The Certified Horsemanship Association recently recognized Saddle Up Safely, a collaboration of more than 40 medical and equine organizations led by the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture Equine Initiative and UK HealthCare, with its 2011 Partnership in Safety Award.

The Partnership in Safety Award, which has been presented annually since 1996, recognizes an individual or organization that has helped the equine industry and riding community at large to promote safety awareness.

In addition to raising awareness and understanding of rider safety, Saddle Up Safely’s mission is to reduce the number and severity of rider injuries and to encourage injured riders to return to the sport via formal horsemanship training.

Bill Gombeski, MBA, MPH, UK HealthCare’s director of strategic marketing, accepted the award on behalf of the Saddle Up Safely management team, which includes Bob Coleman, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences; Fernanda Camargo, DVM, PhD, assistant professor and Equine Extension Specialist, Department of Animal and Food Sciences; Ed Squires, PhD, Dipl. ACT (hon.), director of the Equine Initiative and executive director of the UK Gluck Equine Research Foundation; Holly Wiemers, MA, communications director for UK’s Equine Initiative; and Gombeski