Gayle Lampe, pioneering professor of the Equestrian Science Department at William Woods University (WWU) and an internationally-renowned expert in the field, is set to receive her latest prestigious recognition. Ms. Lampe will be officially inducted into the International Saddlebred Hall of Fame on Saturday, June 2 at the historic Simmons Stable in Mexico, Missouri.
Ms. Lampe, who will mark 50 years as a professor of Equestrian Science at William Woods this September, was chosen by her peers in the American Saddlebred industry for her influence nationally and internationally in the field of Equestrian Science.
“It has been an honor to both work with and get to know Gayle, whose influence in the Equestrian industry is unparalleled,” said Bobette Wilson of the Simmons Stable Preservation Fund and International Saddlebred Hall of Fame. “She is so deserving of the many honors she has received and we are thrilled to be inducting her into the Saddlebred Hall of Fame.”
Ms. Lampe spent 41 years as the director of the Saddle Seat program at WWU, where she established the first four-year degree program in Equestrian Science at the university. She still serves as an adjunct professor at William Woods, teaching part-time to new generations of aspiring equestrians. Her accomplishments in five decades at William Woods include:
- 2015 inductee into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, the only equestrian to receive the honor;
- A holder of judges’ cards in nine equestrian disciplines who has judged competitions in 43 states as well as in Australia, Canada, Great Britain and South Africa, and conducted clinics in 25 states and three foreign countries;
- Coach of the gold-medal winning U.S. Saddle Seat equitation team at the 1996 World Cup competition in Louisville, KY;
- Winner of the 1979 Ladies Park Horse Under Saddle Championship at the Grand National Morgan Horse Show;
- Winner of 2003 Ladies Five-Gaited Championship title at the World Championship Saddlebred show at the Kentucky State Fair;
- Winner of the Ladies Five-Gaited National Championship at the United Professional Horseman’s Association American Royal National Championship Horse Show in Kansas City in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010;
- Past recipient of the United Professional Horseman’s Association Equitation Instructor of the Year award; Missouri-Kansas Horse Person of the Year award at the American Royal Horse Show; Lurline Roth Sportsmanship award at the American Saddlebred Horse Convention and Audrey Gutridge award at the World Championship Saddle Horse Show at the Kentucky State Fair.
- Awarded the title of “Master Instructor” by the American Riding Instructor’s Association in 2007;
- Author of the book “Riding For Success, Both In And Out Of The Show Ring” (1996, revised edition 2013);
- Two-time recipient of the William Woods Distinguished Professor award;
Instrumental in substantially increasing the number of horses in the WWU Equestrian program, including soliciting donations of horses to William Woods University from actors William Shatner and Patrick Duffy; singer Wayne Newton; former baseball star Don Mattingly and former Governor and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura.
