On Wednesday, June 1, GoHorseShow.com launched a contest in which our readers could enter to win a $2,000 gift certificate from Harris Silver and Leatherworks. The contest ended at midnight on Sunday, June 12 and saw a total of 26,713 total entries. The premise of the contest was for GoHorseShow.com readers to vote for their favorite ad in either the June issue of GoMag. Each time an ad was voted for, the person voting AND the person in the ad received an entry into the drawing to be held on Monday, June 13. The 2011 GoMag $2,000 Harris Gift Certificate contest has come to a close. The votes have been tabulated and the winner has been drawn. And the winner is 22-year old Jessica Merritt of Miami, Florida.

GoHorseShow.com was able to reach Jessica Monday afternoon by phone to let her know the good news. Jessica asked, “Are you serious?” which was quickly followed by, “I could cry right now! This is the best day of my life! I’m in my fifth week of nursing school and I’ve really been struggling. Today I finally got a high grade and then now this! I’m shaking right now!”

“Being a student, I have to pay for all of my own advertising and I really like how affordable GoMag is,” Jessica said. “I do understand the importance of advertising and GoMag allows me to afford being able to advertise.  Plus, I love GoHorseShow.com and I check it out whenever there is a new story.”

When asked what Jessica will buy with the $2,000 gift certificate, she said, “I really need a work saddle so I could use the gift certificate toward that. Oh and some new spurs too! Thank you so much and thank you to Harris Leather, this is a fabulous prize.”

Merritt finished with the third highest number of votes but the winning vote came from June 9 when she voted for herself. “My strategy was that before class every day at nursing school I would get people to vote for my ad. I know I annoyed every person there but it was definitely worth it. We also used Facebook a lot. My Mom is a crazy Facebook addict and she got her friends to vote and both my boyfriend and I used Facebook to recruit votes.”

Congratulations to Jessica Merritt and special thanks to everyone who voted. For the consolation prize of bragging rights for the most votes, here are the final top-15 ads that received the most votes for Best Ad. The winning graphic designer receives a two-page spread in the July issue of GoMag.

1) Page 86-87 Kara Oldford and Im Shy But Deluxe – designed by Dasi

2) Page 76-77 Darcy Reeve and A Certain Vino – designed by Darcy

3) Page 146 Jessica Merritt and Zip and Good - designed by Holt Pope/Holt Advertising

4) Page 66-67 Lindsey McMullen and Huntin For Money – designed by Kaleena Weakly

5) Page 141 Denise Hawkins and Only Glamorous - designed by Denise Hawkins

6) Page 130-131 Whitney Ward and Hear The Money Talk - designed by Dasi

7) Page 158-159 Madison Malsch and Paintfully Innocent – designed by Lauren Kelly/LMK

8) Page 46-47 Kenzi and Travis Sancken – designed by Kaleena Weakly

9) Page 114-115 Paige Stawicki and HR Zip Me – designed by Westwynde

10) Page 106 Jessie and Ashley Hadlock - designed by Lauren Kelly/LMK

11) Page 30 – 31 Chelsea Martz and Ill Be Outrageous – designed by Kristin Martin/Certified Images

12) Page 154-155 Cori Flowers and Goodbarshandsumasset – designed by Danielle Zenga

13) Page 148-149 Holt Advertising “We’ve Got Your Back” – designed by Holt Advertising

14) Page 205 CR Good Machine and Yarnelle Farms – designed by Jakovich Marketing

15) Page 50-51 Brittany Boyd and Dont Skip My Charms - designed by Kristin Martin/Certified Images