Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas has been awarded the American Horse Council's 2010 Rolapp Award. Senator Lincoln is the Chair of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee.

"I am honored to receive this award and proud to serve as an advocate for our nation's horse industry. As an Arkansan, I recognize the importance of the horse industry and the role it plays not only in the agriculture community but also in sport, recreation and entertainment. As chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I can assure you I will continue to work hard to provide solutions to issues impacting the horse industry," said Senator Lincoln in accepting the award.

Each year the American Horse Council presents the Rolapp Award to a Member of Congress who has been of great service to the horse industry. The award is presented in honor of Rich Rolapp, the former president of the AHC, who passed away in 1993. Previous award winners include Senators Wendell Ford and Mitch McConnell, and Representatives Hal Rogers, Ben Chandler, Bart Gordon, and Karen Thurman, among others.

In presenting the award, Jay Hickey, president of the AHC, said "Senator Lincoln is most deserving of this award. She has long recognized the importance of the $102 billion horse industry not only to Arkansas but to the nation. Three years ago Senator Lincoln was an original sponsor of the Equine Equity Act, along with Senators McConnell and Bunning, which proposed several important changes to treat horse owners more fairly. These provisions are now law and the horse industry appreciates her leadership in getting them passed