Bonus awards return to 2018 Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lexington, Ky. --- --Aug. 10, 2018 --- - Each year the Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships boasts impressive prize money and tremendous recognition for its competitors paid out across multiple rounds of competition. This year, again, USHJA will offer six bonus awards to the 3'/3'3" Championship competitors, providing special recognition and encouraging the highest standard of breeding in the United States. 

"Colleen and I are so proud of the incredible growth of this program" said Ron Danta, chair of the USHJA International Hunter Derby and Incentive Task Force. "Enrollment has surpassed our goals and owners are proudly wanting to own Green Incentive horses!"

Bonus awards will be presented for the following categories, during the 2018 Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships, which will be held August 14-16 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington:

$5,000 High Score American-Bred Award In Remembrance of Candie Owens, Presented by Oakwell Farms and DS Holdings, LLC
The American-Bred Bonus will be awarded to the horse with the highest cumulative score from the first and second rounds of the Championship that was declared as American-Bred upon enrollment in the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Program. The winning horse and owner will have their names engraved on a perpetual trophy and will receive a bonus check for $5,000, a ribbon, a cooler and a keeper trophy. This award has been dedicated to the memory of Candie Owens, a true horsewoman whose love of the sport and selfless dedication to it in front of and behind the scenes helped in getting this program started.
 
$2,500 High Score Texas Super Series
The Texas Green Hunter Super Series Bonus will award a ribbon, cooler and $2,500 to the horse with the highest cumulative score from the first and second rounds of the Championship that is enrolled in the Texas Green Hunter Super Series. Established in 2012, the Texas Green Hunter Super Stake Series offers a series of 22 additional Stake Classes each offering a minimum of $2,500 throughout Texas that are open to all horses enrolled in the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Program. Earnings are tracked for horses, riders, and owners, and annual bonuses based on year-end standings are awarded in conjunction with the series' $25,000 added Final Championship, also open to all enrolled horses. To date, the series has paid out nearly $1 million. For more information, visit www.superseriesgroup.com .
 
Texas-bred Davidson (Cabana --- --Ellie) a 6-year-old, chestnut Hanoverian gelding owned by Dana Vollbracht, trained by Suzy Balenseifen and ridden by Amberlee Wentz, earned both the American-Bred and Texas Super Series bonus awards in 2017. For these two bonus awards, Volbracht earned a check for $7,500 on top of Championship prize money. Credit: Louise Taylor/USHJA

High Score Thoroughbred Award
The Thoroughbred Bonus will be awarded to the horse with the highest cumulative score from the first and second rounds of the Championship that was declared as a Thoroughbred during enrollment. The winner will receive a ribbon, cooler and a b ridle.
 
High Score Sallie B. Wheeler/US National Hunter Breeding Championship Alumni Award
The Sallie B. Wheeler/US National Hunter Breeding Championship Alumni Bonus will be awarded to the horse with the highest cumulative score from the first and second rounds of the Championship that is a Sallie B. Wheeler/US National Hunter Breeding Championship Alumni. To be considered for this award, exhibitors must complete the Hunter Breeding form prior to competing in the championship. The winner will receive a ribbon, a cooler and a bridle. 
 
The Sallie B. Wheeler/US Hunter Breeding Championship was created in 2002 to increase awareness of the Hunter Breeding section and provide an arena for handlers, owners, and breeders to showcase their talented young horses. The Championships, East and West, are open to yearlings, two-year olds, and three-year olds that have a current USEF Horse Recording and are registered with USHJA. Classes are judged on conformation, way of moving, quality, substance, and suitability to become hunters. For more information, visit usef.org .
 
High Score 4 & 5-Year-Old Award
The High Score 4 & 5-Year-Old Bonus Award will be awarded to the horse that is either four or five years old, and earns the highest cumulative score from round one and round two of the Championship. Horses will automatically be eligible for this award upon program enrollment. The winner will receive a ribbon, cooler and a bridle.
 
High Score Mare Award
The High Score Mare Award will be awarded to the mare with the highest cumulative score from the first and second rounds of the Championship. Horses will automatically be eligible for this award upon program enrollment. The winner will receive a ribbon, cooler and a bridle.
 
The 2018 Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships will expand to include a championship for Green Hunters competing at 3'6" and 3'9", in addition to the 3'/3'3" Championship. Horses must be enrolled in the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Program and compete in a minimum of two USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Stake Classes between December 1, 2016, and July 25, 2018, to be eligible to compete in the Championships. A Premium Entry Option is available for horses who were not able to qualify through the standard process, allowing them the opportunity to compete for a record amount of prize money.

Championship prize money topped $218,000 in 2017 and in 2018, 65 percent of annual enrollment fees, 70 percent of entry fees and 100 percent of the Premium Entry Option fees will make up the total prize money for the Championships, less $25,000 allocated toward the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Regional Championships, new to the 2018 competition year. Bonus awards offered for the 3'0"/3'3" section are in addition to prize money and other recognition that will be awarded across the three rounds of the 3'0"/3'3" Championship and the 3'0"/3'3" section Tier II Rider Bonus.

The annual Championships have generated more than $1 million in prize money for Green Hunters, and since the program's inception in December 2012, more than $2.3 million in prize money has been paid out across the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive series and championship. Learn more at ushja.org/GreenIncentive

The Championships will be available live and on demand on EQSportsNet at  eqsports.net. USHJA members receive a 50 percent discount on their subscription using the code USHJA2018 at the time of checkout.  

Media Contact:
Megan Lacy
(859) 225-6723



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