USHJA On Course

2024 marks 20 years of USHJA. As we reflect on two decades of helping to shape the equestrian landscape, we invite you to join us on our journey through our past, into our present and on to the future. Carly Anthony is the inaugural USHJA Emerging Athletes Program winner, topping the Nationals back in 2009. Now an accomplished professional in the world of Show Jumping, Carly gives back to the sport in a variety of ways, including as an active member of the EAP committee. Taking her advocacy for good horsemanship to the next level, this year Carly will serve as a Regional Training Session clinician. Tune in as we discuss her experience as an EAP participant, how it shaped her riding career, and why she just can't get enough of the program.

Today's guest comes to us straight from the 2023 Marshall & Sterling Insurance/USHJA National Championships! We caught up with Allyn Marie Creel, a Junior rider who is a veteran at the Championships with a touching story, during a quiet moment in Vegas. Hear from her on how the week went and why the Championships are so special.

Britt McCormick is a judge, course designer, trainer and the newly elected President of USHJA. With years of sport governance experience and a degree in organizational leadership, Britt has served on the USHJA Board of Directors and Executive Committee as well as a variety of USHJA and USEF committees and task forces. After a 15-month transition period, Britt will take office at the conclusion of the 2024 USHJA Annual Meeting. Tune in as we chat about his passion for the sport and his vision for the future of USHJA.

Archie Cox is a rider, trainer and judge based out of his own Brookway Stables in California. In the judges box, he holds his "R" Hunter and Equitation cards, notably judging the 2021 ASPCA Maclay Finals. As a trainer, he has guided numerous riders to top placings in the country's most popular equitation finals, including the USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic, presented by Emory and Henry College; ASPCA Maclay Finals; USEF Show Jumping Talent Search and USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final. Tune in as we hear from him about what he looks for when judging equitation classes, his favorite test to ask and how he likes to prepare a rider for Finals season.

We just wrapped up a week of top Hunter competition at the Kentucky Horse Park, where over $500,000 in prize money was awarded throughout our annual Platinum Performance/USHJA Hunter Championship Week. In this episode, instead of being joined by a guest, we are recapping the week's best moments and hearing from all of our newly crowned champions just moments after they were awarded their titles.

As groom to U.S. Olympian Laura Kraut, Margo Thomas spends her days taking care of horses competing at the top of Show Jumping. Throughout her 10 years as a professional groom, she has had her hand in the Tokyo Olympics Team Silver and has cared for a string of top horses at competitions around the world. Join us as we chat about what it takes to be a head groom, her best tricks of the trade, why Confu is one of her favorite horses to care for and just HOW she keeps him so clean.

A longtime Hunter rider, Maya Schneider recently made the switch to the Jumper ring where she and her horse, Noble, were members of the winning 1.10/1.15m Adult Amateur Jumper team at the 2022 Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships in Saugerties. She's also an active participant in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts as a member of USHJA's DEI committee and a manager of the @blackequestrians Instagram account. Tune in as we chat all about her transition to Jumpers and her passion for inclusion in our sport.

From the saddle to the judge's booth, Joe Dotoli has an extensive history in the Hunter/Jumper sport. He has presided over show rings across the country; has had his hands in the makings of events and venues such as the New England Equitation Championships, HITS and Ox Ridge Hunt Club; and along with his wife Fran, is the trainer behind the beginnings of Olympic gold medalist Peter Wylde. Joe also has a strong passion for safety as chair of USHJA's Safety Committee. In the early 2000s, he spearheaded the rule that requires riders to wear helmets on showgrounds and recently led the charge to raise funds for the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab's testing. With the first round of testing done, Joe has his sights set on testing the newest form of safety equipment: air vests.

We caught Joe after a day of judging in Ocala to discuss his impact on the sport and the future of rider safety. Tune in and read more from Joe about the importance of helmets in the March 2023 issue of In Stride at ushja.org/instride.

