As a young hunter professional, the latter part of this year has been a bit of a transitional period for me, and it has presented its share of both challenges and rewards. 

Upon the conclusion of the winter circuit in Florida, I went back out on my own after working privately for a wonderful client for nearly three years. Any major change is difficult for a Type-A, super-planner like myself, and it has taken me a little while to settle into a new rhythm.   

I am quite certain that many other professionals in the beginning stages of their careers have struggled with the same issues: Finding your niche, navigating the sometimes vicious cycle of being hungry to prove yourself but also needing the mounts and clientele to do so, finding a balance between a passion for this sport and a sustainable business model. Those are weighty issues, and I certainly don’t have all the answers. But I do feel that this year has been an opportunity for me to take some time to identify what my strengths are, where my priorities lie, and how I want to move forward. 

This show season has been one of my most successful to date, which has definitely helped to balance out some of the harder days. That has in no small part been due to the people I have around me. As I get older and have tastes of bigger success, I realize more and more the importance of the team. 

Jimmy Toon has been and continues to be a mentor figure to me, and is incredibly generous with his time, guidance and support. His eye for a horse has been my good fortune many times over. I have a mother who I can call at 5 a.m. on my way to the horse show and a fiancé that is every bit as invested in the horses’ well-being and success as I am. My group of horsey friends are truly like family to me.

Late-Night Bananas

One of my proudest accomplishments this year is the partnership that I have developed with my second year horse Poker Face.  Four years ago, Pokey was a talented but quirky and unproven import and honestly, I was a pretty green young professional. I always believed in him and tried to do right by him, bringing him along patiently.  

We have become more seasoned and more competitive together. I hadn’t shown at Devon since I was a junior and to get a 90 on him in the second year green hunter stake this year was a dream come true. Then, the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championships in Kentucky in September was a first for both of us, and the last round looked scopey and spooky under the lights. But we had enough trust in each other to take a breath and gallop around and we ultimately finished eighth overall. Moments like those I will never forget. 

Developing Pokey is a journey that has meant the world to me, and that I hope will continue to evolve in new and exciting ways. I have decided to try to keep him to the very best of my ability, because at this point in my life my aspirations to become a top professional hunter rider outweigh any monetary amount. Pokey and I have touched on goals that until this year seemed very far away.  

It has taken a long time to get him where he is today, and I just don’t want to halt that forward momentum now. I look at long-standing partnerships like Liza Towell and Brunello or Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy, and I find those connections inspiring. There is so much training and management that goes into it all, but sometimes there is also an element of chemistry that just can’t be bought or taught. My head knows that ribbons don’t pay bills, but my heart is still in the dream-chasing phase of my life. I would sacrifice almost anything if it means having Pokey to jump big classes on. (And to feed bananas to at night check!) He is truly a part of the family and a constant in my life. 

Finding My Footing

That said, the bills do have to get paid somehow. I leased out my one older, steady-eddy type derby horse and he is happily teaching a children’s hunter rider the ropes. I currently have two other special young horses that I have loved bringing along this year, but that are actively for sale. 

The process of finding and developing the young ones is something that gives me so much fulfillment and joy. I truly love being a part of their progression and giving them a foundation from which they can go be great horses for whomever has them next. I obviously enjoy the end reward of getting to be competitive with them in the show ring, but the reality is that I can’t keep them all and that I am not always going to be able to control the timeline.   

With horses, as with life, you never know for certain what is going to happen next. But I have gained the confidence and clarity to want to grow and expand in a way that resonates with me. My love for the hunter ring is as strong as ever, and that is really where I want to be. My aim is to continue finding and developing talented young hunters, and to do it on a scale that allows me to align pursuing my dream of becoming a top professional hunter rider with also becoming a source for quality, well-trained horses.  

I would love to do what I’ve done with Pokey, many times over.   

The best barns have a two-way-street dynamic and it is important to me to achieve that in my own. Over time, I hope to earn more support from owners and clients and thus be able to develop more depth in my string. On the flip side, I hope to be able to help my students achieve all of their show ring goals. 

I am so grateful for what I have, horses and human alike. But as a competitive athlete, I want more and I think that is healthy. It’s part of what drives me to get up each day and work hard. Just like the winning riders and trainers that I have long admired, I want to produce big results at the highest level, not on just one horse but on many, year after year.

This is the beginning of a new chapter for me, and we will see how it goes. I hope you will enjoy following along behind the scenes as the adventure unfolds.

Jennifer Bliss had a very successful junior career, which included achievements such as earning USEF Pony Finals championships and national year-end championships in the pony and junior hunter divisions, and top 15 placings in all the major equitation finals. A professional rider and trainer whose focus is on the hunter ring, she began her own business, Harris Hill Farm, in 2007. She especially loves developing special young hunters, and teaching Junior and Amateur clients.  To find out more about Jennifer please visit www.harrishillfarmllc.com.