NRHA Hall of Famer Dale Wilkinson, the only professional horse trainer to win both the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity and the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity, will be honored on Saturday August 13, 2005, with the naming of the “Dale E. Wilkinson Arena” at The University of Findlay, in Findlay, Ohio. The heated, indoor arena is one of the original buildings Dale built when he started working with the University in 1976.
Wilkinson is the only individual to be inducted into the NRHA, AQHA, and NCHA Halls of Fame. He helped found the Equestrian Studies Program at The University of Findlay in 1976. He served as the Program’s first Supervisor of Riding and provided the use of his farm and arena for the hands-on training of students. In 1984, The University of Findlay purchased his 72-acre property when he moved his horse training business to Waynesboro, Georgia. The University of Findlay awarded Dale Wilkinson an honorary doctorate in 1997, in recognition of his role in establishing the University’s Equestrian Program, his life’s work as a trainer, and his stature in the equine industry.
Wilkinson will be recognized August 13th, during the afternoon, at the Ohio Cutting Horse Association’s OCHA Fall Roundup Show, which will be held in the arena at the University of Findlay’s Center for Equine & Pre-Veterinary Studies. Later that day, a dinner honoring Wilkinson and his career will be held at 7 p.m. in Winebrenner Seminary Auditorium adjacent to the University of Findlay campus. Friends and professional associates of Wilkinson are invited to attend.
Tickets are $25 each, with profits earmarked for the Dale Wilkinson Scholarship Endowment Fund, which provides scholarship assistance for juniors or seniors majoring in Western Equestrian Studies with at least a 3.0 grade point average.
Send reservations and checks made out to The University of Findlay c/o Dan Webb, The University of Findlay, 11613 CR 40, Findlay, OH 45840 by August 1, 2005. For information, call 419-434-4656 or e-mail webb@findlay.edu.
