*New for 2024 – all GHI Championship classes will be held in the Rolex Arena!

Tuesday, August 13

Rolex Arena

• 3'6"/3'9" First Round
• 3'6"/3'9" Tier II Round
• 3'6"/3'9" Championship Tier I Round

Wednesday, August 14

Rolex Arena

• 3'/3'3" First Round

Thursday, August 15

Rolex Arena

• 3'/3'3" Second Round

Friday, August 16

Rolex Arena

• 3'/3'3" Tier II Round
• 3'/3'3" Championship Tier I Round

All horses must be enrolled in the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive program during the current competition year to be eligible to compete in the 2024 Championship.

All horses must enter with the horse show by July 24. Pre Entry fees are $850, which $250 of the Pre Entry Fee is non-refundable. Any horses entered after that date will pay the Post Entry Fee of $1,700. Post Entry Fees are 100% non-refundable.  

Exhibitors are required to complete both the Championship entry form and the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show entry form. All entry forms, entry fees, stall fees, drug fees, night watch fees and all other applicable fees are paid to the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. The entry forms must be mailed to the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show at 3005 Montavesta Rd, Lexington, KY 40502.

Entries must be received in the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show office or postmarked by July 24, 2024. The entry fee, including premium entry fee if applicable, is non-refundable after August 2, 2024. The ground jury reserves the right to accept or refuse entries after the closing date due to extenuating circumstances, on a case-by-case basis, and late entries are not guaranteed. If permitted, late entries will incur a $250 late entry fee. It is recommended that you use a method of delivery which provides delivery confirmation.

3'/3'3"Championship Format

The 3'/3'3 Championships consists of three rounds offered at both 3' and 3'3". All horses compete in the first two rounds, in which they receive numerical scores. The top 10 horses from the First Round are automatically qualified for the Championship Tier I Round and may elect not to compete in the Second Round. The top 10 horses from the Second Round are automatically qualified for the Championship Tier I Round. Lastly, the top 10 horses from cumulative scores from the First and Second Round qualify for the Championship Tier I Round. The 30 horses advance to the Championship Tier I Round, where they start with a clean slate.

An additional 10 Tier II riders, who are not already competing in the Championship Tier I Round, will compete over the same course. All Tier II riders will be placed amongst themselves, regardless if they are in the Championship Tier I Round of the Tier II Round.

3'6"/3'9"Championship Format

The 3'6"/3'9" Championships consists of two rounds offered at both 3'6" and 3'9”. All horses compete in the first round, in which they receive numerical scores. The 30 horses, including those tied for 30th, with the highest scores from the first round, advance to the second round, where they start with a clean slate.

An additional 10 Tier II riders, who are not already competing in the Championship Tier I Round, will compete over the same course. All Tier II riders will be placed amongst themselves, regardless if they are in the Championship Tier I Round of the Tier II Round.

*Please note that Green Hunters must compete at the height they are eligible for according to the USEF Rule Book.

The Championship awarded over $320,000 in prize money in 2022. Prize money is distributed among the top 30 in each round.

Sixty percent of annual enrollment fees and 80 percent of the entry fees make up the total prize money for the Championship less $25,000 allocated toward the Green Hunter Incentive Regional Championships. Enrollment and entry fees for the 3'6"/3'9" Green Hunters make up the 3'6"/3'9" championship prize money. Enrollment and entry fees for the 3'/3'3" Green Hunters make up the 3'/3'3" championship prize money.

80% of the total prize money for the 3'/3'3" Championship will be awarded to the top 30 as follows:

• 20% of the total prize money will be awarded to the top 30 horses in the First Round
• 20% of the total prize money will be awarded to the top 30 horses in the Second Round
• 40% of the total prize money will be awarded to the top 30 horses in the 3'/3'3" Final Round

80% of the total prize money for the 3'6"/3'9" Championship will be awarded to the top 30 as follows:

• 30% of the total prize money will be awarded to the top 30 horses in the First Round
• 50% of the total prize money will be awarded to the top 30 horses in the 3'6"/3'9" Final Round

Tier II

• 20% of the 3'/3'3" Championship prize money will be awarded to the top 10 Tier II riders participating in the GHI 3'/3'3" Championship and determined by the highest scores in the Championship Tier I and Tier II Round, regardless of which round they qualified for.
• 20% of the 3'6"/3'9" Championship prize money will be awarded to the top 10 Tier II riders participating in the GHI 3'6"/3'9" Championship and determined by the highest scores in the Championship Tier I and Tier II Round, regardless if they jumped in the Championship Tier I or the Tier II Round. 

Tier II prize money will be awarded as follows:

Judges

Course Designer

Stewards

Championship Ground Jury

USHJA Coordinator

Jumps

Photography

Staff

Congratulations on competing for the 2024 Platinum Performance/ USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championship. In order to facilitate your championship participation, please find the relevant forms and information below. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Jennifer Osterman at josterman@ushja.org or 859-225-6703. We hope to see you in Kentucky for the Championships.

