Current Award Winners

2025 Recipient: Elizabeth (Betsy) Greene

Dr. Betsy Greene has a total of 32 years of Extension and teaching experience, starting off at Washington State for seven, almost 16 at Univ. of Vermont, and most recently her last nine years and change at Univ. of Arizona. Here she has developed creative and innovative outreach programs for the citizens of Arizona by utilizing existing well-developed relationships with national colleagues, newly established Arizona colleagues, a solution-oriented perspective, and most of all a strong work ethic. Her creativity and problem-solving mindset led to innovative outreach programs. Along with her Extension programs, Dr. Greene is also a scientist. She has published almost 40 peer-reviewed journal articles, over 100 scientific abstracts, and countless other Extension factsheets, website articles, newsletter articles, YouTube videos, infographics, podcasts, and webinars. Dr. Betsy Greene has a career total of over $2.6 million in grant and other funding to support her Extension, teaching, and research programs focused on biosecurity, risk and emergency management, and animal welfare. One most notable grant she acquired was a Native American Agriculture Foundation grant for just under $200K to deliver livestock programs to Native Americans. Dr. Greene created the Informed Arizona Equestrian to create “brand recognition” for her educational programs, resources, and materials. She has been through the ranks of leadership in the eXtension Horse Community of Practice (CoP) organized in 2004, now called “ExtensionHorses, Inc.”. She is also involved with many national organizations, most notable including nearly 40 years of membership in ESS and activity on various committees and countless other ESS responsibilities. Dr. Betsy Greene has certainly developed and established a distinguished outreach program for not only the good of Arizona but for ESS and the Nation. Her work with her national equine peers distinguishes her as an excellent recipient of the ESS Distinguished Service Award.

2025 Recipient: Robert Coleman

Dr. Robert Coleman began his academic journey with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba in 1975, followed by a Master of Science in 1978 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1998 from the University of Alberta. His early work as a nutritionist and Extension horse specialist in Alberta laid the foundation for his ongoing contributions to the equine industry. Since joining the University of Kentucky in 1998 as an Extension Horse Specialist, Dr. Bob has been a key figure in equine education and research. He played a crucial role in developing the Equine Science and Management Program, shaping future equine professionals. He served as the director of undergraduate studies for the program from 2005 to 2017, guiding it to approval in 2009. His dedication to teaching is evident through his commitment to advising, mentoring students, and curriculum development. Dr. Coleman’s research has significantly impacted the equine industry. He secured numerous grants for projects like "Saddle to STEM" and "Capitalizing on Kentucky's Horse Industry." His research on dietary protein quality in forage-fed horses and environmental conditions in equine indoor arenas has provided valuable insights. Dr. Coleman’s contributions to Extension education are noteworthy. He coordinated programs such as Horse College and Master Horse Owner, providing valuable knowledge to horse owners across Kentucky. He also trained Extension agents, provided monthly updates that enhanced their capabilities in dealing with horse owners. Dr. Coleman’s service to the equine industry is complemented by numerous awards and honors, including the Kentucky Association of County Agricultural Agents Outstanding Extension Specialist Award and the American Society of Animal Science Lifetime Achievement Award. His leadership as the Executive Director of the ESS since 2013 has contributed to the Society's growth. Dr. Bob’s work has left a lasting legacy in equine science, benefiting the industry and society.

2025 Recipient: Joe Pagan

Dr. Joe Pagan received his B.S. degree in Animal Nutrition from the University of Arkansas and his M.S. and doctorate degrees in Animal Science from Cornell University under the guidance of Dr. Skip Hintz. Upon completion of his Ph.D., he went to study exercise physiology as a postdoctoral student at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences with Dr. Arne Lindholm. Dr. Pagan started his career in the industry as a nutritionist at a feed company and realized that that connecting research to the consumer was where his passion lay. He founded Kentucky Equine Research in 1988 and continues to serve as President of the company. Dr. Pagan has conducted research in the fields of nutrition and exercise physiology and has shared more than 50 abstracts at ESS symposiums as a result of that research. He has supported more than 200 research interns in his program. Sharing his knowledge and findings is important to him, as evidenced by the more than 25 conferences Kentucky Equine Research has held over the years, the number of ESS symposiums he has attended, and also by the popularity of the digital newsletter, Equinews. Dr. Pagan’s accomplishments have solidified his reputation as a leader, collaborator, respected scientist, and most importantly, as a passionate supporter of the horse.

