Carol Ten Broek, a longtime volunteer for Therapeutic Riding of Tryon (TROT) at FENCE, has been awarded the 2010 National Volunteer of the Year award by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.

The award was announced during NARHAs annual conference in Denver, CO, in November. Earlier this year, Ten Broek was awarded a regional award as volunteer of the year for NARHAs Region 3, encompassing North and South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, one of 11 NARHA regions nationwide.

In presenting the national award in Denver, NARHAs immediate past president Theresa Morris cited Ten Broek for her role in creating TROT.

Carol is a perfect example of how a small program in a relatively rural area can grow on the energy, dedication and passion of individuals like her.

Ten Broek has served for seven years as TROTs volunteer coordinator, joining the program at its inception in 2003.

TROT teaches horseback riding skills to adults and children with physical and developmental difficulties, and currently serves riders from Spartanburg and Greenville counties in South Carolina and Polk, Rutherford and Henderson counties in North Carolina.

The program was designated a Premier Accredited Center by NARHA in 2008, one of only 11 such programs in the Carolinas to be so honored. The program complies with NARHAs national standards for safety and educational quality.