Syracuse Native Paul Copanas Receives Lifetime Achievement Award at Marshall & Sterling League Finals

Worchester, MA - September 27, 2004 - On Saturday evening, September 25th, horseman Paul Copanas received a lifetime achievement award for his more than fifty years of devoted service to equestrian sports. Copanas currently lives in Frenchville, Pennsylvania but was born and raised in Syracuse, New York and has spent most of his adult life living there.

The ceremony took place on the arena floor at Worcester's Centrum Centre, during the Marshall & Sterling League National Indoor Finals, a prestigious horse show that attracts nearly 700 horses and 2000 horsemen. The award was presented by Tom Struzzieri, founder of Horse Shows In The Sun (HITS), which produces the horse show at the Centrum, and is the largest producer of hunter-jumper horse shows in the country.

Struzzieri said, "As many years of faithful service as Paul has given to HITS, this pales in comparison to his half-century of service to our sport. Paul's first horse show as ringmaster was the PHA horse show in Syracuse. Managed by Walter Ralston and Paul's uncle - John Vass, the show needed a ringmaster at the last minute and so they called Paul into service. Walt lent Paul his pink coat and he was on his way to a lifelong career in the ring."

Copanas' first job with HITS was at the Gainesville horse show in Florida. For years, Copanas has been a HITS "regular" at the HITS winter series in Indio, California and the summer series in the Catskills and Saugerties, New York. This year's New York State Fair horse show was Copanas' 53rd as ringmaster, a post that has made him an icon in this sport. About twenty years ago, Copanas' began judging jumpers and has taught many of the leading jumper judges this trade.

"Paul Copanas loves what he does and loves working with all the people involved in our sport, from young riders just starting their riding careers to the top professionals and amateurs in the ring," Struzzieri added. "We are roud to number ourselves as friends of Paul Copanas and are pleased to present Paul with this lifetime achievement award for more than fifty years of devoted service to equestrian sports."