Entry

• Enter Online
• Green Hunter Incentive Championship Entry Form
• Bluegrass Horse Show Entry Form
  Both entry forms must filled out and returned to The Bluegrass Festival Horse Show, 3005 Montavesta Road, Lexington, KY 40502 no later than July 24, 2024. The entry fee for the Championship class and all other applicable fees (e.g., Federation fees, stall fees, et cetera) must be paid to The Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. The entry fee is non-refundable after August 2, 2024.
• Prize List
• Specifications
• Code of Conduct

Additional Participation

• VIP Table

Prize Money

• W-9
• Owner Prize Money Release

Thursday, August 15

Rolex Arena

• IHD Championship Schooling

Friday, August 16

Rolex Arena

• Classic Hunter Round

Saturday, August 17

Rolex Arena

• Derby Challenge
• Tier II Handy Round
• Tier I Handy Round

All horses must be enrolled in the USHJA International Hunter Derby program during the current competition year to be eligible to compete.

The Championship awarded over $223,000 in 2023, and once again 80% of the entry fees as well as a portion of enrollment fees will be added to the guaranteed $100,000 to create the total prize money purse. The entry fee for the Championship is $1,000. Eighty percent of the total prize money will be awarded to Tier I IHD Championship final standings. Twenty percent of the total prize money will be awarded to Tier II final standings. The Derby Challenge will offer $10,000 in prize money, paid out to the top twelve horses.

All horses must enter with the horse show by July 24. Pre Entry fees are $1,000. Any horses entered after that date will pay the Post Entry Fee of $3,000. 

Exhibitors can enter online at https://entries.showmanagementsystem.com/login or enter via paper entry forms. Exhibitors are required to complete both the Championship entry form and the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show entry form. All entry forms, entry fees, stall fees, drug fees, night watch fees and all other applicable fees are paid to the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show.

Entries must be received in the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show office or postmarked by July 24, 2024. The entry fee, including premium entry fee if applicable, is non-refundable after August 2, 2024. The ground jury reserves the right to accept or refuse entries after the closing date due to extenuating circumstances, on a case by case basis, and late entries are not guaranteed. If permitted, late entries will incur a $250 late entry fee. It is recommended that you use a method of delivery which provides delivery confirmation.

Invitations

USHJA will email invitations to compete in the 2024 Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship to recorded owners and riders of eligible horses in June. The Invitation will include a USHJA International Hunter Derby entry form and a link to the online prize list.

Classic Hunter Round

All entered horses compete in the first round of competition over a Classic Hunter course featuring International Hunter Derby style fences, including height options. Based on scores in the Classic Hunter round, horse-and-rider combinations advance to one of two possible second rounds: 1) the Handy Hunter Round (split into two sections) or 2) the Derby Challenge.

Handy Hunter Round

For the second phase of competition, riders are grouped into two tiers based on their amount of Derby money won in the previous competition year; to be classified as Tier I, a rider must have been standing 40th or higher on the IHD Rider Money Won list as of December 1, 2022. All other riders are classified as Tier II.

The top 20 overall horse-and-rider combinations from the Classic Hunter round will be invited to compete in the Tier I Handy Hunter Round, and will be eligible for 80 percent of the prize money and the title of USHJA International Hunter Derby Champion. The top 20 horses ridden by a Tier II rider from the Classic Hunter round, including those invited as part of Tier I Handy Hunter Round, will be invited to compete in the Tier II Handy Hunter Round, and will be eligible to win 20 percent of the total prize money. Tier II riders competing in the Tier I Handy Round are eligible for prize money in both categories. USHJA may invite additional horse-and-rider combinations to either section of the Handy Hunter round at the organization’s sole discretion.                                          

Final placings in both tiers are based off of composite scores from the Classic Hunter and Handy Hunter Rounds.

Derby Challenge

The Derby Challenge is open to all horses that did not qualify for Tier I or Tier II Handy Hunter Round, guaranteeing each entry in the Championship two rounds of competition. Each horse starts the Derby Challenge with a clean slate, where no scores from the Classic Hunter Round carry forward. Horses compete for $10,000 in prize money with the top 12 horses taking home a share of the prize money.

Judges

Course Designer

Stewards

Championship Ground Jury

USHJA Coordinator

Jumps

Photography

Staff

August 15-17, 2024, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY

Tickets: There is no admission fee to watch the Hunter Derby Championship.

Parking Fee: Complementary parking by Kentucky Horse Shows

Ring: Sheila C. Rolex Stadium in the Rolex Stadium

Hotels

Approximately 4 miles away:
Clarion Hotel - (859) 233-0512
Four Points Sheraton – (859) 259-1311
Embassy Suites – (859) 455-5000
Marriott Griffin Gate – (859) 231-5100

Approximately 5-6 miles away:
Residence Inn – (859) 231-6191
Courtyard By Marriott – (859) 253-4646
Ramada Conference Center of Lexington – (859) 299-1261
Hampton Inn – (502) 867-4888
Microtel Inn by Wyndham Georgetown - (502) 868-8000
Candlewood Suites Lexington - (859) 967-1940

Congratulations on competing in the 2024 Platinum Performance/ USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship. In order to facilitate your championship participation, please find the relevant forms and information below. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Jennifer Osterman at josterman@ushja.org or 859-225-6703. We hope to see you in Kentucky for the Championships.

Entry

• Enter Online
• International Hunter Derby Championship Entry Form
• Bluegrass Horse Show Entry Form
  Both entry forms must filled out and returned to The Bluegrass Festival Horse Show, 3005 Montavesta Road, Lexington, KY 40502 no later than July 24, 2024. The entry fee for the Championship class and all other applicable fees (e.g., Federation fees, stall fees, et cetera) must be paid to The Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. The entry fee is non-refundable after August 2, 2024.
• Prize List
• Specifications
• Code of Conduct

Additional Participation

• VIP Table

Prize Money

• W-9
• Owner Prize Money Release