Flags, service members, friendly competition and patriotic pride filled the Will Rogers Coliseum on June 24 for the inaugural Honoring Freedom Night. The event was a community-wide celebration of military veterans and was held during the APHA World Championship Show in Fort Worth, Texas.

The National Snaffle Bit Association Foundation worked together with the American Paint Horse Association Foundation to reach out to veterans, therapeutic riding centers, and community members to create this incredible event.

Dawn Parker Named APHA Heroes On Horses Champion

One segment of Honoring Freedom Night was the NSBA-sanctioned Heroes On Horses Walk Jog Western Pleasure. Honoring Freedom Night provided a platform to grow the Heroes On Horses program, and as a result, the 2026 class saw 26 total entries in the prelims, with 16 returning for the finals. 

Dawn Parker, of Petersburg, Virginia, showed Well Made to win the class. She had watched the American Paint Horse Foundation/NSBA Heroes On Horses classes in previous years and wanted to be involved in the competition in 2026.

She jogged into the arena with ‘Romeo,’ a 2020 chestnut overo gelding. “It really hit me when I walked in,” she said. “I had some physical challenges that made me doubt whether I would be able to ride again. It brings me such joy to be able to focus on something: a goal to work toward, becoming a team, competing, and seeing what you individually are able to accomplish. It’s great to see those people who want to support you throughout all of that.”

Dawn joined the Army at age 22 and served nine years as an intelligence analyst. She left the military to have her daughter, Delany, while her husband still serves. She noted that when military service ends, the loss of that community can be difficult. 

“After the service, it feels like it’s slipped away from you,” she said. “It can be hard to find that ground where you can continue to gain, where you find purpose. These events feel like you’re still important, like the things you’re doing are important. It might be a slow process to be able to get back to riding or start riding again, but in the end, you can go as far as you want to push it.” 

The NSBA Foundation would like to congratulate all of the veteran riders who competed. For a full list of results, please visit the APHA website.

Returning Veteran Competitor Shares The Power Of Camaraderie, Horses

Courtney Phillips, of Paradise, Texas, was a Heroes On Horses competitor in 2025 and returned to compete in the Two Ravens Veteran Slide competition this year. She acknowledged the impact that networking with other veterans at events like Honoring Freedom Night, combined with her as her involvement with horses, has had on her life.

“It’s given us more of a community where it’s easier to reach out and have friends that have so many shared experiences. That means a lot,” she said.

Courtney served as a chief warrant officer in the U.S. Army and flew AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters during two deployments to Afghanistan. She medically retired after 11 years of service and credits her horses with helping her through challenges.

“I’ve done my best when I’ve stayed closest with my horses,” she said. “The bond with horses means everything. They are truly a gift from God, a gift from Jesus himself to help us heal. Events like this are sometimes exactly what we need to compel us to get back out to the barn and rekindle that relationship with the horse.”

The Honoring Freedom Night included the Two Ravens Veterans Slide, where veterans teamed with professional Reining trainers who coached the veterans to prepare to complete a Reining pattern. Jason Dolce won the individual title and also took his team, Mathison Vangard, to the team championship. The team included Dolce, fellow veteran Ryen Overline and coach Gunny Mathison. Now retired after serving 20 years as an Army Green Beret, Jason helps support wounded, ill and injured soldiers through the Department of Defense. 

In addition to the NSBA Foundation and APHA Foundation, additional support for Honoring Freedom Night was provided by Two Ravens Foundation and Airpower Foundation during the event. 

About NSBA

Established in 1983, National Snaffle Bit Association has expanded from its roots in the Western Pleasure discipline to recognize various disciplines and eight breed associations in competition. NSBA’s mission is to grow the show horse community through various equine programs and events where every activity benefits horses, breeders, owners and exhibitors alike.

National Snaffle Bit Association has more than 20,000 active members and more than 44,000 registered horses across its ten alliance breed organizations. NSBA members earn more than $13.5 million in monetary awards at NSBA-sanctioned horse shows annually, and the association sanctions nearly 600 horse show events and close to 200,000 horse show entries each year.

To learn more about NSBA, please visit nsba.com.