Family First – Jason Smith Earns Inaugural WCHA Be Like Bruce Award
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70 – May/June, 2024
By Elizabeth Arnold
Mentorship. Ethics. Integrity. Sportsmanship. These are just a few of the qualities outlined in the criteria for the first “Be Like Bruce” award, created by the World Conformation Horse Association (WCHA) to honor the late Bruce Walquist and recognize a professional in the industry who emulates Bruce’s most beloved qualities.
The first recipient of the award, Jason Smith, is well-known across the halter and conformation horse industry. For those who know him, it’s no surprise he was selected for the honor. Smith’s longtime client Joy Stehney shares, “The award says everything, and it speaks to who Jason is as a person. He doesn’t think twice about stopping what he’s doing if someone needs help.”
Scott Warren, who has shown with Smith for the last three years, agrees, “Jason is the most selfless individual I have encountered in the horse industry. He cares deeply about his horses and his people; I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to be part of his team.”
Smith got his start in the halter horse industry as a youth. “When I was growing up, I worked for Ray Logan and Sonny Thomison. At that time, they sold a lot of horses to the major farms. My involvement with them is what really drew me in to the industry. Once I started showing horses, I knew it was what I wanted to do for a living,” says Smith.
