Priscilla Presley was named 2014 Humane Horsewoman of the Year by The Humane Society of the United States at a ceremony held during the Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida. The award recognizes Presley’s dedication to ending the cruel practice of “soring,” which involves the use of chemicals and other devices to inflict pain on the legs and hooves of Tennessee walking horses to produce a high-stepping gait for competitions.

Presley worked tirelessly to raise awareness on the issue through the media and other speaking engagements. She traveled to Washington to urge Congress to strengthen the federal Horse Protection Act and finally put a stop to this inhumane training method. Along with Elvis Presley, she owned several Tennessee walking horses and shares a deep appreciation for the breed’s graceful, natural gait.

Each year, The HSUS offers the award to an individual who demonstrates an outstanding commitment to protect America’s equines. Ending horse soring is one of the organization’s top priorities, along with other campaigns to protect equines from cruelty, neglect and slaughter.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated most effective by our peers. For 60 years, we have celebrated the protection of all animals and confronted all forms of cruelty. We are the nation’s largest provider of hands-on services for animals, caring for more than 100,000 animals each year, and we prevent cruelty to millions more through our advocacy campaigns. Read more about our 60 years of transformational change for animals and people, and visit us online at humanesociety.org.