The North Carolina Hunter Jumper Association Horse Show Heads South 

By Emily Grace Swinson 

Amidst the closings, the restrictions of different phases and other challenges brought on by COVID, the North Carolina Hunter Jumper Association (NCHJA) moved its AA Premier-rated Annual Horse Show to South Carolina.  Bruce’s Field at Aiken Horse Park welcomed the show to their beautiful facility.  The show managed by South Bound Management and Patrick Rodes had a few more obstacles to navigate to accommodate USEF COVID compliance in a new state, new facility, relocating officials, crew, staff and volunteers for the event.  As the event start date arrived, travel restrictions kept the manager in New York and Andy Christion stepped up to manage the show on-site. NCHJA Board members and two USEF stewards worked tirelessly to ensure a fun and safe horse show.  Temperatures were taken upon entering the facility, staff, crew and volunteers were also checked daily, masks were worn, hand sanitizers passed out and available, disposable gloves available and surfaces disinfected periodically.  It was challenging, but everyone seemed to pull together in the spirit of being able to horse show once again. 

The NCHJA Annual Horse Show is known for its “Southern Hospitality” and daily social gatherings.  COVID prevented the usual events from taking place this year, but the NCHJA Board and Horse Show Committees found creative ways to add little touches of southern charm during the show.  Sonya Thigpen and Sara Steady planned and hosted the Medal Finals Luncheon again this year.  They limited the gathering to just a few at a time. The numbers for the draw were cleverly hand painted on custom sewn facial masks; the finalists also received a gift and a boxed lunch to go.  The junior committee headed by Devney Hoft and Sophie Bray arranged for an ice cream truck to visit the horse show one afternoon where all attending juniors could select their favorite ice cream compliments of NCHJA.  Vicki Autry, chair of the hospitality committee had the most beautiful (and delicious) decorated sugar cookies made especially for the horse show to pass out to the exhibitors.   

The 38th Annual Horse Show was host to almost 400 horses in this new venue in South Carolina which features hunt seat, jumper, equitation and hunter breeding classes.  The foundation of this horse show is its medal finals; the NCHJA Pony Medal, the NCHJA Children’s Medal, the EJ Haun Memorial Medal and the Bryan Jones Adult Medal Final.  The winners of each of the medal finals are awarded a $1000 educational grant.   The NCHJA Annual Show hosted for the third year in a row the $15,000 USHJA Green Hunter South regional Championships (offered at two different heights).  Other special classes include the USHJA $7500 National Hunter Derby, the USHJA $5000 Pony Derby and $500 Wee Derby.   

Aside from the move south and the new location for this year, the horse show had other reasons to look different in many other ways.  Aside from a few parents and a barn friend or two, there were no spectators, fewer whoop whoops and fewer claps ringside.  It was sometimes difficult to recognize our friends behind masks and people stood far apart and waved rather than hugged.  But, at the end of it all, we were able to get off the farm, show our horses and to see one another again…..we had fun! 

NCHJA Annual Horse Show Winners:

NCHJA Pony Medal – Wicklyn’s Princess Fiona, ridden and owned by Lucy Rabb 
NCHJA Children’s Medal – Big Bang, ridden and owned by Olivia Lonneman 
EJ Haun Medal – Let It Go – ridden and owned by Derek Holt 
Bryan Jones Medal – Skywalker, ridden and owned by Sara Steady 
Green Hunter Incentive South Regional Championship 3’6”-3’9” – Executive Privilege, ridden by Tommi Clark and owned by Stephen Borders 
Green Hunter Incentive South Regional Championship 3’-3’3” – Mr. Manhattan, ridden by Daniel Geitner and owned by Martin Schlaeppi 
USHJA National Derby – Camelot BF – ridden by Brian Feigus and owned by Hammer-Jadick Hunters, LLC. 
USHJA Pony Derby – Gayfields Easy Button ridden by Cecelia Caldwell and owned by Andrea Guzinski 
Wee Derby – Fleur de Nuit, ridden by Karley Grieser and owned by Jan Seawell 
Best Child Rider on a Pony – Lucy Rabb 
Best Child Rider on a Horse – Haley Barnes
Best Young Pony – Orchard Hills Sand Dollar owned by Orchard Hill Farm Ponies 
Best Young Horse – Caron Poivre owned by Alaina Brooks 

Emily Grace Swinson, NCHJA member, past junior Board member, showing as a 16 year old in the junior hunter division and the equitation.