The 2021 USHJA Annual Meeting, presented by Equicore, was held virtually December 4-10 and featured board and committee meetings, a State of the Association presentation from President Mary Knowlton, the Evening of Equestrians Awards, educational sessions and more. Click the links below to read more:

The 2021 USHJA Annual Meeting, presented by Equicore, featured the Evening of Equestrians on Saturday, December 4.

David Distler, of West Palm Beach, Florida was one of the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award this year. Recipients have dedicated their lives to furthering the disciplines of Hunters and Jumpers on a national platform.

Dr. Laurel Blakemore, of Williston, Florida, is the recipient of the USHJA Amateur Sportsmanship Award.

Carlota Goyeneche, of Key Biscayne, Florida, is this year's USHJA Nominee for the USEF National Youth Sportsman's Award

Daniel Geitner, of Aiken, South Carolina, is the recipient of this year's Dash for Cash Award.

Eleanor Woodward, of Germantown, Tennessee, received a Licensed Official Emeritus Honorary Distinction.

The inaugural Zone 4 Team Hunter Challenge took place November 27-28, 2021 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida.

The SFHJA Charity Horse Show hosted the event along with the Zone 4 Finals. Eighteen 2'6" and 3' Children and Adult Hunter riders participated in the event.

The five teams of mixed riders carried scores from their regular division classes on Saturday over to the Final Classic Round on Sunday, which decided the overall team scores. The Champion Team consisted of entries Tricia Barr and Party Started, Hailey Guidry and Everglade VDL, and Addison Buckley and Treviot Magic. Tricia Barr was also the High Point Adult Rider with Hailey Guidry as the High Point Children's Rider. Page Tredennick won the Sunday Final Classic Round on her Tomcat.

Thank you to all of the participating riders!

The first year of the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Regional Championships wrapped up after five championships were held across the country. North, North Central, South, South Central and Southwest regions saw champions crowned throughout the year.

The Aiken Fall Festival I hosted the South Championship, September 8-12 in Aiken, South Carolina. Megan Rosenthal, of Charlotte, North Carolina, rode The Pirate Bay, owned by Fairy Tale Farms, LLC, to the top tricolor. Reserve went to Elizabeth Boyd, of Camden, South Carolina, and Gigi Manigault's Walk-Off.

Twelve new champions were honored as the Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Regional Championships expanded from five to six competitions in 2021.

The North Carolina Hunter Jumper Association Annual Horse Show hosted the South Championship, June 30-July 4 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The 3’0”/3’3” section saw Sarah Tyndall, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Karen Robinson Dickman’s First and Goal won the title. Taylor Shearin, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Mary Shearin’s Lemieux took reserve. In the 3’6”/3’9” section, Chris Wynne, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Terrie McLeskey’s Landon took the top prize, and Erin Dombroski, of Grimesland, North Carolina, and Diane Semer’s Spider Too took reserve.

The USHJA Recognized Riding Academy Program acknowledges lesson programs, riding facilities, equestrian schools, and other types of educational equestrian programs that emphasize horsemanship and sportsmanship, promote safety, and offer introductory hunter/jumper lessons. Learn more.

Interested in joining the program? Applications are coming soon.

Are you new to the sport and looking for a reliable facility that focuses on horsemanship and safety with a written curriculum? Click here to view the listing of USHJA Recognized Riding Academies.

The USHJA is helping members Know Before You Show with a simple guide of rule changes taking effect for the new competition year. Click here for a comprehensive list of rule changes that were approved in 2021 for the 2022 competition year and here for the complete 2022 USEF Rulebook.

Click here to view important rule changes effective December 1, 2021, for the 2022 competition year that affect Hunter/Jumper competition.

The Georgia Hunter Jumper Association Medal Finals concluded Saturday, November 20. Winners included Pony Medal Champion Lila Kissell (pictured). The JD Pounds Champion is Ryan Kenny. The Adult Medal and GHJA Equitation Challenge Champion is Allison Howard.

All winners received extra awards from USHJA since GHJA is an Affiliate. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to USHJA for the Affiliate Awards! Photo provided.

The ANRC National Equitation Championships are an invitational team competition for

college, junior, adult amateur, and ANRC alumni teams that join ANRC.

No need to qualify! Everyone is welcome to join ANRC now through 2022.

New this year, organizations may enter multiple teams in each division. Learn more.

The USHJA Zone 4 Facebook page features important information, photos, upcoming events, news articles and more for our members.

Click here to view the page.

Thank you to the members on the Zone 4 Committee for representing our zone: