Annual Sylvan Nelson Traveling Trophy Award

Back to the Gallery Listing Page

About: Sylvan Nelson was a passionate advocate for cutting in the late 1970s and 1980s, and possibly into the 1990s. A cattle rancher in southern Minnesota, he opened his farm to the Minnesota Cutting Horse Association, which hosted numerous cuttings on his property. Competitors would head out to the pasture to gather the cattle themselves, and the arena was constructed from corral panels nestled in a picturesque valley. Sylvan never asked the club for anything in return — he simply loved the sport and wanted to see it thrive. The Traveling Trophy was established in his honor.

* Qualifications for earning the trophy is based on total score from showing in the $1,000 Limited Rider Class for the weekend.

Credit Source:  Mary Jo Lehmann, Vice President
Editor:  Rose Kosevich