USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Program Member Events Kick Off for 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lexington, Ky.—Jan. 11, 2019—This week, the World Equestrian Center Winter Classic #3 in Wilmington, Ohio, kicked off the first of 62 USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Program Member Events that will take place in 2019 across the country.

Liza Boyd won the WCHR Professionals for the second year in a row in 2018. Credit: Shawn McMillen Photography

USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Member Events are determined on an annual basis by evaluating applications, member evaluations, member voting, competition standards, geographic distribution and member concentration. Member Events are organized by region with two national events each year. The USHJA WCHR Task Force selected the following competitions to host WCHR Member Events in 2019:

  • National
    • Devon Horse Show, Devon, PA, May 23-June 2, 2019
    • Capital Challenge Horse Show, Upper Marlboro, MD, Sept. 30-October 6, 2019 (features WCHR Finals)
    • Central Mountain Region
      • Scottsdale Spring Classic, Scottsdale, AZ, March 21-24, 2019
      • Colorado Spring Classic, Parker, CO, May 16-19, 2019
      • Summer In The Rockies III, Parker, CO, June 19-23, 2019
      • Summer In The Rockies V, Parker, CO, July 3-7, 2019
      • Santa Fe Summer Series - Santa Fe Fiesta, Santa Fe, NM, July 31-August 4, 2019
      • Colorado Fall Classic, Parker, CO, September 12-15, 2019
    • Mid-Atlantic Region
      • Lexington Spring Premiere, Lexington, VA, April 24-28, 2019
      • Keswick Hunt Club, Keswick, VA, May 14-19, 2019
      • Upperville Colt & Horse Show, Upperville, VA, June 3-9, 2019
      • Loudoun Benefit, Upperville, VA, June 12-16, 2019
      • Deep Run, Manakin Sabot,VA, June 19-23, 2019
      • Brandywine Valley Summer Series I, Devon, PA, June 26-30, 2019
      • Lexington National Horse Show, Lexington, VA, August 7-11, 2018
      • Middleburg Classic, Leesburg, VA, September 18-22, 2019
    • Midwest Region
      • World Equestrian Center Winter Classic #3, Wilmington, OH, January 9-13, 2019
      • Kentucky Spring, Lexington, KY, May 7-12, 2019
      • Country Heir II, Lexington, KY, June 12-16, 2019
      • Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic, Chagrin Falls, OH, July 9-14, 2019
      • Great Lakes Equestrian Festival II, Williamsburg, MI, July 10-14, 2019
      • Kentucky Summer Classic, Lexington, KY, July 24-28, 2019
      • Equifest II, Wayne, IL, July 30-August 4, 2019
      • Blue Grass Festival, Lexington, KY, August 13-18, 2019
    • Northeast Region
      • Old Salem Farm May II, North Salem, NY, May 14-19, 2019
      • The Skidmore College Saratoga Classic I, Saratoga Springs, NY, June 12-16, 2019
      • Fairfield Co. Hunt Club June, Westport, CT, June 18-22, 2019
      • Lake Placid, Lake Placid, NY, June 25-30, 2019
      • Manchester Classic, East Dorset, VT, July 17-21, 2019
      • Princeton Equestrian League July Qualifier, Princeton, NJ, July 23-27, 2019
      • Hampton Classic, Bridge Hampton, NY, August 25-September 1, 2019
    • Northwest Region
      • Spring National Hunter, Monroe, WA, April 9-14, 2019
      • Pacific Northwest H/J, Monroe, WA, May 15-19, 2019
      • Thunderbird Show Park Canadian Premiere, Langley, BC, May 22-26, 2019
      • Early Summer H/J Classic #2, Wilsonville, OR, June 19-23, 2019
      • Oregon High Desert Classic 2, Bend, OR, July 24-28, 2019
      • Summer Fort Classic, Langley, BC, August 14-18, 2019
      • Northwest Spectacular, Wilsonville, OR, August 28-September 1, 2019
      • Northwest Autumn Classic, Monroe, WA, September 11-15, 2019
    • South Central Region
      • Great Southwest Winter Series II, Katy, TX, February 6-10, 2019
      • Great Southwest Winter Series III, Katy, TX, February 13-17, 2019
      • Pin Oak Charity, Katy, TX, March 27-31, 2019
      • Pin Oak Charity Horse Show III, Katy, TX, April 3-7, 2019
      • Lone Star Round Up, Katy, TX, May 1-5, 2019
      • Show Jumping Classic, Tyler, TX, May 15-19, 2019
      • Southwest Classic, Fort Worth, TX, May 22-26, 2019
    • Southeast Region
      • WEF 6 Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, Wellington, FL, February 12-17, 2019 (features $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular)
      • Gulf Coast Midwinter IV, Gulfport, MS, February 27-March 3, 2019
      • Ocala Winter Finals, Ocala, FL, March 5-10, 2019
      • Aiken Spring Classic Masters, Aiken, SC, April 17-21, 2019
      • Aiken Charity Horse Show I, Aiken, SC, May 1-5, 2019
      • Equus Events Tryon Spring 3, Mill Spring, NC, May 15-19, 2019
      • Blowing Rock Charity I, Blowing Rock, NC, July 23-28, 2019
    • Southwest Region
      • Desert Circuit VIII, Thermal, CA, March 12-17, 2019
      • Blenheim Spring Classic IV, San Juan Capistrano, CA, April 10-14, 2019
      • Temecula Valley National I, Temecula, CA, April 17-21, 2019
      • Del Mar National Horse Show, Del Mar, CA, April 30-May 5, 2019
      • Showpark Ranch & Coast Classic, Del Mar, CA, May 7-12, 2019
      • Blenheim June Classic I, San Juan Capistrano, CA, June 5-9, 2019 (features West Coast Hunter Spectacular)
      • Giant Steps Charity Horse Shows, Petaluma, CA, July 31-August 4, 2019
      • Menlo Charity Horse Show, Atherton, CA, August 6-11, 2019

In order to earn points at WCHR Member Events toward WCHR standings and awards, competitors must be WCHR members by midnight Eastern Time of the final licensed day of the WCHR Member Event. Upon becoming a WCHR member, competitors will choose one of 9 membership categories and choose one region in which to earn points. Points are accumulated in only that category and region, and nationally. Members must contact the USHJA in writing to change their category on or before June 1. USHJA does not accept requests to change a category if received after June 1 of the qualifying year.

The World Championship Hunter Rider Program was founded to recognize and celebrate the hunter rider. Since the inaugural WCHR Professional Finals in the early 1990s, the WCHR program has expanded to include coveted year-end awards for Professionals, Developing Professionals, Amateur Owners, Adult Amateurs, Juniors, Children's and Pony riders. WCHR Program Members qualify for National and Regional Awards by earning points at Member Events held across the country throughout the qualifying year. Points from a rider's top four WCHR Member Events will be used to determine the National and Regional standings. Each year the top 10 nationally ranked riders and top six regionally ranked riders in each category, come together to compete in the WCHR Finals at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Current USHJA members may join the WCHR Program at www.ushja.org/WCHR