Kassi Pinion

Area 18 CHA Todd Drummond Nominee

Judy K. Boozer

Area 18 CHA Secretary

            Kassi Pinion, daughter of Billy and Julie Pinion, Stanfield, NC, is our nominee for the Todd Drummond Award. Kassi is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. They say that character is what you do while no one is watching. Kassi, like most young people, was probably unaware that people were watching the way she conducted herself, the things she did and the things she said. But we were watching and what we saw makes us proud to have her on the East Coast.

            Kassi, born August 16, 1992 in Stanfield, NC, has seven siblings and was the first of four born at home. She has been riding horses all of her life, but just began to show cutting horses in 2006. In only two show seasons she has amassed nearly $9,000 LTE, most of which was earned in Youth and 2000LR classes on a local level. Last year alone she won five Jim Reno trophies from the local associations. She has qualified for the Area 18 Youth Scholarship Finals held in conjunction with the Augusta Futurity both years. In 2007 she qualified for the Eastern Nationals and the NCHA World Finals in both the Senior Youth and the 2000LR and finished in the top ten Senior Youth at the Quarter Horse Congress. So far this year she is 2^nd in the area in the $10,000 Novice Horse Non-Pro.

            When she talks about showing she focuses on improving her showmanship instead of on winning. Perhaps that is why she has done so well in competition.

            Raised in church, Kassi has been in AWANA since she was only three years old. She has participated in Bible Quiz competitions and AWANA Olympic games on all levels. Last year, she and her sister went to the Summit National Varsity Games held in Jacksonville, FL. Their team finished 2^nd in the nation out of 64 teams.

            She is also a Leader In Training in her church where she works with K-6, the largest class made up of bus ministry children brought in from underprivileged neighborhoods.

            Kassi has been home schooled all of her life maintaining an ‘A-B’ average throughout. While she is only in the 10^th grade, she will also be taking some college classes in the spring semester through dual-enrollment with Stanly Community College. When the family travels to the cutting shows, they bring curriculum with them and do school work at the shows. With 7of the 8 children going to the shows, Kassi and two of her sister’s set up a ‘Covered Wagon’ in the back of the truck and that becomes their bedroom.

            Always supportive of others, she has never been heard to speak ill of anyone. At the shows she cheers for everyone even when she might have missed a cow or even missed the finals. Our young people are our future and we feel blessed to have youth like Kassi to represent us.

Very Sincerely,

Judy K. Boozer

Area 18 Cutting Horse Association

Todd Drummond Award Nomination

Area 18 CHA

Area 18 CHA has nominated Kassi Pinion for the 2008 Todd Drummond Award and as an Area 18 Director and Area 18 CHA Board Member, I have been asked to write a letter of recommendation for Ms. Pinion.

Kassi comes from a large family and has 2 brothers and 5 sisters.  At the horse shows and at home she is very committed and close to her family.  It is amazing to watch her at the shows helping with her family, watching over her younger siblings along with working alongside her dad helping with the horses.  More amazing is the fact that she will also help others lope their horses at the shows when she is not helping her own family.  Her work ethic and commitment to help others is overwhelmingly evident and highly admirable.  Kassi is a wonderful young lady that if you ask her to do something, you know she will do everything she can to uphold her word and commitments.

She is home schooled and maintains an A/B average in her studies.  She is a member of the West Stanly Baptist Church where she is involved in the AWANA and the leadership training program.  Kassi also helps with the young children in her church assisting with the kindergartners thru second grade.  

She has been riding horses all of her life and has been riding the cutting horses for 2 years.  Her dedication to learning the sport of cutting along with her work ethic of riding 6 hours a day has been very evident in her riding success.  Last year she not only qualified for the Augusta Youth Scholarship, she also qualified for the Eastern/Western Nationals.  She strives for excellence within herself and within the cutting pen. 

Kassi shows true sportsmanship by being very supportive and cheering for her peers to do their best.  She has a very contagious smile and laugh that brings joy and encouragement to so many.  One of her many qualities is her ability to be straight up with her words and not beating around the bush with what she wants to say which shows a very mature and confident young lady.   She is very competitive and confident within herself, striving to learn and improve constantly while keeping a very encouraging and positive support for her sisters and peers to do their best.  This quality is a very important part of sportsmanship that many people struggle to achieve.  Kassi is a youth member who consistently shows the qualities of sportsmanship that the NYCHA program is all about and is a very worthy nominee of the Todd Drummond Award.  Thank you for your consideration and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Mary Kingsbury

WEST STANLY BAPTIST CHURCH

24172 Highway 24/27 Albemarle. North Carolina 28001

August 20, 2008

NCHA Offices

Attention: Todd Drummond Award

Dear Award Committee:

It is with great delight that I recommend Kassi Pinion from Stanfield, NC as a candidate for the Todd Drummond Award. Kassi has been an exemplary young member of our church. She is involved in assisting in the AWANA program for children that is a major outreach of West Stanly. On Wednesday evenings we bring in 2 buses of children that would normally have no means of attending church. Kassi has been vital in extending her friendship and assistance to these special kids. (Which at times can tax even the oldest of us!)

Unfortunately, all too seldom in life, we have the opportunity to meet someone that we know can do something special for God and humanity. Kassi has those special qualities. I trust you will have an opportunity to find that out for yourself.

The only time that Kassi is away from our many church and community efforts is when she is attending a horse show. That is true of her entire family. May I assure you that if you take the time to question Kassi, you will totally agree that you would never regret selecting her for this award.

There is a Bible verse that states: "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." Even at a young age Kassi has made for herself a good name.

May God bless you as you make your decision for the recipient. If I can help answer any other questions you may have about Kassi I will be more than happy to help. You can call me.

With kindest regards,

Ron Nichols

Pastor