2019 Platinum Performance/USHJA Hunter Week Begins at The Kentucky Horse Park

Lexington, Ky.—August 12, 2019—The 2019 Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships and the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship kick off this week at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, with more than $519,900 in prize money available to approximately 300 of the country's top hunters.

Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships

Returning for the seventh consecutive year, the Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships will see over 200 horses compete for more than $268,700 in prize money over three days of competition. The Green Hunter Incentive Championships will feature two Championships, one for horses competing at 3'0"/3'3" fence heights and one for horses competing at 3'6"/3'9" fence heights. The 3'0"/3'3" Championship will feature three rounds of competition, beginning at approximately 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, August 13. The 30 horses with the highest cumulative scores from the first two rounds will advance to the Championship Round where they will start with a clean slate. The 3'6"/3'9" Championship will feature two rounds of competition, a classic hunter round and a handy hunter round, with the top 30 horses with the highest scores after the first round advancing to the Championship Round.

Both Championships will also include additional prize money for horse-and-rider combinations piloted by Tier II Riders. Tier II Riders are those 31st or below on the Green Hunter Incentive Program rider money won three-year earnings list. This prize money is paid out across the top 10 placing horses ridden by Tier II riders in each section, based on scores prior to the Championship round, providing exhibitors more opportunities to win.

Bonus awards are also available for both the 3'0"/3'3" and 3'6"/3'9" Championships, providing special recognition and encouraging the highest standard of breeding in the United States. Special recognition and awards will be given in six categories including Thoroughbreds, Mares, American-Breds, presented by Oakwell Farms and DS Holdings, LLC, and horses that are also enrolled in the Texas Green Hunter Super Series.

Additional prizes for the Green Hunter Incentive Championships include a Best Turned Out Award, presented by Shapley's, and a Style of Riding Award. The overall champion of the 3'0"/3'3" Championship will win a CWD saddle and a NIGHTWATCH™ halter. Both the 3'0"/3'3" and 3'6"/3'9" overall champions will receive product from Championship title sponsor Platinum Performance, a cooler from The Clothes Horse, a Charles Owen helmet, a pair of Parlanti International tall boots, a riding shirt from Essex Classics, a pair of breeches from FITS Riding, and a gold medal and trophy.

Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship

The Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship will mark 11 years of champions and kick off in the Rolex Stadium on Friday, August 16, with 88 horse-and-rider combinations competing in the Classic Hunter Round over a course featuring traditional International Hunter Derby-style fences.

The week will culminate on Saturday evening, August 17, under the lights of the Rolex Stadium with the exciting Handy Hunter round. More than $251,000 in prize money will be available for Derby competitors this year.

For the Saturday evening Handy Hunter Round, riders will be grouped into two tiers based on the amount of total money earned over the last three years in International Hunter Derbies as of December 1, 2018. Tier I riders are those ranked 1-40 on the three-year earnings list, and Tier II riders are those ranked below 40th. Horse-and-rider combinations, regardless of tier, placing in the top 20 of the Classic Hunter round will be eligible for 80 percent prize money and compete in Section A of the Handy round. The top 20 Tier II horse-and-rider combinations, including those who qualified for Section A, will be eligible for 20 percent of the prize money; those not in Section A will compete in Section B of the Handy.

Additionally, the overall champion of Section A will receive a Charles Owen Helmet, a pair of FITS Breeches, a belt from Boy O Boy Bridleworks, a cooler from The Clothes Horse, an Essex Classics show shirt, a NIGHTWATCH™ halter and one year of service, product from Championship title sponsor Platinum Performance, as well as a medal and a trophy.