2025 Recipient: Jason Bruemmer

Dr. Jason Brummer's career has been marked by excellence in teaching, research, and mentorship. As a professor at Colorado State University, he has inspired countless students through engaging instruction and hands-on experiences, shaping the next generation of equine professionals. His dedication to student success is evident in his mentorship of graduate students who have gone on to make significant impacts in academia and the horse industry. A respected reproductive physiologist, Dr. Bruemmer’s research has advanced our understanding of mare and stallion fertility, assisted reproductive technologies, and management strategies to optimize breeding efficiency. His work has had a direct impact on breeding programs worldwide, benefiting both scientific advancement and industry application. Recently his efforts have been to assist in managing wild and feral horses through contraception. His commitment to applied research has provided valuable insights for veterinarians, breeders, and horse owners alike. Beyond the lab and classroom, Dr. Bruemmer has demonstrated unwavering dedication to the equine industry. His collaborations with breed associations, veterinary professionals, and industry stakeholders have strengthened the connection between research and real-world application, ensuring that scientific progress benefits the broader equine community. Dr. Bruemmer has also been a tireless leader within the Equine Science Society, serving in key roles that have helped guide the organization’s mission. His service has fostered collaboration and innovation, ensuring the continued growth of equine science as a discipline. For his outstanding contributions to teaching, research, and service, we proudly recognize Dr. Jason Bruemmer as an Equine Science Society Fellow.

2025 Recipient: Carey Williams

Dr. Carey Williams has made significant contributions to equine education at both the university level and through extensive outreach programs for youth and adults nationally and internationally. For classroom teaching at Rutgers University, Dr. Williams' signature undergraduate course has been Comparative Mammalian Anatomy, a popular 3-credit course she developed over 15 years ago, featuring hands-on lab classes. She also teaches Equine Nutrition, available both in-person and as an online course reaching horse owners and enthusiasts nationally and internationally through the Office of Continuing Professional Education. This innovative online format included a two-tiered registration system to accommodate different learning preferences, which resulted in record enrollment. Dr. Williams also consistently instructs or co-teaches other undergraduate courses like Animal Evaluation and Selection and Animal Handling and Fitting. Her student evaluations are consistently among the best, with high scores for teaching enthusiasm and content effectiveness. Beyond undergraduate instruction, Dr. Williams is a dedicated mentor to graduate students, serving as the Graduate Program Director for Endocrinology and Animal Biosciences since 2023 and establishing a popular 4+1 program. She has advised several MS and PhD students and mentored numerous undergraduate research students, many of whom have achieved successful careers. Nationally, Dr. Williams has demonstrated success in extension activities. She hosts or co-hosts annual state and regional programs for adults and youth, including the Annual Horse Management Seminar. Her involvement in the Junior Animal Science Symposium reaches a significant youth audience. Notably, since 2021, she has organized the Virtual Horse Management Seminar Series, attracting hundreds of live attendees. Dr. Williams also is a strong contributor to Extension Horses, Inc., a nationally recognized and award-winning extension outreach initiative. Her extension programs effectively use various methods, including face-to-face presentations, distance education, webinars, podcasts, fact sheets, peer reviewed journal articles, and popular press, to disseminate research-based information.

