Dayton O. Hyde, founder of a South Dakota wild-horse sanctuary, is the 2002 recipient of the American Association of Equine Practitioners' (AAEP) equine welfare award, the Lavin Cup. Named for AAEP past president A. Gary Lavin, VMD, the award is presented annually to a non-veterinary individual or organization that has demonstrated exceptional compassion or developed and enforced rules and guidelines for the welfare of the horse.

As founder and president of The Institute of Range and the American Mustang, Hyde created the 11,000-acre Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in 1988.  Through cooperative efforts with the United States Bureau of Land Management, Hyde has provided a permanent home for 365 wild horses.  He also serves as a steward of the sanctuary's range lands, maintaining a dedication to conservation and sound ecology.

The Lavin Cup was presented to Hyde at the President's Luncheon during the AAEP Annual Convention, Dec. 7, 2002, in Orlando, Fla. Past winners of the Lavin Cup include trainer Tom Dorrance, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, Inc., the American Quarter Horse Association, and the California Horse Racing Board.