New Jersey's 2022 Governor’s Award for Horseperson of the Year was awarded to Dr. Carey Williams, who has served the industry with Rutgers University since 2003. Williams accepted the award at the 65th Annual New Jersey Breeders Awards Celebration at the Horse Park of New Jersey to kick of the Month of the Horse in the state.
“Dr. Williams is a champion for the New Jersey equine industry and her love for horses and the people involved has been evident throughout her career,” said Douglas H. Fisher, New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) Secretary. “She is truly deserving of this honour for all of her years of dedication and service.”
Williams began at Rutgers University as an Equine Extension Specialist with the broad goal to establish a strong program in the field of equine nutrition and exercise physiology, while building relationships with the equine industry. She is a leader in antioxidant supplementation and oxidative stress in horses and her research has positively impacted the field of equine nutrition. The results of her antioxidant work have been recognized nationally and internationally in the nutrition and veterinary fields.
Dr. Williams expanded her research into the area of forages, pastures and helping horse farm owners create an environmentally friendly farm. She was the team leader for a large project that created a state-of-the-art equine Best Management Practice (BMP) showcase at the Equine Science Center’s facility at Rutgers University.
Dr. Williams’ extension program has focused on improving equine nutrition, pasture management and horse husbandry. These programs have drawn professionals from many areas of the equine industry including veterinarians, feed and seed dealers, farm managers, horse trainers, massage therapists, 4-H leaders, volunteers and youth.
She maintains her involvement in the equine nutrition industry as an active member of various scientific societies, including as a member on the Board of Directors for the Equine Science Society, the organization in which she has been a member for 23 years. Due to her work in equine nutrition, she was recently appointed to the Coordinating Committee for the National Research Support Project (NRSP-9) of the National Animal Nutrition Program.
Dr. Williams is involved with several riding and showing organizations including the Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association, and the Horse Park of New Jersey, where she has been engaged as a key volunteer.
Other awards presented were:
Secretary of Agriculture Awards for New Jersey Standardbred Horse of the Year, New Jersey Sire Stakes Premier Horse of the Year and Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey Horse of the Year: Venerable – Venerable is a three-year-old Walner trotting filly owned by David McDuffee, Melvin Hartman, Paul Bordogna and Steven Arnold. At two, Venerable, out of Jolene Jolene, was driven by David Miller and trained by Nifty Norman and had nine wins in 11 starts earning $1,189,276. She was the winner of the Matron Stakes, Mohawk Million, Peaceful Way Stakes, Jim Doherty Memorial and the two-year-old filly final of the New Jersey Sire Stakes.
Secretary of Agriculture Award for New Jersey Thoroughbred Horse of the Year: Horologist – The multiple graded stakes-winning mare has won this honour for the second consecutive year. The five-year-old mare won her first start of the 2021 campaign in the $100,000 Top Flight Invitational Stakes at Aqueduct and was also victorious in the $120,000 Summer Colony Stakes at Saratoga. Horologist finished her career with nine wins in 27 career starts and $962,939 in earnings. She was bred in New Jersey by Holly Crest Farm.
Breeder of the Year: Steve Stewart – He has been a breeder for New Jersey horses for several years, with the latest success being New Jersey Sire Stakes Horse of the Year, Venerable. Stewart, and his wife Cindy, own the 900-acre Hunterton Horse Farm in Paris, Kentucky, but leased a farm in New Jersey previously and included breeding top performers in 2014 Hambletonian winner Trixton, and Tactical Landing, who now stands at Southwind Farms in Pennington, New Jersey.
Horse Park of NJ Volunteer of the Year: Dr. Amy Butewicz – She is a lifelong New Jersey resident and equestrian who has immersed herself in many aspects of the equine industry. From an early age, she participated in the 4-H horse program on the local, state and national levels garnering many accomplishments. She has been a tireless volunteer for the park giving hundreds of hours to events and park activities. In her spare time, Butewicz enjoys her equestrian pursuits through her riding endeavours as well as her connection to the harness racing industry as a licensed harness horse owner.
New Jersey Youth Horseperson of the Year, Agriculture Achievement Award Winner: Jacqueline Tanzi – A senior at Howell High School, she competes on the 4-H circuit and at open dressage shows. Tanzi was sponsored in the Youth Horseperson of the Year competition by the New Jersey Horse Council. She is involved in training and exercising horses and has volunteered at Riding High Farm’s therapeutic riding program.
Bell Scholarship: Katie Eick – The $1,000 scholarship is presented by the Equine Advisory Board and named for Ernest C. Bell, a horse breeder and one of the founders of the Equine Advisory Board. Eick, from Farmingdale, New Jersey, is a recent graduate of Rutgers University with an Animal Science degree with a concentration on Equine Science.
Superior Achievement Awards: MNMs Sweet Blessed Dream and Entirely Sumthin Else – MNMs Sweet Blessed Dream is a five-year-old pinto and received two Register of Merits this year -- one in Halter and the other in Hand Trail. Entirely Sumthin Else is a 10-year-old paint and received a Register of Merit in Novice Western Pleasure, Novice Horsemanship and accumulated 58.5 APHA points this year.
(With files from New Jersey Department of Agriculture)