You could feel the electricity in the air at the 2009 U.S. Hunter Jumper Association Annual Meeting. Held at a beautiful historic hotel in St. Petersburg, Fla., hunter and jumper enthusiasts from all levels of our sport were in attendance.

Forums, committee meetings and social events filled the agenda, and there was a great sense of purpose and excitement about our future. Our equestrians were kept well fed and watered during the long days of meetings throughout the convention, which allowed them to spend their time concentrating on the business at hand.

Numerous rule change proposals resulted in lively discussion and, most importantly, solid feedback and consensus building. Committee members were open to input from members, and members provided their feedback from the perspective of what is best for the whole sport versus just for their individual part.

A new sense of respect for each other’s opinions, even if divergent, as well as increased professionalism, permeated the entire meeting. It was encouraging to observe and to hear people talking about how well received their input was and how much the committees wanted to discuss the issues and work to find solutions to the issues at hand.

Being a relatively new organization seems to give us the ability to be flexible in our scheduling, and members appreciated the occasional impromptu gatherings that appeared on the agenda.

One of the most important was a meeting led by Geoff Teall, which invited members who felt their concerns weren’t being heard to voice their opinions. In figuring out what to call this group, a member of the audience suggested, “the majority.”

We think this is right on the mark and were excited to see so many members turn out for a 7 a.m. meeting. This type of meeting is indicative of how we need to work to address the needs of all levels of participants in our sport.

Our organization is built on a core philosophy of including all levels of equestrians in the governance model, so it’s important that our Annual Meeting meet this goal as well.

In addition to this meeting, we watched several members and committees gather in corners of open space or find an empty meeting room to interact with each other and reach consensus.

Included in this group is the Equitation Task Force headed by Karen Healey. Equitation was a hot-button topic this year, and with the input of members and numerous meetings, a resolution was reached that should provide a much more satisfying experience at the USEF Medal Finals for years to come.

While rule change proposals kept the members busy during the days, the USHJA special events kept them busy at night. Our Evening of Equestrians provided award winners with appreciation from their peers and set the stage for the special awards for distinguished service, volunteerism and lifetime achievement.

This celebration is the chance to give members a chance to meet many of the people behind the work of the organization and our sport. We also recognized the lifetime dedication and achievements of two incredible horsemen: Joe Fargis and Larry Langer. The video interviews gave us insight into the lives and philosophies of our friends while they were able to thank and praise the mentors
who helped them achieve their goals.

Money Talks

This has been an incredible year for many reasons. The big story of the mainstream world was the faltering economy. Even with all of the upheaval this situation brought to our lives, there have been some major goals attained in our equestrian world.

The first International Hunter Derby Finals, Emerging Athletes Program Training Sessions and National Training Camp, Trainer Certification Program and Trainer Symposiums and the Hunter Development Incentive Fund, to name just a few.

The faltering economy resulted in many of us making changes in how we live our lives and how we participate in equestrian sports. More than ever, the value of a dollar became one of the most significant elements of our day-to-day living.

This new approach also affected the care and competition of our horses. The ability to compete our equine partners was most affected, while the basic necessities of horse care, feed, water, shelter, veterinary and blacksmith care haven’t been as profoundly impacted.

Competitions of all levels were affected, some seeing a downturn in entry levels and some actually seeing an increase. It appears that equestrians decided early in the season to be conservative and watch for things to improve, while later in the year they started attending more competitions but became choosier in how they spent their disposable income. Equestrians decided to attend the venues where they received the best return on their investments.

Who would have imagined 10 years ago that the hunters would be competing for $100,000? Wow! Hugh Kincannon, the USHJA staff, Bobby Murphy and Patrick Rodes transformed the Johnson Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park into a spectacular event last August. The hunter world has seen the return of tradition to their discipline, which brought with it excitement, professionalism, audiences and pomp and circumstance.

The best hunters in our country competed over some of the finest courses ever constructed in the history of the hunter discipline. It was a magical night under the stars while we watched the top 25 horses from the first round return to strut their stuff and impress the judges, all with the support and cheering of an enthusiastic crowd.

While thousands watched the event live on site, more than 30,000 people worldwide tuned in online to be a part of history and to watch Rumba, the Chronicle’s 2009 Show Hunter of the Year (p.44), and John French clinch the inaugural title. This has truly been one of the best programs to come along in years, and it’s propelled the hunters into the future.

Under the leadership of Ron Danta, the High Performance Committee has formulated a plan for the Derby qualifying classes around the country. Each year the number of applications grows, and each year new derbies are established. These classes promote good horsemanship, good riding and horses who are game enough to jump in a different format.

Educational Opportunities

We at SBS Farms hosted a USHJA Emerging Athletes Program training session in Buffalo, N.Y., this year. Since then, Jennifer Alfano, the Chronicle’s Show Hunter Horseman of the Year (p. 46) has been part of this program as the barn manager.

While Jen is excited to be a part of the program, there seems to be equal excitement on the other side, as these young riders know how fortunate they are to learn from such an outstanding horseman and rider. Observing Jen at work and better understanding her accomplishments gives these kids something to aspire to—they know that in order to be successful in this business as professional riders they need to be able to perform all aspects of caring for the horse, not just riding them and handing them to a groom.

Melanie Smith Taylor, the force behind the EAP, is such an important leader. She has vast knowledge of good horsemanship and is able to impart that information to others. For the riders who are motivated, she brings out the very best in them. We hope more professionals will become a part of this program, willing to share their knowledge with this up-and-coming generation of young horsemen that will be the future of our sport.

The EAP is a great addition to the USHJA programs, and we hope it grows and flourishes in years to come.

There’s been some skepticism concerning the USHJA Trainer Certification Program and the USHJA Trainers Symposiums that were fully implemented this year. SBS Farms held a trainer symposium in Buffalo, N.Y., with George Morris this year. George is such an amazing teacher and leader that the 180 auditors were treated to three days of incredibly educational demonstrations.

It seems logical that our teachers should share their knowledge, attend a symposium and take a test to achieve certification. Most sports have a licensing for their trainers–why should we be exclusive?

In retrospect, it’s a little overwhelming to think about how many people and how many hours it takes to accomplish our goals each year and to keep the day-to-day activities running smoothly. It’s a tribute to an incredible USHJA staff and a group of dedicated volunteers that so much gets done and so well.

This was an exciting year, and those who love hunters had a lot to celebrate in 2009. We’ve taken great strides in the past five years since the birth of the USHJA, and we look forward to accomplishing many more wonderful goals in 2010 and beyond.

Bill Moroney is president of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association, a member of the U.S. Equestrian Federation Board of Directors and a USEF R-rated judge. In between officiating, he’s head trainer at Salamander Farm in Middleburg, Va. He started writing Between Rounds columns in 2004.

Susie B. Schoellkopf serves as the executive director of the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center, which is the home of the Buffalo Equestrian Center and SBS Farms in Buffalo, N.Y. An R-rated U.S. Equestrian Federation judge, Schoellkopf has trained numerous horses to USEF Horse of the Year honors, including Gabriel, Kansas, Big Bad Wolf and GG Valentine. She started writing Between Rounds columns in 2002.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to read more like it, consider subscribing. “A Year Of Excitement And Implementation” ran in the February 5, 2010 issue. Check out the table of contents to see what great stories are in the magazine this week.