We’ve had an exciting year for hunters and jumpers in this country in 2010. We’re in the midst of an economic crisis—horse shows have all been hit by fewer entries—yet we keep going because of our love of our horses and ponies and our love of competition.

This year’s The Chronicle of the Horse/USHJA $100,000 International Hunter Derby Finals hit a home run. The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games limited the choices as to where this competition could be held, so this year it moved to the new indoor ring at The Kentucky Horse Park.

Our columnist reflects on the World Cup controversy and what teamwork means to our sport.

This spring we witnessed one of the most controversial FEI World Cup Show Jumping Finals in the history of the sport. The U.S. riders had picked up where they left off at the 2008 Olympic Games and started out strongly, with Rich Fellers and Flexible winning the first leg of the World Cup. McLain Ward and Sapphire earned second-placed ribbons in the first two legs for the overall lead.

Our columnist sees great advantages to becoming certified, including valuable continuing education and improved safety for riders and horses.

I had an eye-opening experience when I took the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association Trainers Certification Level I test in early February. I realized that we trainers have indeed been skipping steps and using showing as a means to an end instead of stepping back and making sure the basics are followed.

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.

Now that all five winter circuits have come to an end, it's time for all of us to reflect on what we've done this winter and where we're taking the sport in which we all participate all year long.

I was a part of three of the circuits since I judged at the HITS Desert Circuit in Indio, Calif., and the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla., and my barn showed at HITS Ocala, Fla. We have a variety of customers, from young children to adults to pre-green and working horses. In other words, we have hunters and jumpers of all levels.