Harrisburg, PA - October 29, 2019 -  The 2019 Pennsylvania National Horse Show, returned to the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA, October 10-19, boasting ten days of exhilarating competition, equestrian traditions and charitable events. The 74th annual event featured over 1,400 horses with the best hunter, equitation and jumper riders from across the nation who competed for over $650,000 prize money and a multitude of prestigious championship titles.

 

Junior Weekend kicked off the prestigious event, highlighting elegance and precision as hunter riders took center stage and the first group of champions were crowned. Zone 2 won an unprecedented 13th team Gold Medal in the 2019 Neue Schule/USEF Prix des States Team Championship. The team consisted of Ned Cunniffe riding Buckle Up; Mimi Gochman aboard Street Hassle BH; Sophie Gochman riding Carola BH; Sophee Steckbeck riding Alaina; and Madison Rauschenback riding Gillette B, and rode under the guidance of their Chef d'Equipe, Ralph Caristo. Madison Goetzmann was awarded the William C. Steinkraus Style Award for best exemplifying the American style of equitation and sportsmanship.

Emma Catherine Reichow ended her Junior career in spectacular style, winning the 2019 Neue Schule/USEF National Junior Jumper Individual Championship aboard Forever Alve, her nine-year-old KWPN mare.

After a year of qualifying, 239 riders competed in the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final, and 17-year-old Emma Fletcher emerged victorious aboard Bournedale. Jordan Allen was Reserve Champion with Ashland Farms' Quite Cassini, who was presented the PNHS Best Equitation Horse Award.

The North American League (NAL) held five National Finals . H unter Champey rode Hill Top Van Het Gavershof to the win in the $12,500 NAL Low Junior/Amateur Jumper Final Presented by Horseflight, while Phoenix Cooke and Skys Burnin' Blue won the $12,500 NAL Adult Jumper Final Presented by SmartPak. Ana Ramos rode Jorno to victory in the $12,500 NAL Children's Jumper Final Presented by EquiFit. Abigail Gordon and Delightful clinched the $12,500 NAL Children's Hunter Final, and Betty Oare and Sidenote won the $12,500 NAL Adult Hunter Final.

Stephanie Bulger's Moonshot won several tri-color ribbons with Sandra Ferrell on board, winning the title of Grand Green Hunter Champion, and was awarded the PNHS Grand Hunter Championship. Bulger received the Grand Hunter Championship Owner's Award, while Karen Caristo earned the Grand Hunter Trainer's Award and the Jack Stedding Memorial Perpetual Trophy. Peter Luyckx accepted the Grooms Award for his care of the 10-year-old Holsteiner, Moonshot.

The PNHS debuted several new classes this year. Jeff Gogul rode Roberts Stables LLC's Just Ask to victory in the $25,000 Champion of Champions Winners' Stake. Taking home top honors in the $25,000 Green 3' & 3'3" Winners' Stake was Maria Rasmussen aboard Maya Grove's Business Time. Dorli Burke and Classic won the $25,000 3'3" & 3'6" Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic and took top honors as the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter 3'3" Champion. After their near-clean sweep of the division, Kelly Tropin and Chablis received the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter 3'6" Championship.

The open jumper classes were absolutely thrilling from start to finish, with challenging courses designed by FEI 4* Course Designer and Olympic silver medalist, Michel Vaillancourt. Olympic silver medalist Beat Mändli of Switzerland and Grant Road Partners LLC's Galan S produced the only clear round in the five horse jump-off to win the $60,000 Pennsylvania Big Jump . For winning the class, Mändli was presented with a new saddle from County Saddlery!

Very rarely do competitors tie in a one-round speed class, but Canada's Erynn Ballard riding Skymaster LLC's Judge Hof Ter Zeedycke and Israel's Sydney Shulman, aboard Jill Shulman's Azilis Du Mesnil, did just that in the $36,000 Keystone Classic Speed Stake, sponsored by World Equestrian Center. Both went clear during their rounds and stopped the clock at an unbeatable 52.59 seconds!

