Recognition
Recognition/Special Awards Program
BCHC is an all-volunteer organization. People volunteer because they believe in the organization’s mission and they want to help and make a difference. The BCHC Special Awards Program recognizes members for their efforts, time and contributions to the organization. Awards encourage future effort, increase members’ sense of belonging and feeling of accomplishment. Special recognition is also given to members who donate money over and above their annual dues. BCHC appreciates their monetary contributions.
Ben York Trailblazer Award
This award is presented as determined by accomplishments to the member who, in the eyes of the judges (BCHC Past Presidents), blazed new trails in some facet of the operations of the organization. Any member may nominate, by letter, anyone he or she feels has demonstrated qualities of a “trail blazer”.
The award was created in honor of Dr. Ben York, Jr., DVM, who rode the entire length of the Pacific Crest Trail in the spring, summer and fall of 1992. His ride took place during the last year of his BCHC Presidency. Dr. York rode the PCT to promote trail riding and the goals and purposes of Backcountry Horsemen.
Nominations for this award are due to the VP of Public Lands no later than February 1.
The award is presented at Rendezvous.
Past Winner
-
2024 recipient :
Susie Patton, Eastern Sierra Unit - No nominees for 2025
Ann Lange Public Lands Award
Anne Lange was a founding member of BCHC. Her focus was always on trails and maintaining them for pack stock use. She was a powerful voice with BCHC, BCHA and in Washington, D.C. – always advocating for trails and to keep them open.
This award is presented annually to a unit member who goes above and beyond in the Public Lands arena, and has consistently worked in Public Lands, improving trails, meeting with agencies, and advocating for trail improvement. The nominee should have a true passion for preserving Public Lands.
The awards selection process is as follows:
A letter and the nominating form will go to all Unit Presidents and Public Lands Chairs two months prior to Rendezvous. The form will be due February 1 to BCHC VP of Public Lands and Award will be given at Rendezvous. A committee headed by the VP of Public Lands and two other members will review the nominations and chose the recipient. The specially selected, personalized award will be presented at that year’s Rendezvous.
Past winners of this award:
Dick Cochran
John Lyons
Larry Shuman
Bill Carter
Marily Reese
Dennis Serpa
Joe Kaminski
2025 Winners
-
2025 recipients :
Dennis Serpa (right) shown above with Dick Cochran, BCHC VP of Public Lands. Joe Kaminski was presented the award posthumously.
Unit Volunteer Service Awards
This award is presented to the unit that completed the most outstanding service record for the year. Each unit prepares a complete report of the year’s activities, using the Volunteer Service Hours Report form. Highest Dollar Value Per Capita and Highest Dollar Value are the two awards given.
Unit Volunteer Service Hours Reports are due to BCHC Volunteer Service Hours Coordinator by January 15.
Awards are presented at Rendezvous.
2025 Winners
-
2025 Highest Dollar Value Per Capita Award - 1st - EASTERN SIERRA UNIT (92 hrs/capita)
2nd - SHASTA TRINITY UNIT (82 hrs/capita)
3rd - SANTA ANA RIVER UNIT (38 hrs/capita)
-
2025 Highest Dollar Value Award -
1st - SHASTA TRINITY UNIT (9,409 hrs)
2nd - EASTERN SIERRA UNIT (4,411 hrs)
3rd - SAN JOAQUIN SIERRA UNIT (3,526 hrs)
Max and Irene Cochran Journalism Award
The unit and its newsletter editor are selected for the quality of their newsletter based on the following criteria: Content 70%, Appearance 20%, Consistency 10%. Content includes Substance, Interest, Variety, Completeness (unit’s name, issue month/year, list of officers, a calendar, etc.), Timeliness, and Accuracy. Appearance includes Overall, Format, and Type. Consistency includes Frequency (monthly quarterly other).
All units are invited to send paper copies of their year’s newsletters to the BCHC Editor by February 1.
First, second and third place awards are presented at Rendezvous.
2025 Winners
- 1st Place – KATHY ZUMBRUNN, VICKI MORALES AND GAIL JAMIESON, MID VALLEY UNIT
- 2nd Place – Michele Machado, Top of the State Unit
- 3rd Place - Marjorie Mayfield, High Sierra Unit
- List Item
BCHC Education Awards
The education efforts of individuals and units throughout the state are deserving of special recognition. Education is a cornerstone and integral part of the organization’s purpose.
Individuals and units who go the extra mile in their education efforts should be rewarded. The Backcountry Horsemen of California are proud to sponsor annual awards given to the outstanding individual and the outstanding unit for their education programs. The awards program is as follows:
• A letter and the nominating form will be sent to all Unit Presidents and Education Chairs two months prior to Rendezvous along with the nominating form.
• An awards committee will make the selection. This committee will be made up of three individuals from the BCHC Education Committee, selected at random.
• The nominations will be submitted to the Education Steering Committee by February 1st.
The awards will be presented at the Rendezvous.
The Selection Criteria for the Awards:
Individual Award
- Someone who has demonstrated unique, creative, and innovative education programs.
- Someone who has used different methods or made a variety of presentations.
- Someone who has reached a variety of age groups.
Unit Award
- Someone who has demonstrated unique, creative, and innovative education programs.
- A unit that promotes education using teamwork.
- A unit that participates in a variety of events, such as (but not limited to): parades, fairs, pack clinics, special events, etc.
- A unit that has members who have participated in state-sponsored programs such as the Leave No Trace/LNT Program, the Wilderness Rider Program, the LNT Masters program, etc.
- A unit that has members who contribute articles for unit, state and/or the education newsletters.
The awards selection committee will evaluate the nominating forms, as well as review the Education Summary Reports, which are submitted in March and October.
