The Colorado Plateau Horseman’s Hall of Fame is holding our second annual induction ceremony at the Mesa County Fair this coming Thursday, July 14.
Representatives of the Ute Indian Tribe from Utah, officials from Dinosaur National Monument and family members of two longtime horse-breeders from western Colorado and eastern Utah will be present Thursday, July 14 at 6 p.m. for the ceremony, which will be in the main rodeo arena of the Mesa County Fairgrounds.
Colorado Plateau Horseman’s Hall of Fame’s mission is to recognize and honor those horsemen and horsewomen and organizations, as well as those special horses that have made a significant contribution to the equine industry in western Colorado and eastern Utah.
With that in mind, this year’s honorees include:
The Ute Indians, who were the first horsemen and horsewomen of western Colorado and eastern Utah, and who developed the first horse-breeding and horse-trading programs in the region, while also developing the first system of horse trails. They were one of the first Indian tribes in the United States to acquire horses.
The Carnegie Horses of Dinosaur National Monument, which collectively hauled more than 350 tons of dinosaur fossils from the monument to a railroad station more than 60 miles away. They were instrumental in the early development of the monument.
The late Ben Johnson, a nationally recognized Appaloosa breeder, horse trainer and horse-show judge from the Appleton area of Mesa County. He also helped establish horse programs locally and nationally, worked with young horsemen and horsewomen and became a renowned sculptor whose work depicted horses and the West.
The late Joe Taylor, a Moab-area rancher known for raising some of the top quarter horses in the country, including several world champions. He was a dominant breeder during the 1970s and 1980s. For many years, he also served as a judge for horse shows for multiple breeds.
The induction ceremony is made possible with the assistance of supporters such as Absolute Prestige Limousine Service Ltd.; Bud Signs and Neon; and the Mesa County Fairgrounds.
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