Crazy Horse Wins Third Tip of Cap

Completing a hat trick of the 10-gallon variety, the Crazy Horse Steak House in Santa Ana has won its third consecutive Country Night Club of the Year award from the Academy of Country Music.

Fred Reiser, co-owner and concert director of the nightclub, said Tuesday that the Crazy Horse’s growing accumulation of silver, hat-shaped trophies--known as Hat Awards--is still far from being old hat.

“I was really surprised,” said Reiser, who is president of the Los Angeles-based ACM. “We thought maybe people would be voting against us because we’d won it the past 2 years. It’s quite an honor for a little, 250-seat house.”

The nightclub award for 1988 was decided by the wing of the 2,800-member academy, which includes record company personnel, music journalists, publicists and the managers and booking agents who represent country performers.

Hat awards for performers will be presented April 10 in a televised ceremony on NBC.