Nominations forms must be submitted to the VP of Education no later than February 1st.
Past Winners
- 2024 Individual Education Award Winner was Stacy Kuhns, Redshank Riders Unit
- 2024 Unit Education Award Winner was EASTERN SIERRA UNIT.
Wilderness Rider of the Year Award
The Wilderness Rider program is a partnership between Backcountry Horsemen of California, the National Park Service, the USDA Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Wilderness Riders are trained stock users who have made a commitment to educating others about the value of wild lands and the importance of Gentle Use / Leave No Trace Skills.
2025 Winner
- Terry Jorgensen, Manzanita Riders Unit
Youth Achievement Program
When a BCHC youth completes an activity/project, a Project Completion Form is submitted to the unit’s Youth Program Leader. Each month these forms are compiled and sent to the BCHC VP of Youth Education to receive achievement medallions for that unit’s participants.
The achievement medallion is a two-inch leather medallion with leather cordage. Each activity/project category has graphics representing the project and includes the recipient’s name, unit and year. Achievement medallions are awarded to the youth at unit and/or general meetings.
Top Achiever
At the end of each year, the unit’s Youth Program Leader submits one name and a detailed explanation for the submission, for each of the four age groups. Names are placed in the running for the State Top Achiever Award, presented at Rendezvous.
Age Group Winners: (The age is determined for the calendar year of the youth’s birthday regardless of their birth month.)
- 6-9 years
- 10-12 years
- 13-15 years
- 16-18 years
This program is brand new. No awards have been presented to date.
Unit Top Hand Awards
Every year each unit President selects an individual that, in the President’s estimation, provided the greatest service to the President and to his/her unit. The award itself is a stainless-steel cup engraved with the year and name of the recipient. The selection is not necessarily made from unit officers or Board of Directors.
Each unit President submits the selected individual’s name to the BCHC Treasurer by February 1.
This award was first presented at the 1988 Convention and continues to be a popular award presented at every Rendezvous.
- 2025 Winners
| Antelope Valley | Patty Rankin |
| Eastern Sierra | Jan Huffstutler |
| High Country | Mo Buddy Rudy |
| High Sierra | Crystal Gifford |
| Kern River Valley | Ed Pounds |
| Kern Sierra | Curtis Harms |
| Los Padres | John Gleason |
| Manzanita Riders | Honni Young |
| Mid Valley | Carol Jo Hargreaves |
| Mother Lode | Kevin Dollison |
| North Bay | Kelly Strode |
| Redshank Riders | Greg Bruce |
| Redwood | Dennis Holligan |
| San Joaquin Sierra | Lois Patten |
| Santa Ana River | Linda Ruggieri |
| Sequoia | Rex Caudle, Cody Walker |
| Shasta Trinity | Larry Shuman, Sam Burrows |
| Sierra Freepackers | Gloria Garland |
| Sutter Buttes | —- |
| Top of the State | Jime Essex |
Special Membership Recognition
Members who donate money over and above their annual dues are given special recognition in appreciation of their monetary contributions to BCHC. Names of special members are published in the quarterly Backcountry News as well as being listed on the BCHC website, and the BCHC President sends each individual a thank you letter.
The following special members are recognized for their extra donations to BCHC (1/15/2026 through 4/17/2026):
MT. WHITNEY ($500)
| Antelope Valley | Laurie Henry |
| Eastern Sierra Los Padres | Sarah C. Sheehan Otis Calef |
| Mid Valley | Terri Arington |
| Mother Lode | Catherine McArthur |
| Redshank Riders | Allison Renck |
| Shasta Trinity | Dean Angelides |
PATRON ($250)
Eastern Sierra Bill Carter
High Country Donald Moire, Lynn Saunders
High Sierra Claire Cochran, Richard Cochran, Jacob Hamstra, Karl Pendegraft, Christopher Shepard
Mid Valley Karen Barindelli, Lloyd Erlandson, Debra Lewis, Dennis M. Serpa, John Youth
Mother Lode Stephanie Williams
Sequoia Kathryn C. Bennett, Steve Ladrigan, Jamie Wilson, DVM
Shasta Trinity Doug Mayfield, Bruce McGowan
Sutter Buttes Kay Walters
BENEFACTOR ($100)
| Antelope Valley | Marge Biehl |
| Rayen Richmond | |
| Eastern Sierra | Craig London |
| Troy Patton | |
| High Country | Lorene Guffey |
| High Sierra | Ruth Gerson |
| Trish Pendegraft | |
| Kern Sierra | Mylon Filkins, DVM |
| Lynn Joiner | |
| Larry Mumford | |
| Roger Whitaker | |
| Los Padres | Kaye Bruns |
| Robin Cederlof | |
| William Chaides | |
| Eve Devine | |
| Mid Valley | Tony Alamo |
| Jay Barnes | |
| Gary A. Cain | |
| Carol Jo Hargreaves | |
| Rian Hudson | |
| Jennifer Marshall | |
| John V. Marshall | |
| Mid Valley Unit | |
| John Schaapman | |
BENEFACTOR ($100)
| Mother Lode | Cosumnes River Horsemen’s Asssociation |
| Donna Jones Furlow | |
| Helen McDermott | |
| North Bay | Lynn Cominsky |
| Tom Holliday | |
| Redwood | Gary Alves |
| James Biteman | |
| Carole and Darrel Polasek | |
| Erin Zulliger | |
| San Joaquin Sierra | John Cunningham, High Sierra Pack Station |
| Larry Nishma, Knapp-Yosemite Trails Pack Station | |
| James Laber | |
| Stephen Naylon | |
| Shasta Trinity | Lori Henderson |
| Sutter Buttes | Hetty Dutra |