In its first-ever annual meeting, the United States Hunter Jumper Association, the new hunter/jumper affiliate of the U.S. Equestrian Federation, exceeded expectations in attendance and performance.
Some 160 people registered for the three-day convention, held Nov. 8-10 in Tucson, Ariz.–and the participants expressed their support for the new USEF affiliate.
“It was a home run out of the box,” enthused USHJA President Bill Moroney, who was instrumental in launching the association just one year ago. He congratulated members at Tuesday’s banquet, saying, “Tonight you are all part of history in the making.”
The meeting followed the USEF convention model, with discussion forums on federation rule-change proposals, zone meetings, task-force sessions, and committee meetings. The Board of Directors met twice, with the second meeting open to all attendees.
USHJA members represented all the zones, with Zone 2 sending the greatest number. “We’re seeing fresh, new faces here,” said Dianne Johnson, chairman of Zone 9.
The new affiliate attracted a broader range of participants than the USEF convention usually does, especially trainers eager to face issues affecting their sport.
John Long, the USEF’s chief executive officer, mentioned the “passion” he observed during sessions. “The conversation in the meetings has been very engaging–focused on moving forward and not on the old days,” he said.
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Still, members did confront an age-old controversy–the mileage rule. USEF President David O’Connor first announced a special task force to recommend changes to the thorny and complex statute in January 2004, at the inaugural meeting of USEF. Ten months later, the Competition Date Task Force reported its findings to USHJA members.
Howard Pike of Florida presented an outline of the work that’s still in progress: six recommendations that the task force has developed. They will report on three at the 2005 USEF meeting in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 13-16.
“We are getting to the end of the discovery phase,” explained Pike. He noted that the task force has explored “beyond mileage,” and defined the outline’s recommendations as “things we are considering.” In his thoughtful presentation, Pike invited members’ input. “This is phase 1 in the process,” he said.
Across the discussions of rule-change proposals, attendees argued the pros and cons of banning cellular phones in the show ring and of preventing professionals from showing ponies. They also confronted changes in the general rules: restricting golf-cart driving to licensed drivers and requiring participants in all disciplines to wear ASTM/SEI-approved helmets while jumping.
Other proposals discussed affected veterinarians’ accountability, such as requiring USEF membership for veterinarians practicing at shows and citing any treating veterinarians responsible for forbidden-substance violations.
The USHJA board’s recommendations on rule-change proposals (like those from all the other USEF affiliates) will carry forward to the USEF’s January meeting.