Molly Ashe-Cawley took top honors in the $134,000 Grand Prix de Penn National aboard Louisburg Farm's Adamo to conclude the 2019 PNHS. Cawley took home the winner's share of $44,220 and the Harrisburg Kiwanis Club Challenge Trophy. She was also the Open Jumper Reserve Champion and tied for the Leading Lady Rider Jumper Award with four-time Olympic veteran Beezie Madden. For his exceptional care of Adamo, Ezekiel Barcena Remigio accepted the Caretaker Award and the Moira Jane Caffarey - George L. Hennessy Memorial Perpetual Trophy. Mändli took second place in the Grand Prix aboard Galan S, as well as the Open Jumper Championship and the Leading Open Jumper Rider Award.

In support of fellow jumping rider Kevin Babington who suffered a spinal injury this summer, riders competed in items that said "Babington Strong" created by Unique Equine Designs. Sales proceeds of those products support a fund set up for Kevin. The PNHS also donated funds from the sale of some silent auction items. Grand prix winner Ashe-Cawley commented, "It's important that we all support Kevin. He's a close friend and I think it's great the way the entire show jumping community is rallying around him."

Horses and hounds were the stars during PNHS's traditional Hunt Night. Members of eight registered Hunts from all across Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia came together with their horses for friendly competition, and the members and hounds of the Kimberton Hunt entertained the crowd with a demonstration of how foxhounds work together as a pack. The Elkridge Harford Hunt Team 1 emerged victorious and Elizabeth Rock of the Bull Run Hunt was awarded the "Polly" Gingrich Caswell Perpetual Trophy as the Leading Lady Rider. Hunt Night culminated with the awarding of the Ralph A. Alfano Memorial Perpetual Trophy, which was given to the Bull Run Hunt for having acquired the most points throughout the night.

Carrying on a time-honored tradition, competitors wore formal hunting attire in the Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle competition. Ashleigh Glorioso and her 20-year-old Thoroughbred Epilogue proved unbeatable, displaying elegance, superior manners, and strong performances. The duo won both the Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Over Fences class and the Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Hack, ultimately claiming the Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Championship and Grand Duchess Perpetual Trophy, which has been awarded at the PNHS since 1987.

Foundation Friday, which highlights the work of the PNHS Foundation, featured the fourth annual Therapeutic Riding Championships. Grand Prix riders Erynn Ballard and Marilyn Little gave of their time to judge the competition and present the awards. In the Unassisted Championship, Leyna Ribner won top honors, while returning champion Charles Turnbaugh once again took home the Assisted Division Championship. The 2019 PNHS Foundation "Therapy Horse of the Year" was presented to Bulletproof, a 14-year-old American Quarter Horse, who has been very versatile performing his therapeutic duties with EquiTeam Support Services for the past three years and helping children, youth, families, and veterans.  

The PNHS inducted legendary showjumper Idle Dice into the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Hall of Fame. Rick and Didi Hornberger, longtime PNHS Trophy Committee members, were also honored as 2019 inductees.

The PNHS also hosted the Pony Up for Pink Celebrity Challenge in partnership with the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition. Familiar faces from local media teamed up to ride in a stick-horse relay race, and a total of $1,500 was donated to the Breast Cancer Coalition. The 2019 PNHS proudly partnered with Brooke USA, the US-based animal welfare nonprofit and sister organization to the leading international charity Brooke, to kick off its new campaign, "Paint America Orange."

A Big Thank You to our Sponsors

The PNHS would like to thank the impressive lineup of sponsors that supported the 2019 PNHS.

 

Presenting Sponsors:

 Title sponsors:

The PNHS welcomed Mountz Jewelers was the Official Jeweler of the 2019 Pennsylvania National Horse Show. The full list of 2019 sponsors can be found here. 

Established in 1945, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, hosts the country's top competitors in one of the largest indoor horse shows. The PNHS is USEF Premier rated for Hunters, USEF 6* and FEI CSI3* rated for Jumpers, the PNHS is a designated "USEF Heritage Competition," an honor reserved for a select group of exceptional competitions.

 

Proceeds from the horse show benefit The Pennsylvania National Horse Show Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization, providing support for therapeutic riding programs and equine rescue groups. Make plans to join us October 8-17, 2020 at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA. For more information on the show or to donate to the Foundation, please visit www.PAnational.org .