AHSA LAUNCHES VIDEO ON ITS WEB SITE

The American Horse Shows Association has produced a video on its web site. The video, which runs just over three minutes, illustrates some of the fabulous facilities available to visitors at the AHSA and in the Kentucky Horse Park.

In April 1999, the AHSA relocated from New York to its state-of-the-art headquarters at the Kentucky Horse Park. Its new home is set in one of the most beautiful equestrian locations in the world in the heart of Kentucky's bluegrass country.

To view the video, go to the AHSA front page at www.ahsa.org and click on Video under About Us (top left-hand column) or go direct to http://www.ahsa.org/video/kentucky/kentucky_choose.htm Then follow the instructions for downloading the necessary software to play the video. The download time will depend on your Internet connection.

AHSA NAMES WALTER STRAUS FOR MEDAL OF HONOR

The American Horse Shows Association announced today that Texan Walter Straus is to receive a Pegasus Medal of Honor. The AHSA Medal of Honor was created as an annual award to recognize individuals who have exhibited outstanding service to horses and the sport. Through their dedication, recipients of the Medal of Honor have attracted people to the sport and contributed to horse sport by advancing its popularity.

Straus was born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1919, the son of a horseman and cavalry officer. He was an artillery officer himself during World War II and involved in the D-Day plus three Omaha Beach landing. Straus is the only three-term president of the Texas Hunter/Jumper Association with over 15 years of active duty on the Executive Committee. In the early 1980's, he was appointed Texas State Chairman and Director of the U. S. Equestrian Team. He also became a member of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Combined Training Association on which he served as president from 1988-1990. Straus has served as a committee member and was president from 1988-1991 for AHSA Zone VII (Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas). He has been an AHSA combined training technical delegate, steward and judge. He is also an international Pentathlon judge and officiated for the riding phase at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.

Straus, who now resides just north of Dallas, TX, continues to be an active AHSA Licensed Official as well as coaching and training. He is widowed with three children and four grandchildren.

The Pegasus Medal of Honor will be formally presented during the Pegasus Dinner at the AHSA Annual Meeting, January 9-13, 2002 at the Hilton Charlotte & Towers, Charlotte, NC.