The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association has announced that 21 top-scoring Horsemanship Quiz Challenge participants will be attending the HQC Nationals Nov. 11-13, at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio.

USHJA also announced that Lake Erie College will offer scholarships to outstanding participants in the HQC Nationals and Emerging Athletes Program National Training Session.

“Horsemanship Quiz Challenge Nationals brings together our top-scoring competitors throughout the qualifying period for a unique educational competitive experience,” saidCricket Stone, chair of the Horsemanship Quiz Challenge Ad Hoc Committee. “We are thrilled to have more than 20 participants joining us for nationals this year and look forward to a full agenda and great competition.”

USHJA congratulates the following top-scoring HQC participants who will compete at HQC Nationals:

• Toni Anderson, 15, (Alameda, Calif.)

• Tyler Anderson, 14, (Novi, Mich.)              

• Maya Aryal, 12, (Fairfax, Va.)

• Audrey Baker, 13, (Tyler, Texas)

• Devyn Borden, 10, (Purcellville, Va.)

• Maclay Bowers, 14, (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)

• Kelsey Center, 15, (Farmington Hills, Mich.)

• Kylie Cohen, 13, (West Bloomfield, Mich.)

• Kathryn Craig, 19, (Lacey, Wash.)

• Kearra DeJack, 14 (Brighton, Mich.)

• Alexis DiPasqua, 16, (West Chester, Pa.)

• Celeste Fazioli, 14, (Seabrook, Texas)

• Celia Hilden, 15, (South Lyon, Mich.)

• Rebecca Hopkins, 14, (Northville, Mich.)

• Nicole Lindquist, 16, (Plymouth, Mass.)

• Alix Morrison, 20, (Ann Arbor, Mich.)

• Lesley Newcome, 19, (Renton, Wash.)

• Lori Ohannessian, 14, (Burke, Va.)

• Sabrina Ohlrogge, 12, (Littleton, Colo.)

• Kiersten Pratt, 17, (Arlington, Ill.)

• Julia Stone, 14, (Santa Barbara, Calif.)

To be eligible for HQC Nationals, participants take two levels of online horsemanship quizzes. They had to have received a score of 80 percent or higher on the Level One Quiz to advance to the Level Two Quiz. The highest scoring participant in each of the 12 USHJA zones for the Level Two Quiz was invited first, followed by the highest nationally ranked finalists for a maximum of 24 participants at HQC Nationals.

HQC Nationals includes multiple days and phases of competition that puts the top-scoring HQC participants to the test. A written exam, horsemanship/identification exam and a final practicum (split into sections A and B based on scores from the first two exams) are included in the competition. The 12 participants with the highest combined scores from the first two exams take Practicum A, while all other participants take Practicum B.

The winner of HQC Nationals will be the individual with the highest cumulative score from the written exam, horsemanship/identification exam and Practicum A, and will be awarded a $5,000 scholarship to Lake Erie College, $2,000 training and education grant provided by the USHJA Foundation, a Charles Own helmet and a gold medal. Additionally, the winning individual will be awarded special learning opportunity at Spy Coast Farm, a leading U.S. sport horse breeding and training operation in Lexington, Ky.

The second place finalist will receive a $3,000 Lake Erie College Scholarship, $1,500 grant for training and education from the USHJA Foundation, a gift certificate for a Charles Owen helmet as well as a silver medal. The third place finalist will receive a $2,000 Lake Erie College Scholarship, $500 grant for training and education from the USHJA Foundation, a gift certificate for a Charles Owen helmet and a bronze medal. All grants are provided from the USHJA Foundation through generous support from donors.

Prizes will also be given to the finalists with the highest written exam score, highest horsemanship/identification exam score, and the highest Practicum A score.

In addition to competing for top honors and the title of HQC National Champion, all HQC Nationals participants and their guests have the opportunity to audit the Emerging Athletes Program National Training Session, held concurrently, and participate in educational seminars led by USHJA volunteers.

Lake Erie College will also offer scholarships of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 to the Emerging Athletes Program winner, stable management winner and sportsmanship award winner, respectively. These scholarships are being added to existing prizes already offered to the top EAP competitors.