For Marvin Ward, horses are his life.

And it’s that devotion that led the 80-year-old Canton resident to being inducted into the United Professional Horsemen’s Association Hall of Fame.

“It’s something I’m very proud of,” Ward said. “Those sorts of things don’t come along every day. It takes a lot of hard work, and there are a lot of people down the road that I have met. It’s been a great experience for me.

“I’ve been working with horses since I was 11 years old. I’m 80 years old, and I’ve really enjoyed every minute of it. I’ve had a lot of great experiences, been to a lot of great places working. It’s been a great experience for me and my family backed me the whole way. That’s what means more to me than anything else I’ve ever done.”

According to the UPHA, in order to be eligible for the award, an honoree must have derived his or her livelihood from the profession of training show horses or ponies. Ward had success through the champion horses he has developed and shown, but he must also possess the respect of his peers throughout the professional conduct he has maintained throughout his career.

In addition to his success developing horses for others, Ward has trained other professionals over the years in order to continue the show horse industry and training professions.

After riding horses at an early age, he worked at various stables, starting at Cleveland Park Stables in his hometown of Greenville, S.C. Ward met his wife, Audrey, while working in Birmingham, Ala., and he later moved to California to work at Silver Lining Stables.

After that, he earned the position of head trainer at Turner Stables in Roanoke, Va., where he produced champion show horses such as Havana Hijack and Pistols n’ Petticoats.

He came to Georgia in 1973, where he began working at Claramere Farm in Alpharetta. In the time since, he started Ward Stables in 1979, just across the county line from Milton in southeastern Cherokee County, and he remains there to this day.

But what brought him into showing horses in the first place?

“The reason to get into it is that I enjoyed it,” Ward sad. “As a kid, I started riding horses. I just liked to ride. It just sort of stuck with me. I just didn’t get interested in anything else. I just stayed with horses. I’ve had some good people that we’ve worked for and helped us out.”

Throughout Ward’s time working with horses, he realized that the business was more about family and friends than it was about the horses themselves. Amanda, one of his two daughters, now works at Ward Stables and is the chairman of the Georgia chapter of the UPHA.

“I grew up in, and have pretty much done horses my entire life,” Amanda Ward said. “I did move away, went to college and worked in radio for 10 years. Then, I came back and tried this. I enjoy it. It’s a great industry and a great thing to get families involved in.”

Beyond being important to family, the elder Ward’s contributions extend to the entire show horse community.

“We compete against each other, but he has earned so much respect from peers, trainers and UPHA members,” said Susan Reimer, secretary and treasurer of the Georgia chapter of the UPHA. “The fact that someone from Georgia locally got into the Hall of Fame and won an award that is given out annually, we are happy that someone from Georgia got it.

“I call Marvin for advice about horse problems or ask what he has for sale. It’s nice to have more than one of us in the area. It keeps blacksmiths going, keeps the economy going. There’s a whole little realm of us specifically in this saddlebred area.”