DULUTH, Ga. – On Saturday night at PBR Teams in Duluth, the crowd at Gas South Arena turned their attention from chutes to courage as the Be Cowboy Award, presented by Horse Soldier Bourbon, honored someone whose service continues long after his time in uniform.

This week’s recipient was Blake “Top Dogg” Rashad, a U.S. Army veteran, retired member of the Atlanta Police Department’s Red Dog Team, and founder of the Top Dogg K9 Foundation, a nonprofit that rescues, trains and matches service dogs with disabled veterans and their families.

The award was presented by Chief Warrant Officer 4 (Ret.) Bob Pennington, a 30-year U.S. Army veteran and original member of Operational Detachment Alpha-595. Pennington’s boots were some of the first on the ground in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks. As assistant detachment commander, he helped lead textbook Unconventional Warfare operations while on horseback against Taliban and Al Qaeda forces.

Rashad’s passion for training dogs began at 12 years old. After entering the military, he was selected to train K9s around the world for Army operations. Once out of the Army, he joined the Atlanta Police Department, where he trained the city’s first three drug dogs and served four years with the Red Dog Team. In 2011, he and his wife Sheila founded the Top Dogg K9 Foundation, standing on the principle that Veterans deserve outstanding generosity and support.

The foundation has since paired more than 450 service dogs with veterans and provided services to over 2,500 family members. Rashad has trained dogs in everything from obedience and agility to PTSD response, airdrops and detection work. His deep expertise and relentless commitment have earned national recognition, including the 2024 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.

But Rashad isn’t stopping there.

During the weekend, he announced the launch of the Top Dogg K9 Foundation Telethon, an all-out fundraising push to meet rising demand for service animals and mental health support. Set to air on Veterans Day this fall, the telethon will raise money to expand Top Dogg’s life-saving work—funding the training, placement and care of service dogs for military families in need.

Click here to learn more about the telethon and how to support.
Visit the Top Dogg K9 Foundation at topdoggk9.org

Each day in America, an estimated 22 veterans die by suicide. For Rashad, that number isn’t just heartbreaking—it’s unacceptable. His mission is to meet the critical needs of disabled veteran families and local communities, and to remind veterans they’re not alone.

As the crowd rose to their feet in Duluth, it was clear this honor wasn’t just about what Rashad has done — it’s about what he continues to do. And just like the Horse Soldiers who rode into danger when the country needed them most, Rashad keeps showing up.

From all of us at PBR and Horse Soldier Bourbon, thank you, Blake “Top Dogg” Rashad, for reminding us what it truly means to Be Cowboy.

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Support the Mission:
To learn more or contribute to the Top Dogg K9 Foundation Telethon, visit topdoggk9.org or follow @TopDoggK9Foundation on social media. Every donation helps provide life-saving service dogs to veterans in need.

Stay tuned after each PBR Camping World Team Series stop as we continue to spotlight the local heroes and changemakers who inspire us.