The overall Section A champion rider will also receive a CWD saddle, a pair of Parlanti International tall boots, and a $1,000 Rider Bonus provided by Ron Danta and Danny Robertshaw. The Section B champion rider will receive a $500 Rider Bonus provided by Ron Danta and Danny Robertshaw, FITS riding breeches, an Essex Classics show shirt and a cooler from The Clothes Horse. The winning trainer will receive a Haiku Fan from Big Ass Fans. Prizes will also be given for the Shapley's Best Turned Out Horse Award, Rider Style Award, and to the top placing Junior-owner rider and top placing Amateur-owner rider.

Additionally, the $10,000 Derby Challenge, presented by The Wheeler Family, will be held the afternoon of August 17, allowing riders that did not qualify for either Section A or Section B Handy Round to compete one more time for a substantial amount of prize money.

Barn Night

While exhibitors will be earning significant prize money, spectators will also have the chance to win prizes during the International Hunter Derby Championship. Saturday night, August 17, will not only play host to the Handy Hunter round but also USHJA Barn Night. Spectators will have the ability to watch the top hunter riders in the country compete for the International Hunter Derby Championship title, as well as a chance to win exciting prizes. The barn with the most spectators in attendance will win. Spectators should stop by the USHJA Booth located on the concourse level of the Rolex Stadium beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 17, to enter.

Wall-to-Wall Live Streaming Coverage Online

For those not able to watch the week-long competition in person, EQSportsNet, official broadcaster of the 2019 Platinum Performance/USHJA Hunter Week, will provide wall-to-wall live streaming coverage of and on demand access to every round of both Championships. Coverage includes expert commentary on the final rounds, course visualization and live scoring.

Through this partnership, USHJA and EQSportsNet will air the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship to 35 million television households through RFD-TV's Cable Television Network-The Cowboy Channel, while providing discounted access to complete live and on-demand coverage of the entire week to USHJA members.

USHJA Members can access all of EQSportsNet’s content including this year’s Platinum Performance/USHJA Hunter Week coverage at a 50 percent discount, making Silver Access $5/month or Gold Access $12.50/month (standard pricing is Silver Access $10/month, Gold Access $25/month). USHJA members can visit www.eqsports.net and enter the USHJA member area to input their member number to receive their discount code. To join the USHJA as a free Outreach member, visit ushja.org/membership.

Coverage begins on Tuesday, August 13, at 8:40 a.m. ET with the Opening Ceremonies of the Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships, followed by the first horse on course at approximately 8:45 a.m. ET.

Follow coverage from the week on the USHJA Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Or, sign up to receive daily email updates including course maps, orders of go and results.

The USHJA thanks the Official Sponsors who helped to make these championships possible, including: Charles Owen, Inc., the Official Helmet of the USHJA; CWD, the Official Saddle of the USHJA; Parlanti International, the Official Riding Boot of the USHJA; Rood & Riddle, the Official Equine Hospital and Veterinary Pharmacy; Platinum Performance, title sponsor of the Green Hunter Incentive and International Hunter Derby Championships; The Clothes Horse, the Official Cooler of the Championships; EQSportsNet, the Official Host Broadcast; Hunter Championship Award Sponsors: Big Ass Fans, Boy O Boy Bridleworks, Essex Classics, FITS Riding, and Shapley's; Supporting Sponsor Nightwatch™; Championship Welcome Reception Sponsor Kelly Sims and Windsor Stables; and Derby Challenge presenting sponsor, The Wheeler Family.

For more information including the complete schedule, orders of go, and online results for the 2019 Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships, visit www.ushja.org/GreenChampionship. For more information, including the complete schedule, orders of go and online results for the 2019 Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship, visit www.ushja.org/DerbyChampionship.

About the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association

The United States Hunter Jumper Association, as the official hunter/jumper affiliate of the United States Equestrian Federation, is a competition-based sport organization that serves our members through educational programs, awards and recognition, communication and rules. We provide a wide array of programs for all hunter/jumper levels, and we are mindful of the well-being of our equine partners. Additionally, we are committed to preserving the history of our sport and through our Foundation we support charitable and benevolent services. Learn more at ushja.org.