Huntington County resident, horse earn rare Century Club accolade

HuntingtonCountyTab.com - Full Article

By Rebecca Sandlin - Monday, August 13, 2018

The bond between horse and rider can be close, but when it encompasses a hundred years it is something special. One Huntington County resident, Janet Kirkpatrick and her Arabian steed, HA HI Fire, have made the century mark together in age.

Kirkpatrick, of Andrews, turned 80 years old on April 11, and her horse, known as Booker, is now 20. That’s a combination that few horses and riders have reached in the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), of which Kirkpatrick is a member. The organization, which boasts about 5,000 members, honors rider and equine teams who earn national recognition when they complete a ride once their ages total 100 or more. It’s a pretty big honor, says Kyra DeMartini, of AERC.

“We only have nine Century Club members that we’re aware of,” DeMartini says. “It’s very prestigious, because it demonstrates the longevity of their equine and their partnership with their equine.”

Kirkpatrick and Booker will be featured in the AERC’s monthly news publication in September, and she will receive a certificate recognizing the team as part of the Century Club...

Read more here:
http://www.huntingtoncountytab.com/community/49656/huntington-county-resident-horse-earn-rare-century-club-accolade