Page 25 - Speedhorse April 2021

The 2021-2022 AQHA Executive Committee
was elected at the AQHA convention in San Antonio, Texas.
Left to Right: James Hunt, Dr. Scott Myers, Norman K. Luba, Kenneth Banks and Jeff Tebow
Championship Futurity committee. Banks is also a past president of the Texas Quarter Horse Associa- tion. Currently, one of Banks’ loves is mentoring students at Texas A&M University. He is a member of the Texas A&M University Equine Initiative Development Committee, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sci- ences Development Committee, and Texas A&M University Beef Cattle Development Council.
Banks was awarded one of the most prestigious business awards when he received the Ernst & Young Master Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Houston region. Not only was he successful in the business world, but he also received the Texas Philanthropist title for his benevolent, humani- tarian efforts throughout Texas by Philanthropy
in Texas Magazine. At the request of Texas Gov. George Bush, Banks served on the Texas Gover- nor’s Business Council for eight years.
Banks and his wife, Laina, an AQHA director- at-large and dedicated lover of the American Quarter Horse way of life, reside on the ranch in Schulen- burg, Texas, where they spend most of their time breeding and raising American Quarter Horses. They share three children, son Paul and daughter-in-law Heather; daughter Lindsay and son-in-law David Kutac; and son Russell and daughter-in-law Dr. Crystal Banks, and the joy of seven grandchildren.
MEMBER JAMES HUNT
James “Jim” Hunt of Faith, South Dakota, is an AQHA life member and has been an AQHA director since 2013. Hunt has served on the Ranching Council, Studbook and Registration Committee, Animal Welfare Commission and Hall of Fame Selection Committee. He has also served on the governance and microchipping task forces. Hunt was the chairman of the Ranching Committee. He also spearheaded developing the AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeder Young Horse Development Program and has personally donated
more than 50 foals from his breeding program to this AQHYA program.
Hunt graduated from South Dakota State University with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business and worked for Hulett National Bank in Wyoming as a loan officer and then vice president. He competed as a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association saddle bronc rider, was the event direc- tor in the South Dakota Rodeo and Northwest Ranch Cowboy’s associations and was captain of the South Dakota State University College Rodeo Team. Hunt was also an agricultural reporter for radio station KLSC in Watertown, South Dakota. Hunt currently owns and operates Open Box Rafter Ranch, a working cattle and horse operation that has produced its own annual Quarter Horse production sale since 1994. He is an AQHA 30-year breeder and has bred more than 1,000 registered American Quarter Horses, including
an AQHA Champion, Superior, Performance Register of Merit horses, AQHA World Show and Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifiers.
He earned the 2009 Sunshine Bible Academy Distinguished Alumnus Award, was named the 2011 Black Hills Stockman of the Year and received the 2020 Black Hills Stock Show Pioneer Award.
Hunt has also served on the Rushmore Plaza Expansion Project Design Committee, Central States Fair Board of Directors, Black Hills Stock Show Horse Committee, Black Hills Stock Show Foundation Board, Sunshine Bible Academy School Board, SBA Foundation Board, Bethel Free Lutheran Church deacon and South Dakota Quarter Horse Association Board of Directors.
Hunt and his wife, Joni, have seven children, all of whom are involved in the family ranching operation: oldest son J. Tom and wife Sage,
who have 2 1/2-year-old twin girls and 6-month-old boy and girl twins; daughters Jessica and Jimmie Jean; son Justin and wife Erica, and sons Joshua, Jordan and Jeb.
MEMBER JEFF TEBOW
Jeff Tebow is an AQHA life member and has served as an AQHA director since 2011. Tebow currently serves on the Studbook and Registration, Hall of Fame Selection, and Grievance committees. He has also served on the Racing Committee and Racing Council.
Tebow graduated with a master of business from Oklahoma City University, bachelor of business administration in finance from the University of Central Oklahoma and associate of applied science in business/accounting from Connors State College. He is the managing partner and licensed insurance producer at Andreini and Co. of Oklahoma, chief executive officer of Heritage Place Inc. and auctioneer and real estate agent at Buford Resources Inc. Auction and Reality.
Tebow is a life member of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing and Oklahoma Quarter Horse associations. He is a past president of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Associa- tion and currently serves as an OQHRA board of director. He was also the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Youth Association president in 1983. He is a member of the Ranchero Visitadores- Los Bustardos, Southwest Texas Cattleman’s Association, National Auctioneers Association, Oklahoma Auctioneers Association, National Rifle Association and United States Team Roping Championship Association.
He is an avid competitor at AQHA shows and ropings. He also earned the reserve world champion title in boxing and was a final-
ist in ranch riding and heading at the 2017 Adequan® Select World.
Tebow and his wife, Vickie, reside in Piedmont, Oklahoma. Tebow also has two daughters, AQHYA Past President Ann Eliza- beth and Meg, who served on the AQHYA board of directors.
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