Wellington, FL – May 3, 2007 – The second week of competition at Horse Shows by the Bay has been awarded this year the prestigious World Champion Hunter Rider sanctioning by the American Hunter-Jumper Foundation.
The WCHR week will be held in Traverse City, MI, from July 25-29, and is part of a three-week summer equestrian festival located three miles east of the Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan. Traverse City is historically known as the cherry capital of the world, but to equestrians, it’s quickly becoming a must-do on the summer show circuit.
Attaining sanctioning from the AHJF to designate a competition as a World Champion Hunter Rider show is no easy feat, and the organization uses a system based on a clearly defined set of criteria. Members of the AHJF vote via ballots and rank the shows on a variety of aspects and standards.
The following are some aspects that are rated: footing, schooling areas, exhibitor and spectator parking, scheduling for rated hunter divisions, award presentations, ring size, judges and officials, management and staff, stabling, announcing and response to exhibitor feedback.
Many of the country’s best hunter riders will compete during the festival and WCHR week, including Tim Goguen and Safari, owned by Janet Read, winners of the 2007 American Hunter-Jumper Foundation Hunter Spectacular. Goguen will also ride Boulevard Deir, last year’s Horse Shows by the Bay Grand Hunter Champion, among others. Rob Bielefeld will return with his string of champion hunters, along with Cookie Beck with Lisa A.H. Cudahy’s mounts and the Ziegler family horses. Susan Baginski’s Baskin Farm, Ann and Skip Thornbury’s Equisports, Inc., and Jeff and Keeley Gogul’s Flagship Farm will also show.
New names that will appear on the roster include Lousie Serio’s barn Derbydown and Peter Pletcher of Texas. Serio and Pletcher each are two-time winners of the World Champion Hunter Rider Professional Finals and represented the U.S. at this year’s World Cup Team Hunter Challenge in Law Vegas. Wellington residents Ken and Emily Smith will also show with their Ashland Farm.
In addition to the WCHR week, Horse Shows by the Bay offers two more weeks of top-notch competition in a brand new venue. The festival runs from July 18 through August 5, with competition scheduled from Wednesday through Sunday of each week. Horse Sports by the Bay, Inc. produces the series and also offers Zada Enterprises, LLC’s Dressage by the Bay I and II from August 2 through August 5. Traverse City, MI, is famous for its annual cherry production, resort-like atmosphere, and mild summer climate. This year will mark the company’s fourth season of providing first class competition to the Midwest community.
Highlights of the schedule include a $25,000 Grand Prix class every Sunday, Young Jumper Classics, $30,000 in Hunter Classic prize money, $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junir/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classics, “AA” rated Hunter Divisions, World Championship Hunter Rider sanctioning, dressage exhibitions, rated dressage competitions, plus charity fundraisers and exhibitor socials.
For more information regarding Horse Shows by the Bay, please visit www.horseshowsbythebay.com.
