Bennie T. Sargent, a University of Kentucky equestrian team coach, was awarded the prestigious Professional Horseman of the Year Award for 2006 at the American Quarter Horse Association Annual Convention this month in Houston, Texas.“I am honored to be AQHA’s recipient for the Professional Horseman of the Year Award,” Sargent said. “AQHA has more than 350,000 members worldwide and to receive this award, for which you are nominated and voted for by your peers, is a great honor.” Sargent, a resident of Georgetown, has been a professional horse trainer for more than 20 years. At UK, Sargent is the equestrian team’s stock seat coach, where he has inspired the team to achieve many high point and reserve high point team awards and urged the talent and skills of the team to grow. “Bennie has been a great mentor and role model not only within the Quarter Horse association but also with our team members,” said Savannah Craddok, a member of UK’s equestrian team and former national president of the American Quarter Horse Youth Association.Sargent has been a national AQHA director for nearly 10 years and an international Quarter Horse show judge for the past nine years. He has trained and shown horses to achieve several versatility championships, demonstrating the abilities of a working ranch horse in five different categories. Sargent has also achieved multiple AQHA championships and numerous AQHA Honor Roll titles in several events, including halter, reining, working hunter and trail.