February Zone 4 News

Thank you for being a Zone 4 Member! Congrats to Zone HOTY Champions, enroll/apply for USHJA programs, mark your calendar for upcoming events and more.

USHJA WCHR $100,000 Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Spectacular Held

Holding the lead throughout two rounds of competition against the best Hunters in the country, Geoffrey Hesslink and Little Brook LLC’s Mon Tresor triumphed in the $100,000 World Championship Hunter Rider Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular on Saturday, February 19, at the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival.

Catch Me and Mimi Gochman were second with Lafitte De Muze and Amanda Steege in third. 

Congratulations to our Zone Horse of the Year Champions! 

Congratulations to our 2021 Zone Horse of the Year Champions!

Click here to view the 2021 HOTY Roster, which lists members who earned ribbons through the year-end award program in their zone.

The USHJA Zone Horse of Year Program is a point-based awards program to recognize the accomplishments of USHJA members. This awards program is a separate program from the USEF Horse of the Year Program. Learn more.

Enrollment Open for Several USHJA Programs

Enrollment is open for several USHJA Programs. Click the programs below to learn more and enroll!

• Green Hunter Incentive Program
• International Hunter Derby Program
• World Championship Hunter Rider Program
• Young Jumper Championships

Applications are open for the following programs. Click below to learn more and apply! 

• Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships
• Markel/USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships

Apply for a Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund/USHJA Emerging Athletes Program Regional Training Session

Apply to participate in a Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund/USHJA Emerging Athletes Program Regional Training Session this year!

The sessions in our zone:

June 13-17

University of Tennessee at Martin

Clinicians: Jeff Cook and Anne Thornbury

July 4-8

Fox Lea Farm

Clinicians: Julie Winkel and Colleen Reed
View the full calendar.

Applications close April 1. Don't forget our Zone offers EAP Grants to assist with the cost of attending a session.

Mark Your Calendar for Zone Championships

Zone 4 Horse of the Year Championship
November 23-27, 2022
SFHJA Annual Charity
Wellington, Florida

Zone 4 Handy Hunter Challenges

Held throughout the year. View calendar.

Specifications Changes for the USHJA Hunter Team Challenge

The USHJA Hunter Team Challenge will return in 2022 with a few changes. Save the date for the Challenge near you: 

Hunter Team Challenge - East

August 3-7, 2022
New York Horse & Pony
HITS-on-the-Hudson
Saugerties, N.Y.

Outreach Member Highlight: Skylar Fivecoat

Skylar Fivecoat, of Joelton, Tennessee, participated in the USHJA Outreach Walk/Trot and Ground Poles sections this year.

What did you enjoy about participating in the Outreach program in 2021?
I really enjoyed the opportunity to go to Las Vegas for the USHJA National Championships as the Outreach Golden Backstage Pass Winner for Zone 4. My favorite memories from the trip are walking the Grand Prix Course with Hunter Holloway and the opportunity to “judge with the judge.” I really learned a lot from the whole experience.

Tell us briefly about how you got involved in the sport.
My Mom rode and competed for many years, so she started me in riding lessons at the age of 4. 2020 was my first year of showing.

What’s your favorite riding memory?
My favorite riding memory so far would be winning the Junior Walk/Trot/Canter Class of Champions at the Horse Show Ventures Championship Show in Alpharetta, Georgia. Both sets of grandparents made the trip from Tennessee to Georgia to watch my class, so it will always be a special memory for me.

What are your riding goals for this year?
My riding goals for this year are to get comfortable cantering courses and to continue developing my skills as a rider.

What do you enjoy most about the USHJA community?
I love that I can earn USHJA points and national recognition while showing at the local level. As a young rider, I also really appreciate the educational opportunities USHJA offers.

Upcoming USHJA Webinar

Recognized Riding Academy Spotlight

Cornerstone Farm South

We heard from Leslie Terry of Cornerstone Farm South, a USHJA Recognized Riding Academy in Naples, Florida. 

Tell us a little about your program and who you serve. What makes your RRA unique?

We are the oldest, most established program in our area. All our lesson horses are either semi-retired show horses or rescues that we have rehabilitated. Our program focuses on horsemanship and teamwork. We have been in 6 different locations in 25 years and are moving to our NEW permanent home later this year!

What made you want to become a Recognized Riding Academy?

Very often parents/students do not realize that the equestrian sport has very little requirements to verify that someone has the qualifications to teach their child. We feel strongly that the standards set by the RRA program assists in selecting a quality, safety oriented and responsible program.

Briefly tell us about your star lesson horse and why he/she is the best lesson horse around!

Too many to pick from! Our herd of 14 lesson horses are ALL so special - but Penelope is our "go-to" pony! From rated horse show super star to surviving a Christmas parade with awe and wonder - she is our most dependable hard worker - she PREFERS to be ridden every day and she often tells US when a rider is ready for the next step (canter/jump etc).

Recognized Riding Academy Lesson Horse Honor Roll Announced

The USHJA Recognized Riding Academy Committee would like to announce the creation of the RRA Lesson Horse Honor Roll! The Honor Roll seeks to acknowledge the very special lesson horses and ponies who unwaveringly devote their lives to teaching equestrians the art of riding. Nominations open March 1! 

Upcoming Events and Deadlines

March

• March 1: Nominations open for Recognized Riding Academy Lesson Horse Honor Roll
• March 14: USHJA Webinar, Equitation: An Overview of 2022 Tests
• March 15: Application deadline for the USHJA Gochman Grant for U.S. Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms
• March 21: USHJA Town Hall with President Mary Knowlton, Combining and Dividing of Sections for Juniors and Amateur Owner Hunters

April

• April 1: Applications close for the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund/USHJA Emerging Athletes Program Regional Training Sessions

May

• May 15: Deadline to apply for the $10,000 Hamel Family Scholarship for Further Education
• May 31: Nomination deadline for RRA Lesson Horse Honor Roll

June

• June 1: Qualifying begins for the USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic for Amateurs, to be held in 2023

Have questions? Please email membership@ushja.org.