Welcome to the first episode of 2023! In this episode, we are joined by Ryder Richardson. Ryder is involved in and out of the saddle with the Hunter/Jumper sport. With USHJA, he is active on committees, was a Gochman Grant for USEF Pony Finals recipient in 2018 and received the USHJA Youth Leadership Award in 2021. In 2022, Richardson was awarded the USEF Youth Sportsman's Award after receiving nominations from USHJA and the American Connemara Pony Society. In addition to competing in the Jumpers, Richardson founded Joy Ryder, an organization that aims to promote inclusivity and opportunities within the equestrian community, and advocates for mental health awareness.

CONTENT WARNING: This podcast episode discusses topics related to depression and suicide, which may be triggering or difficult for some listeners. Specific discussion of these topics are at 10:48-11:12 and 14:37-16:58. If you or someone you know is struggling with these issues, please seek support from a mental health professional or contact a crisis hotline.

In this episode we are joined by Anne Sherwood, an adult amateur rider who topped the inaugural USHJA 3'3" Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final - West in September. After taking a break from riding and traveling the world as a photojournalist, Anne has returned to the ring with her sights set on Adult Equitation. Tune in to hear what brought her back to the sport; why she loves it now more than ever; and how she balances being a rider, a mother and a photographer.

In this episode, we are joined by Teagan DeJong. A Junior rider based in Canada, Teagan spends her time competing in the U.S. and in her home country. Most recently, she competed as the only Junior in the second annual USHJA Young Jumper Championships in Traverse City, Michigan, with Genesis Z. Affectionately known as Ramses, Teagan and the warmblood gelding finished fourth in the 5-Year-Old championship amid competitive company. Tune in to hear her why she chose to bring up a young horse and where the duo hopes to go next.

In this episode, we are joined by equestrian and Miss California USA 2021, Sabrina Lewis. Sabrina is an avid rider, having participated in the USHJA Emerging Athletes Program in 2017, captained her IHSA team at UC Berkeley, and recently took to the Jumper and Equitation rings at her first rated show. Outside the saddle, she trades her tall boots for heels and was crowned Miss California USA in 2021. Her passion for public service has led her to work with the Compton Junior Equestrians and Best Buddies. Tune in to hear how ponies and pageants relate and how she got into both worlds.

This month we are wrapping up four months of highlighting all things USHJA. June is Equitation month and we are celebrating with a replay of one of our most loved episodes with equitation superstar Ellie Ferrigno. Originally recorded in September of 2020, right after she took third in the 2020 USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic - East, Ellie was an expert in the equitation ring during her junior years and has continued her success on Auburn University's NCEA team and in all three rings as an amateur. Whether you're hearing it for the first time or back for a re-listen, we hope you enjoy this special replay.

This month we are celebrating Jumpers with Zoie Brogdon, a young rider who is making her mark on the sport in more ways than one. Zoie got her start in the horse world through the Compton Junior Equestrians and now has a few 1.10/1.15m national championships under her belt. In 2021, she topped Zones 9 and 10's Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships, claiming individual gold, and took reserve champion in the USEF/USHJA 1.10/1.15m Children's Jumper National Championship at the 2021 Marshall & Sterling Insurance/USHJA National Championships. She ended the year as the 1.10/1.15m HOTY Champion in Zone 10. Join me as we talk about her love of Jumpers and how she is making strides toward bettering the sport both in and out of the saddle.

This month's guest is helping us celebrate Jumper Month, the third of four months that highlight everything USHJA has to offer its members, from education to equitation. Follow along on social media with #WeAreUSHunterJumper so you don't miss a thing.

Welcome back to USHJA On Course! This month we are celebrating all things Hunters with an episode featuring one of USHJA's latest champions, Geoffrey Hesslink. Geoffrey recently added another big win to his list of accomplishments in the Hunter ring when he won this year's $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular. As a young professional, he has brought clients to great success in all three rings alongside his partner Brendan Williams and their co-founded Hesslink Williams LLC. Listen in as we discuss where he got his start, how he battles his show ring nerves, and what this WCHR win means to him.

