Don Harris
We offer our sincere condolences to the family of Don Harris who passed away in the early morning hours on September 26th. He was predeceased by his much loved wife, Roz and his son, Stan. Don is survived by his wife Judy Whitney Harris; son, Jeff (Judy Harris); and daughter Angela (Charles Herrin) and grandchildren.
The family is planning a memorial at a later date. Please look for updates to this on our Facebook page and in our print edition in November.
In the meantime, please enjoy this look back at Don's USEF Lifetime Achievement Award from 2011 as we honor one of the great showmen of the ring, friend, and family man.
In the American Saddlebred world, few names rise to a level
of royalty in quite the way that the name of Don Harris has.
During more than five decades of training and competition,
his fan following has exponentially increased. Those who know
him attribute it to three things: impeccable training, consum-
mate showmanship and perhaps most importantly and most
simply, sincere kindness. Now, after this lifetime as an ambas-
sador for one of America's few original breeds, the United States
Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce that Har-
ris, of Cox's Creek, Kentucky, has been selected to receive the
organization's highest honor - the USEF Lifetime Achievement
Award and the Jimmy A. Williams Trophy.
Through the years, Harris has had a hand in the develop-
ment of some of the most prominent American Saddlebreds
ever known: CHImperator, CHGiddy-Up-Go, CHProtege, CH-
Sultan's Starina and CHFinisterre's Gift of Love. Among his
wins are repeat Five-Gaited World's Grand Championships,
the Three-Gaited World's Grand Championship and numerous
reserves. In addition to making a name for himself in Ameri-
can Saddlebred circles throughout the United States, Harris
garnered international attention by sharing news of the breed
abroad, helping to influence sales to enthusiasts in Germany,
South Africa and Haiti.
His accolades include being named the American Horse
Shows Association (now USEF) Horseman of the Year (1980),
receiving the American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA)
C.J. Cronan Sportsmanship Award (1996) and the ASHA Life-
time Achievement Award (2009). He has also been honored as
Horse World's Trainer of the Decade and Trainer of the Century.
The USEF Lifetime Achievement Award and the Jimmy A.
Williams Trophy are given to the horseman or horsewoman
whose "life experience and accomplishments exemplify un-
common devotion to the sport of competition with horses and
whose equestrian career and horsemanship have continually
elevated the sport's excellence." It is without a doubt that Don
Harris more than qualifies for this once-in-a-lifetime honor.