Each year, the American Horse Council (AHC) presents the Van Ness Award to an individual who has shown leadership and service to the horse community in his or her state. It is awarded in memory of Marjorie Van Ness, one of the founders of the New Jersey Horse Council and an organizer of the AHC’s Coalition of State Horse Councils.

On June 12, the AHC presented the 2017 Van Ness Award to Jill Montgomery of Pueblo West, Colorado.

“Jill Montgomery has devoted more than 31 years of her professional life to the horse industry and has an incredible influence on keeping equine activities accessible and enjoyable for everyone,” said AHC President Julie Broadway. “She continually seeks to educate and inform both horse owners and the public of the joys and benefits of horses, and is always working to ensure a favorable environment for the equine industry in the state of Colorado.”

Montgomery has been a Colorado Horse Council member for more than 20 years and has served on the Animal Welfare Council Board of Directors. She has also served as the Colorado Horse Council’s vice president and Legislative and Regulatory Committee chair, and is a current Certified Horsemanship Association Region 9 Co-Director. She is a founding member of the Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance, as well as the former American Youth Horse Council executive director