Founder’s Award History

The Founder’s Award was created in 2015 by then state chairman, Connie Long as a new, perpetual award.  The Founder’s Award was started as an annual award to give to one of our members in the state who has exhibited the characteristics, morals, and values of our BCH founders when they were sitting around the campfire discussing the goals of an organization.  They wanted to pass along Wilderness ethics and passion, educate horsemen to take care of our resources, and to assist the public land managers in their projects on an annual basis.  The first honoree was chosen by the BCHMT Chair; following honorees were chosen by committee made up of past Founder’s Award recipients.  There is a perpetual plaque that goes with this honor.

The three areas of emphasis for this award are:

1. Education of stock users along with our youth, focusing on resource protection, safety while recreating in the back country and responsible stock use.
2. Volunteerism in helping our public land managers and other organizations with the task of building and maintaining trails as well as offering pack support.
3. Advocacy to help assure trails remain open for stock users as well as all users of the back country.rpetual plaque