Tim Katona earns NRHA Lifetime Achievement Award

Tim Katona, who, with his wife Cindy, has run the Katona Reining Horses business on Bemis Road in Sumpter Township for more than 30 years, was honored with a national award in Fort Worth, TX, on Feb. 10.
He was presented with the National Reining Horse Association’s Dale Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Besides close family members, a group of his clients flew from Belleville to Fort Worth to witness the presentation.
In receiving his award, Katona introduced his father John, who put him on his first horse when he was five. Also present was his mother, Charlotte Anton, who worried throughout the years about his safety with horses, and his stepfather Cornell Anton, who said he is very proud of Tim.
After his graduation from Belleville High School in 1974, Katona worked at quality control at Ford Motor Company for the summer, long enough to be able to buy a pick up truck and head to Texas.
His parents wanted him to go to college, but he told them, “I want to be a horse trainer.” His dream was to study with famous trainer Shorty Russell. His parents relented and bought him a camper top for his truck. Then, they tearfully waved goodbye to him as he set off for Texas on his sister’s birthday, Sept. 25.
Russell, who trained Katona, called in his regrets to the recent awards ceremony since his daughter was getting married that day.
Katona said his goal has always been to help people show horses at whatever level and his successes have been both local and national.
Presently he is training two horses for Wayne County Executive Warren Evans at his 25-acre spread at 44641 Bemis Road that includes multiple pastures, a 20-acre producing hay field, a main barn with more than 25 stalls, indoor and outdoor arenas, and a blacksmith shop.
Katona, a NRHA Professional, maintains a very successful non-pro and youth clientele and enthusiastically promotes the sport of Reining. Katona was instrumental in the establishment of the very first approved youth classes. He announced he was starting classes and Bob Evans called him down to his Ohio ranch and they put a judges’ school together for the youth and held the first judges’ training at his Belleville-area ranch. The youth group was added to the NRHA’s list of approved classes. In addition, he helped in the formation and organization of NRHA Affiliates in the region.
On their website, the Katonas state: “We also offer equine rehabilitation as well as a complete breeding operation for your mares and stallions. For over 30 years Katona Reining Horses has successfully trained horses and riders to the highest levels, winning various State and World Championships in the Appaloosa Association, ARHA, Buckskin Congress, and competing successfully in NRHA Futurities and Derbies.
“Successfully matching riders and horses and developing a successful partnership between them has always been one of Tim and Cindy’s great passions.
“We are proud to have had over the years numerous world champion reining horses and riders, coming out of our program.”
On hand for the presentation were Tim’s father John Katona, his mother Charlotte Anton, his stepfather Cornell Anton, Tim’s wife Cindy, his sister Pam Melton, brother-in-law Mike Melton, nephew Matthew Melton and Matthew’s wife Victoria, who is pregnant with twins. Also present were eight clients from the Belleville area who paid their own way to Texas to celebrate his award: Becky Shannon, Pam Schembri, Roberta Kirouac, Debbie Mosher, Tim Heckman, Carla Rodriguez, Bonnie Bayley, and Michele VanHartesvelt.