"For Spacious Skies" Wins People's Choice Award

The ten finalists in the "America the Beautiful" competition were officially "unveiled" at the Kentucky Horse Park on Friday, July 6. Each was greeted with applause by the crowd in attendance, and everyone agreed: Photographs didn't do the Masterworks justice. They had to be seen in person. They were breathtaking. How would it ever be possible to pick "the best"?

It was a question left up to friends and fans of The Trail of Painted Ponies who were invited to vote online for their favorite Pony between June 15 and June 30. Over 10,000 people placed their ballots. There was no way any of the Painted Ponies could be called a loser, especially when you consider that these ten had been selected as the Top Ten winners out of hundreds of submissions from around the country. It was fitting that ribbons and cash awards were deservingly given to all of the Finalists. But as announced at the start of the competition, the top three vote-getters would receive the three top dollar awards.

People’s Choice Award “For Spacious Skies” Janet Snyder		American West Award “Carved in History” Chad Brady		Cultural Detours Award “Signs of the Times” S.V. Medaris

People's Choice Award ($2,000): "For Spacious Skies" by Janet Snyder.
American West Award ($1,500): "Carved in History" by Chad Brady.
Cultural Detours Award ($1,000): "Signs of the Times" by S.V. Medaris

$500 Award to all of the following:
Trail of Painted Ponies Award of Excellence: "Bunk House Bronco" by Lynn Bean
Spirit of America Award: "The Greatest Generation" by Laurie Holman
Blue Ribbon Retailers Award: "Stars and Stirrups" by Kevin Kilhoffer
Gallery Four Seasons Scottsdale Award of Excellence: "Canyon Beauty by S.J.W. Grogan
Judges Award of Excellence: "Southwest Silhouette" by Aloma Wolfington
American Heritage Award: "Morning Star-n-Stripes" by Leslie Gates
Kentucky Horse Park Award of Excellence: "Merry Go Round America" by Lexie Palmore

To view all these award-winning Painted Pony Masterworks, and the artists creating them, please visit the slideshows below.

To view each artist’s slide show, click their image below.