EL NINOS POCO, a 1998 bay gelding, was honored October 18 at the Great Midwest International Quarter Horse Show in Valley City, North Dakota. First announced in 2001, the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Equine Public Service Award recognizes an outstanding American Quarter Horse that works in the public service sector (i.e., police horse, park mounted rangers, beach patrol, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, border patrol, sheriff’s posse, etc).

“This award was created based on the special role American Quarter Horses fill for the public’s safety,” said Bill Brewer, AQHA Executive Vice President. “We have seen the importance that horses play during times of celebration and tragedy. We wanted to recognize the often unsung heroes of many public service organizations.”

EL NINOS POCO, a member of the Marshall Couny Minnesota Sheriff’s Posse has been specially trained in search and rescue operations and is the first horse to be certified in Air Scenting in the United States. Air Scenting is a search tool used to find missing people–animals can be trained to follow an airborne human scent to its source. EL NINOS POCO has achieved this level of training with the help of his owner.

EL NINOS POCO has been featured in several newspaper, radio and television articles because of his special abilities. He also was featured at the NASAR National Convention in 2001 and 2002