2025 Recipient: Amanda Bradbery

Dr. Amanda Bradbery is an Assistant Professor of Equine Science at Montana State University. Bradbery earned her B.S. in Animal and Poultry Science from Virginia Tech in 2012 and subsequently completed an M.S. in 2014 at Texas A&M University under the mentorship and guidance of Dr. Josie Coverdale, who played a pivotal role in inspiring Dr. Bradbery to pursue a Ph.D. in nutritional developmental programming. Upon completion of her Ph.D., Dr. Bradbery spent a year as a postdoctoral research associate developing novel work on the use of bisphosphonates and the long-term effects of a single-use intra-articular lipopolysaccharide. In 2020, Dr. Bradbery joined the faculty at Montana State University in the Department of Animal and Range Sciences. Since then, she has fostered the development of a new equine research program where none previously existed, earning $1.9M in research funding. In her career, Bradbery has published 22 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 54 refereed abstracts at national and international conferences, with 7 abstracts presented at this year’s ESS Symposium. Her early research success was recognized by Western Section ASAS when she was awarded the 2024 Young Scientist Award. Dr. Bradbery teaches 5 courses in the Animal and Range Sciences department and advises 40 undergraduate students. She has mentored 2 master’s students to degree completion, currently mentors 3 doctoral and 1 master’s student, and has served on the graduate committees of an additional 11 graduate students. Outside of teaching and research, Dr. Bradbery has single-handedly advanced the Equine Science program at Montana State by establishing an AQHA breeding herd where the mares and foals provide new hands-on learning experiences for students and expand research opportunities. Dr. Bradbery is a dedicated leader in the industry, actively serving on many committees and boards and demonstrating her passion for advancing equine science through research, teaching, and service to the industry.

2023 Recipient: Burt Staniar

Dr. Burt Staniar completed his Masters, Ph.D. and a post-doc at Virginia Tech studying nutrition’s influence on cartilage and skeletal development in Thoroughbred horses in the lab of Dr. David Kronfeld. Dr. Staniar joined the Department of Animal Science at Penn State in the fall of 2007. In his first 5 years at Penn State, Burt continued research on nutrition and skeletal development by investigating how different dietary energy sources influence insulin-like growth factor I and growth hormone. During the past 10 years, the focus of his research has shifted to gastrointestinal health of the equine athlete. Equine athletes suffer from a wide range of health concerns that are associated perturbations to gastrointestinal health. These include gastric ulcers, enteritis, colitis, colic, and even laminitis. Dr. Staniar has focused on assessing aspects of the luminal environment, assessing gut permeability, and investigating inflammation associated with particular diets. Dr. Staniar is particularly interested in potential parallels between human and equine athletes and the potential for research to benefit both. Training undergraduate and graduate students is a central component of all of Dr. Staniar’s research endeavors. He and Dr. Danielle Smarsh advise the Equine Research Team at Penn State, a 40-member undergraduate student organization focused on learning about and conducting equine research. Dr. Staniar has also mentored graduate students studying a range of animal science topics. All of his students learn that they can contribute more to the field of equine nutrition, by learning about the nutrition of multiple livestock/animal species.

2024 Recipient: Carolyn (Carrie) Hammer

Dr. Carrie Hammer has had a distinguished two-decade career in equine science. At North Dakota State University, she shaped the Equine Science program and is the Associate Dean for the College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources. Her research in nutrition, immunology, and developmental programming has led to pioneering work on the neonatal Fc receptor and collaborative efforts to study maternal nutrition and offspring development. Dr. Hammer has secured $1.18M in research funding and leads a novel, multi-university USDA-funded project for undergraduate research. She has authored 41 journal articles, 81 abstracts, 1 book, 4 book chapters, and 40 popular press/extension publications. Dr. Hammer's scholarly work is distinguished by its lasting impact, particularly through student mentorship and horse owner education, shaping future generations of equine professionals.

2022 Recipient: Lori Warren

Dr. Lori K. Warren is an associate professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Florida. She completed her B.S. at the University of Wyoming and M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Kentucky. Her research program focuses on equine nutrition with emphasis on 1) evaluating feedstuffs and feed additives for their nutritional value and role in improving the health and performance of horses, and 2) nutritional strategies to reduce the environmental impact of horse operations. She has garnered $3.9 million in funding, trained 32 graduate students, and presented more than 185 invited talks. She has published 46 refereed manuscripts, 5 books/chapters, and over 250 abstracts, articles and technical papers. Dr. Warren is a former Equine Science Society president (2015-17) and was program chair of the 2015 biennial symposium. In 2007-08 she served on a National Research Council committee tasked with evaluating the safety of dietary supplements for horses, dogs and cats.