Winners of APHA/Trail of Painted Ponies Art Contest Announced
PHJ press release by: Rachel Florman
The artists drew, you voted and the results are in! The Top Three winners of the APHA/Trail of Painted Ponies Art Contest are:
First Place: Cloud Hunter by Janee Hughes
Janee Hughes of Aumsville, Oregon, was a middle school art teacher for more than 30 years. She has always loved horses and she has shown, raised and trained foals that became great trail-riding mounts.
“I remembered hearing this old term about a horse that’s rearing being called a cloud hunter,” Janee said. “So when I came up with the design, I thought it might be neat to have clouds be part of the horse’s coat pattern.”
Janee is also the artist behind the last collaboration between APHA and the Trail of Painted Ponies, titled “Painted Harmony.” Figurines and ornaments are available for purchase in the APHA General Store.
A longtime horse lover, Janee says the beauty and remarkable character of horses helps inspire her equine work.
“Horses are just so beautiful,” she said. “To think they’re such big, powerful animals, and yet they work for people like they do; that’s always been amazing to me.”
For her win, Janee receives a $1,000 cash prize.
Second Place: Guarded Angel by Lorna Matsuda
Third Place: Beautiful Dreamer by Adeline Halvorson
