 Kathy Herrin has been a resident of
Colorado for over 24 years. Growing up, she lived in Western
Nebraska and participated in the 4-H Horse Program. Kathy attended the
University of Nebraska – Lincoln, and graduated with a Bachelor’s
Degree in Journalism with Minors in English, Political Science and
Theater. Moving to Canon City in 1982, she worked at KRLN Radio as
on-air talent, a news reporter and program director. In 1988, Kathy
was hired as a dispatcher for the Canon City Police Department. She
became a Reserve Police Officer and, in April 1992, became a full-time
police officer. Kathy retired as an officer in September 2005. She now
serves the CCPD as the Victim Assistance Coordinator. Additionally,
she has been the department's Community Service Officer, a gang
intelligence officer, new applicant background investigator, field
training officer, hostage negotiator and a member of the department’s
investigative response team. Kathy also coordinates the Neighborhood
Watch program and the agency's Citizens' Police Academy twice a year.
Since Kathy was in high school, she has announced horse shows,
mule/donkey shows and high school rodeo. She was one of the primary
horse show announcers at the Colorado State Fair for many years.
Additionally, she has announced the World Wide Paint Horse Congress,
the National Mule and Donkey Show, the Great Celebration Mule and
Donkey Show, the Kansas State Fair, the Wyoming State Fair Mule Show,
the National Western Stock Show, the Rocky Mountain Paint Horse
Association Rendezvous, the National Reining Horse Association Summer
Slide and the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, in
addition to many weekend and county fair shows and rodeos in Colorado,
Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, California, Oklahoma and Wyoming. Kathy was
actively involved with the Fremont County 4-H Horse Council for many
years, and she continues to be a strong supporter of youth equine
programs. She is a long-time proponent of the mule/donkey industry,
having owned and shown “long ears” for the last 18 years. She has
owned Malachi, a wild burro; Mule Brenner and Donkey Shayne.
In 1987, Kathy was honored by the Colorado Business and Professional
Women’s Association as the state’s Young Careerist. The competition
included a prepared speech, group interaction activity, personal
interview and personal portfolio. Kathy was selected to participate in
a Community Policing Exchange Program with the Russian city of Valdai
in 1998. Additionally, she has competed in state-wide community
theater contests, was named to the All State Acting Team and was
recently named Best Director for the 2006 season by the Fremont Civic
Theatre.
Kathy recently served on the North
American Saddle Mule Association (NASMA) Board of Directors and was
instrumental in developing the first Draft Mule Division to be
adopted by NASMA.
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Kathy Herrin has graced mule and donkey owners and audiences across
the United States with her golden voice for years. Listening to
Kathy announce a show is much more than names and placings; it is an
education. Her ‘Long ear” knowledge is impressive, and along with a
bit of humor – keeps audiences interested for hours. She truly has a
gift, and her clear thinking style has often made the less-than-well
organized show run most professional. 18-20 hours into a show,
without a break, Kathy maintains that the last entry in the arena is
just as important as the first one in the morning and carries her
enthusiasm and pleasing voice throughout. She not only is announcing
one to three arenas at one time, she is often the timer, point
keeper, rule clarifier and problem solver.
Kathy has been a mule and donkey advocate since 1993, when she
adopted a burro from the BLM. As a new Police Officer, Kathy stated,
“Everyone else in the Police Department had a pickup and a horse, I
had a Ford Escort and a burro.”
The first year Kathy announced at the Colorado State Fair, she
recalls when an exhibitor lost a wheel off his cart before a class,
and witnessed another exhibitor (that was to be in the same class)
give their cart to use, instead of going in the class himself. She
says she was “hooked” at that time. She is proud to work with such a
“genuine, giving group of people”, in her mission to promote the
Mule and Donkey industry, and change the sometimes negative
perception. Never underestimate the Power of One. Thank you, Kathy.
Kathy obtained a Bachelors in Journalism/Broadcasting from
Nebraska-Lincoln and spent the first four years after graduation
working in a radio station, then in Police Department Dispatch for
another four years. In 1992, she became a Police Officer for Canon
City, Colorado until 2005, when she went to work for Victim
Services. Earlier this year, she took on another role as a Victim
Service Officer in the town of Pueblo, Colorado.
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Kathy has been a sane and appreciated voice for NASMA, serving on
the Judges Committee, Board of Directors, and was instrumental in
introducing the Draft Mule/Hitch Division to NASMA in 2010. She has
been a member of the Rocky Mountain Long Ears Assn since 1993.
Included in her resume, is being the announcer for the following
shows: Shelbyville-Walking Horse Show and Mule and Donkey Show(13
years), National Western Stock Show (18 years), Dancing With
Horses-Michael Martin Murphy, Colorado State Fair (19 years),
Larimer County Fair (19 years), Kansas State Fair Mule and Donkey
Show, Castle Rock Mule and Donkey Show, Wyoming State Fair, and the
Granada Mule and Donkey Show. In addition, she announces at all
major breed shows, including Las Vegas Paint Horse Show, Pamona,
California Paint Horse Show, Oklahoma City Paint Horse Show, Summer
Slide Reining Show in Denver, and numerous Appaloosa and 4-H shows.
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“I have been associated with Kathy for the last ten years. I
first worked with her as the announcer for the Tennessee Walking
Horse National Celebration in the early 2000’s. Such a
professional!!! She’d never announced a walking horse event before,
but no one would ever know. Our paths did not cross again until
three years ago when I was able to work with her again at the Great
Celebration Mule and Donkey Show. Her knowledge of NASMA rules and
regulations and her wit and wisdom was invaluable to me in running a
successful show. Despite a very busy schedule, she has always been
willing to give direction and suggestions to improve our show, but
most of all, to be a friend. I hope these words will help solidify
what a precious asset NASMA has in Kathy Herrin, and hope her name
is given very serious consideration in being presented this award.”
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“I first heard Kathy Herrin’s voice over thirty-five years ago,
announcing the mule and donkey show at Colorado State Fair. Most
horse show announcers only share the obvious information, but Kathy
came prepared; she brought knowledge of our long eared friends to
the spectators; their heritage, disposition, and how the animals
were being presented during the class. With her skill as an
announcer, she also takes on responsibilities that perhaps should be
filled by two or three people. When it comes to running a first
class mule and donkey show, she is the ‘real deal’. She has been the
announcer at the National Western Stock Show for more years than I
care to remember and is invaluable. Since that first introduction,
mule and donkey exhibitors have enjoyed her enthusiasm, humor, wit,
and sincere love for these animals and the people that care for
them.
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