Cavalry Awards
The Silver Stirrup award is given in honor of one of Kansas' most distinguished citizens, Samuel J. Crawford.
Crawford was one of Kansas' colorful military leaders. As a Civil War commander and Cavalry Confederate leader, he participated in many crucial engagements. He captured military wagon trains and troop detachments, artillery batteries, and once even captured five gunboats loaded with supplies on the Arkansas River. His Civil War exploits earned him the praise of period writers. "As a Cavalry leader, Governor Crawford has been compared to Marshal Ney, Napoleon's right hand man," one source reported. Others told of his "impetuous and irresistible" Cavalry charges against Confederate strongholds.
Crawford was elected the third Governor of Kansas in 1864, and was the first Governor to be re-elected. He resigned as Governor late in his second term to take command of a regiment of volunteers called out to suppress Indian uprisings in the western part of the state. After retiring from public and military life, he devoted his time to farming and the practice of law.
Samuel Crawford will be long remembered as one of Kansas' most zealous and dedicated leaders, both on the battlefield and in public office. It is in this spirit of leadership and dedication that the Silver Stirrup award is presented by the Kansas Cavalry to one of its outstanding troopers. Though our mission today is different than Samuel Crawford's, the desire and determination with which he pursued his goals are as revered in our time as they were in his.
Past Award Winners
1974 Governor Robert Docking
1975 Ben Craig, Metcalf State Bank, Overland Park
1976 Carl Nordstrom, Topeka
1977 J. Ray Barmby, Economic Development Funding, Olathe
1978 Governor Robert F. Bennett
1980 Bill Little & Jerry Mallott
1982 Howard Loomis, The Peoples Bank, Pratt
1985 Terry Scanlon & David Owen
1986 Governor John Carlin
1987 Frank J. Becker, Becker Investments, Inc., Lawrence
1991 Jim Dahmen, Columbus Telephone Company, Columbus
1992 Stephen Cloud, IBT, Inc., Shawnee Mission
1993 Stephen L. Waite, Waiteco, Inc., El Dorado
1994 Roy Vinyard, Story Contracting Co., Inc., Olathe
1995 Jill Docking, A.G. Edwards & Sons, Wichita
1997 C. William Underkofler, Western Resources Inc., Wichita
Rod W. Weinmeister, KG&E, A Western Resource Company, Topeka
1998 Governor Bill Graves
1999 Lt. Governor Gary Sherrer
2000 John C. Prather, Groendyke Transport, El Dorado
2001 Cal Roberts, Cal Roberts & Associates, Inc., Overland Park
2004 Donald R. Landoll, Landoll Corporation, Marysville
2005 Kent Heermann, Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas, Emporia
2006 Lavern Squier, Overland Park Chamber of Commerce EDC, Overland Park
2007 Lt. Governor John Moore
2008 Governor Kathleen Sebelius
2010 Governor Mark Parkinson