Doug Stanley Wins Summit Achievement Award

Many hoof-care professionals selflessly donate their time to several causes. Some farriers travel abroad to impoverished regions to treat donkeys used to transport produce. Others give their time to teach hoof-care basics to local 4-H groups. With the Summit Achievement Award, the Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center and American Farriers Journal will honor the work of one of these dedicated volunteers.

"This program will reward farriers and equine veterinarians who have gone the extra mile to freely offer their time and hoof-care expertise to help horses, horse owners, horse groups or the equine industry with hoof-care concerns," says Frank Lessiter, Editor/Publisher of American Farriers Journal. "This annual program will be a new way of recognizing individuals who have given so much back to the equine industry."

Doug Stanley, of Ore City, Texas, was this year's recipient of the award. He was presented with the award on Feb. 2, 2011 at the International Hoof-Care Summit. 

Stanley has volunteered much of his time at the Windridge Therapeutic Equestrian Center of East Texas. Located in Longview, Texas, Windridge is a non-profit organization that provides therapy to children and adults with disabilities through its therapeutic horsemanship programs. Stanley has been working with the Center for more than 20 years. Since then, he has watched it "develop from a little horse barn to a huge therapeutic center."

Stanley has provided hoof care for the horses at Windridge. He also holds formal and informal education sessions at the center. His passion for farriery has compelled others to pursue studies in equine footcare.

Julia Bourcier, the program director at Windridge, can't remember when she first met Stanley, but she remembers when she first asked him a question.

"I ended up walking around with a rasp that Doug taped under my foot to demonstrate a result of improper trimming," she says. "It was the first of many lessons which I will never forget."

Though humbled to receive the Summit Achievement Award, Stanley says that all he has ever wanted is "to be recognized as a horseman."

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