national titleholders this year. Also highlights of her season, DuPont put fiancé Michael Vannoy and HRL Super Star Captivator GCH in the winner’s circle as the World Champion Western Pleasure Amateur Gentlemen’s team as well as guiding her son, A.J. Billetts, to the Reserve World Champion Western Pleasure 13 & Under honors with Commanders Flaire GCH. In 2024, DuPont rode Derawnda Lincoln GCH to the World Champion Hunter Pleasure title for Michael and Diane Munson.
Voting for these awards is open to USEF members through December 31 at USEF.org. Please support the show horse community with your vote for these three outstanding individuals.
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