This month's guest is helping us celebrate Hunter Month, the second of four months that highlight everything USHJA has to offer its members, from education to equitation. Follow along on social media with #WeAreUSHunterJumper so you don't miss a thing. Then join us on Instagram on Friday, April 29th at 6 PM Eastern Time as Bethany Lee of My Equestrian Style hosts  Amanda Steege and Augusta Iwasaki to answer your questions live. You just might win a special prize from our sponsors! Be sure to also listen to The Equestrian Podcast to learn more about these two top hunter riders.

Enjoy meeting multi-disciplined equestrian, Lizzy Traband, in this month's episode! Lizzy has participated in everything from trick riding to para-dressage to the Hunter, Jumper and Equitation rings. She is a past recipient of multiple USHJA grants, including the $25,000 Hamel Family Scholarship for Further Education Scholarship and the now discontinued Making a Dream Grant; is also a two-time Emerging Athletes Program National Finalist; was USHJA's Nominee for the USEF Youth Sportsman Award; and was named the USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year in 2016. After a successful collegiate career and a turn in Germany, she is now a young professional set on making her mark on the Hunter/Jumper industry. Tune in as we chat about her journey through the sport.

Wren Blae Zimmerman is a Jumper rider who has a unique story. Diagnosed with Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy, Wren is legally blind but doesn't let that stop her from her riding goals. With no recognized para-equestrian discipline for Hunter/Jumpers, she competes against able-bodied riders on her mission to change the perception about what those that are blind and visually impaired are capable of. Hear from her about how she persevered in the saddle and how we can further the sport for others with disabilities.

Thank you to Brian Bowman for the theme music.

Caitlin Creel is an amateur Jumper rider who used her voice to speak up about the rule change proposal put forward by the USHJA Joint Amateurs Task Force in late 2020. Caitlin's petition quickly caught the eye of Task Force members, fostering a pivotal conversation that helped lead to revaluation of the amateur rules as a whole. Now, Caitlin sits on the USEF Amateur Task Force with the purpose of reviewing the existing rules defining USEF amateur status. The future of the rules regarding amateurs is sure to change, and Caitlin can put her name down as a catalyst for what is to come. In this episode, hear from her about what sparked this passion for amateur representation and how those members are bettering the sport.

Thank you to Brian Bowman for the theme music.

An advocate for giving back to the equestrian sport, Rob Jacobs is the founder of the Robert Lawrence House of Opportunity, has long been involved with the USHJA Gochman Grant for USEF Pony Finals, and sits on the USHJA's Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy Committee. He is also a rider and trainer, recently relocating to California as the assistant trainer for Archie Cox at Brookway Stables. In this episode, hear more from him about how he is changing to sport for the better in a variety of ways.

Thank you to Brian Bowman for the theme music.

At just 13 years old, Campbell Hudkins had a pretty amazing 2020. After spending her time off during the COVID-19 pandemic fundraising for USHA's Feed Aid program, she won the EMO Insurance/USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal Final - East at the Capital Challenge Horse Show after rising 75 placings through three phases. She wrapped up the year as the recipient of the USHJA Youth Leadership Award for her philanthropic efforts and leadership in the sport. Join us as we chat about her successful year both in and out of the saddle and what is in store for her next.

Thank you to Brian Bowman for the theme music.

This episode's guest is Jane DaCosta, founder and executive director of the Metropolitan Equestrian Team. A longtime rider and passionate horsewoman, Jane founded MET in 2010 with the mission to provide aspiring athletes in grades 3-12 with the opportunity to participate in equestrian sport and educational opportunities, regardless of their socioeconomic status. In addition to running the non-profit organization, which is an official affiliate organization of the USHJA, Jane sits on the USHJA's Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy Committee and is committed to opening stall doors to future equestrians from all walks of life. Let's hear more from Jane herself on how MET has changed the lives of so many riders and how we can encourage diversity in the sport.

Thank you to Brian Bowman for the theme music.

Caitlyn Shiels is the owner and head trainer of True North Stables, based out of Illinois and Florida. After her years of success a junior, including claiming gold at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, Caitlyn is a seasoned competitor, now having competed in multiple USHJA International Hunter Derby Championships, WCHR events and more. We chat with her at the end of 2020 about being a professional in the industry and staying positive through life's setbacks.

Thank you to Brian Bowman for the theme music!

