UPHA Shirley Parkinson Professional Achievement Award - Brent Jacobs
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Shirley Parkinson presented the Professional Achievement Award to Brent Jacobs.
(photo by Jane Jacobs)
(Editor’s Note: The following speech was read by Shirley Parkinson Friday, Jan. 5, 2007 at the UPHA/AHHS Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio.)
The Shirley Parkinson Professional Achievement Award is presented to a trainer who goes to great lengths, outside the training of horses, to further the business we all love so much. Tonight's recipient was born and raised in Ohio.
He was a bright, smiling child with a personality that he has retained throughout the years. He began as many have, in equitation, starting with Shirley Segars here in Cincinnati and then heading off to Kentucky to learn from Helen Crabtree. While at Crabtree’s in the 60s, he was the leading boy rider with wins at such shows as the Kentucky State Fair, the Illinois State Fair and the Chicago International. After two years at Northwestern University, then graduating from the University of Kentucky with a degree in agricultural economics, he decided that the only thing he really wanted to do was train horses.
His first step toward this goal was to live with and work for Don and Roz Harris. While there, he decided he wanted to obtain his judge’s card. He began by junior judging with Don at Indio. While at Indio, he also found that judges are sometimes asked to do other things, like drive an ostrich. Also, at this time Brent Jacobs met and would later marry Jane Dulworth who was also an accomplished rider.
Brent’s first equitation protégé was his younger brother, Andy. During the early 70s, Andy was the leading 10 and under equitation rider with wins at Kentucky State Fair among his accomplishments. His other top equitation riders included Martha Boskin, Toria Heck, Laura Wood and his daughter Brooke. Brooke’s accomplishments, which include two Pleasure Equitation National Championships, a UPHA Adult Challenge Cup and a USEF Adult Medal are a tribute to Brent’s abilities.
Our recipient was treasurer of the UPHA for 13 years, beginning in 1983 under President Charles Crabtree. The following presidents: Bob Ruxer, Dave Patton, Tom Ferrebee, Jim Harrell, Jimmy Robertson, Larry Bacon and Lonnie Lavery must have found his efforts to be outstanding as each asked him to remain as treasurer. After those 13 years, he graduated to the office of first vice-president. Then in 1998 and 1999, he served as UPHA president. This was followed by another two years on the board as the immediate past president.
During Brent's years as an officer of the UPHA, he coordinated a committee that looked into the organization's financial situation. He helped establish the programs the UPHA now uses, and his tireless efforts in this regard have helped make the UPHA a stronger body. He now serves on the board of the American Hackney Horse Society and works on several of their committees. He has also served on various ASHA committees and is currently on the USEF Drugs and Medications Hearing Committee. In addition, he has served as coach or manager of the various US World Cup teams that head into international competition. And he has organized three of the invitational events held in South Africa and one held here in the United States.
Our recipient's list of multi-titled horses and ponies that he has trained and/or shown would take all evening, so I will list just these few: CH Gala Affair, CH Gamin, Irish Linen, Sky High Money, CH The Lord’s Affair, Commander Denmark, The Supreme Symbol, Choice Lady, CH Ramses, Finisterre’s Flight Chief (a.k.a. Lexmark), The Stradivarius, Magna Cum Laude, CH Monster Man, Sultan’s Flight, Jasper Love Song, The Irish Lord, Arabesque, Texas Tommy, Fit to be Tide and many more.
Brent is a large R judge, licensed by the USEF and has officiated at most of the major horse shows in this country.
He has proven to be a solid leader with the ability to think through a multitude of problems and pragmatically solve them. His entire adult life has been spent working for this industry. His time as a trainer, director, officer and committee member has helped raise the standards of this business.
It is with great pride that I present this award to my very good friend, Brent Jacobs.
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