Home Geno Middleton & David Ogle Named 2020 Trainers of the Year

Geno Middleton & David Ogle Named 2020 Trainers of the Year

2020 5 Years and Over Open World Grand Champion, Oh Yeah, owned by Adam Jokisch of Freeburg, Illinois, and Whitney Law of Edwardsville, Illinois. Trained and Exhibited by Geno Middleton.

When the final calculations were completed for 2020, there was the first ever tie for MFTHBA Trainer of the Year.  Those two trainers are Mr. Geno Middleton of Pomona, Missouri, and Mr. David Ogle of Ash Grove, Missouri.  This is the first time that Mr. Middleton has been named the MFTHBA Trainer of the Year, and this is the fourth time Mr. Ogle has been named MFTHBA Trainer of the Year.  Both trainers had great success in the show ring in 2020.

Geno Middleton rode and trained the 2020 5 Years and Over Open World Grand Champion, Oh Yeah, owned by Adam Jokisch of Freeburg, Illinois, and Whitney Law of Edwardsville, Illinois.  He also trained the Open Amateur Novice Rider World Grand Champion, Playboy’s Rebel Yell, owned by Ron Harper of Summersville, Missouri, and the Men’s Five Year & Older World Grand Champion, Pat’s Ozark Annie, owned by Robert Redfearn of Bolivar Missouri.  In all, horses trained by Mr. Middleton earned points in 19 Futurity classes and World Grand Championship classes.

David Ogle’s horses also had a lot of success in 2020.  Mr. Ogle trained and rode the Open Two, Three, and Four Year Old World Grand Champions.  The Open Two Year Old World Grand Champion was Gretchen Wilson, owned by Curtice Williams III, of Fair Grove, Missouri. The Open Three Year Old World Grand Champion was Ozark Celebration, owned by Dr. Julie Alford/Revocable Trust and Jamie Alford of Springfield, Missouri.  The Open Four Year Old World Grand Champion was Grand Slamm, owned by Lloyd Dehner of Mansfield, Missouri. In all, horses trained by Mr. Ogle placed in 12 Futurity classes and World Grand Championship classes.

2020 Open Two Year Old World Grand Champion was Gretchen Wilson, owned by Curtice Williams III, of Fair Grove, Missouri. Trained and Exhibited by David Ogle.

The Trainer of the Year award was designed to recognize the achievements of professional horsemen and women involved in the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed.  This year 27 trainers earned points towards the award in various disciplines:  versatility, model, and performance.

The MFTHBA is grateful to all the equine professionals that dedicate their lives to the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse, and the MFTHBA congratulates Geno Middleton and David Ogle on being named the 2020 MFTHBA Trainers of the Year.

Both men will be formally recognized at the 2021 Spring Show and Three Year Old Futurity.

Rounding out the Top 10:

2. Steve Dampier

3. Josh Dampier

4. Mike Rutledge

5. Randy Williams

6. Buck Thompson

7. Garrett King

8. Tom Williams

9. McKenna Hooker

10. Greg Burns