In episode six of USHJA On Course we're joined by equestrian legend, Anne Kursinski. A five-time Olympian, author, clinician and international competitor, Anne has a passion for the sport unlike many. She is currently the Chef d’Equipe for the U.S. Show Jumping Development program, as well as a longtime clinician of the USHJA Emerging Athletes Program and has mentored riders at the USHJA Gold Star Clinics. Her riding resume lists accomplishments from 1983 to present, including being a member of 47 United States Nations Cup Teams and competing in 10 World Cup Finals, plus being inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 2017. I caught up with Anne to chat about some of her favorite memories in the show ring and what she, as an important figure in our sport's development, sees for the future of hunter/jumper competition.

Thank you to Brian Bowman for the theme music!

We're back with episode five of USHJA On Course and Jacob Pope, a special guest who has become a bit of a posterchild for one of USHJA's esteemed education programs. Jacob put himself on the top of the industry's radar when he won the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund/USHJA Emerging Athletes Program in 2011, carrying that momentum into the following years to top the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals - East and the ASPCA Maclay National Championship in 2012 and help claim team gold at the 2015 FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships. After finishing college and competing as an amateur, Jacob turned pro and is now a rider and trainer with Team Rakowsky. Hear from Jacob himself about how EAP shaped the rider he has become and what is next for him in the sport.

Thank you to Brian Bowman for the theme music!

If you've watched any equitation finals in recent years, you've definitely heard Ellie Ferrigno's name. But she is a seasoned competitor in all three rings, having claimed the Overall Grand Championship in the 3’6’’ section of the 2019 USEF Junior Hunter National Championships – East Coast, the 2019 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – East, and most recently taking third in the 2020 USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic - East, presented by Intermont Equestrian at Emory & Henry College. We caught up with Ellie a few days after the Gladstone Cup, amidst the stabling in Traverse City, to chat about her successful junior career and what the future holds.

Thank you to Brian Bowman for the theme music!

We're so excited to be joined by Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta of Beaver River Farm in Camden, South Carolina, and Danny and Ron's Rescue. You may know them from their equine endeavors--both have trained riders and horses to compete at the industry's most prestigious events, while Danny is a renowned judge and Ron has devoted countless hours to the USHJA as chair of the USHJA International Hunter Derby & Incentive Task Force--or from the incredible dog rescue they started in 2005. These two have certainly dedicated their lives to animals in incredible ways, so join us as we hear how they became horse obsessed, how they juggle it all, and what keeps them motivated to keep doing what they do for the animals in their lives.

Thank you to Brian Bowman for our theme music.

Owner of Lafitte de Muze, Cheryl Olsten is this month's guest—if you haven't heard her name, you've definitely heard of her horse, Lafitte, who took home the honor of 2019 WCHR Horse of the Year with expert hunter rider Amanda Steege.  On top of owning horses, Cheryl is a passionate writer and publisher with a children's book hitting shelves later this year, based on her incredible horse. Listen to hear from Cheryl herself about her commitment to ownership, her goals for Lafitte in the future, and how her book, Big Wishes for Little Feat, came to be. 

Thank you to Brian Bowman for our theme music.

Welcome to the very first episode of USHJA On Course, the brand new podcast from the United States Hunter Jumper Association. Today we are sitting down with Victoria Colvin to chat about what goes into her winning strategy. Tori has an impressive record, to say the least, in all three rings of our sport and has been involved in many numerous USHJA competitive programs. She's won the WCHR Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular six times and has dominated the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championships three times, being the first to do so on three different horses. Let's hear more from Tori herself about how she's made it to where she is and what some of her secrets behind her riding and training are.

Thank you to Brian Bowman for our theme music.

Welcome to USHJA On Course, the official podcast of the United States Hunter Jumper Association. From beyond the competition arena, we'll introduce you to aspects of the sport you've always wanted to know more about, tricks of the trade from prominent members of the community and even reveal some topics you may have never thought of. Tune in each month as we chat with top juniors, amateurs and professionals all across the industry to discuss the latest happenings in the sport and how it is changing all of our lives.

Thank you to Brian Bowman for our theme music.