Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships

Playbook, owned by Fashion Farm and ridden by Scott Stewart, took home the title of Champion and $42,492 in prize money across all three rounds of the 2017 Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championship. Photo credit: Shawn McMillen Photography

 

Returning for the sixth consecutive year, the Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships will see nearly 200 horses compete for more than $260,000 in prize money over three days of competition. Beginning at approximately 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, August 14, the 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. 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, 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 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 bonus prize money is paid out across the top 10 placing Tier II riders in each section, based on cumulative scores prior to the Championship round, providing competitors more opportunities to win.

Bonus awards will also return for the 3'0"/3'3" 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 and horses that are also enrolled in the Texas Green Hunter Super Series.

Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship

Cuba, owned by John and Stephanie Ingram, LLC and ridden by Victoria Colvin, earned more than $46,352 and the title of champion in the 2017 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship. Photo credit: Tricia Booker/USHJA

The week will culminate on Saturday evening, August 18, under the lights of the Rolex Stadium with the exciting Handy Hunter round. More than $300,000 in prize money will be available for Derby competitors this year, a record amount as the Championship celebrates its 10th 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, 2017. 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, Professional's Choice Pro-Mesh Sport Boots, a pair of FITS Breeches, a cooler from The Clothes Horse, an Essex Classics show shirt, a gift from Envisian, 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. 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 will be held the afternoon of August 19, allowing riders that did not qualify for either Section A or Section B Handy Round to take home 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 18, 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 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 18, 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 2018 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 will receive a 50 percent discount on their monthly EQSportsNet subscription by inputting coupon code USHJA2018 when subscribing. With this discount, Silver Access is just $5.00 for members and includes both live and on demand coverage of the championships. Gold Access is just $12.50 and includes the ability to search more than 23,000 videos from the most prestigious competitions of 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Coverage begins on Tuesday, August 14, at 8:40a.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.

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; Professional's Choice, the Official Horse 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: Essex Classics, FITS Riding, and Shapley's; and Supporting Sponsors Envisian and Nightwatch™.

For more information including the complete schedule, orders of go, and online results for the 2018 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 2018 Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship, visit www.ushja.org/IHDChampionship.