Hunter

When Truth Samuels walks into the show ring aboard A Colorful Affair, heads tend to turn. Iggy and Truth at the 2025 Adequan/USEF Junior Hunter Championship – East (©Winslow Photography, Courtesy of the Samuels family) Known around the barn as "Iggy," the striking Danish pinto stands out in a sea of bay and chestnut hunters. His unique coloring draws compliments from fellow competitors and spectators alike, but according to Samuels, it's what's behind those colorful markings...

1. JHNC was established in 2001 The championship made its inaugural debut in 2001, with the East Coast event taking place at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone, N.J. Courtney McKay secured the first title aboard Aspen Grove Ranch’s Onyx. 2. 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the championship ©US Equestrian 3. The Championship is held on both coasts The 2026 East Coast Championship is set at the iconic Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., from June 17-21....

From the moment she could talk, Savanna McMichael had one request for anyone who would listen: a real pony. Not a stuffed animal from Build-A-Bear, a real one. Now at 17, the O'Fallon, Missouri, junior hunter rider has turned the early obsession into a decorated competitive career, a Division I college commitment, and a partnership with one very special horse named Latido. A Childhood Dream Becomes Reality Savanna's love of horses was apparent almost from birth. By age three, she was...

It takes courage to walk away from something you love and an even rarer kind to walk back in 40 years later as if no time has passed at all. For Teri Bohl, a now-68-year-old adult amateur hunter rider based in Lexington, Ky., that walk back wasn't just a return to the sport, it was a reclamation of herself. Horses From the Beginning Teri's relationship with horses didn't start in a ring, but at the racetrack. Growing up in upstate New York, her family was steeped in Thoroughbred...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Adequan®/USEF Junior Hunter National Championships – East Grants, generously provided by Split Rock Jumping Tour. ©US Equestrian The grants are awarded to ten participants competing at the 2026 Adequan®/USEF Junior Hunter National Championships – East at the Kentucky Horse Park from June 17-21, 2026, in Lexington, Ky. They will cover the costs associated with one stall fee, division...

Lafitte De Muze partnered with trainer Amanda Steege and owner Cheryl Olsten in the fall of 2017, arriving in the United States as a six-year-old. Now, entering their ninth year together, Steege and Lafitte returned to the Dixon Oval to defend their place as one of the most accomplished and recognizable hunter partnerships in the sport. Early Success Photo provided by Steege In 2017, Steege received a video from Gerd Schonebeck of a powerful Belgian Warmblood he had for sale in Germany. Seeing...

Nabisco and Elise Iafrate | ©US Equestrian Founded in 1896 in Devon, Pa., the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair began as a one-day event featuring approximately thirty classes. Now, 130 years later, it stands as the oldest and largest outdoor multi-breed show in North America. Taking place May 20 – 31, 2026, this historic event draws equestrians from across the country, as well as local fans, for 12 days of world-class competition, exhibitions, and cherished traditions. Designated a...

"Little Orchid" and Justin showing at Ledges in the late 90s. At 10 a.m. sharp, Orchid Bertelsen was ready. Forms filled out. Credit card saved. Filters pre-selected. Cursor hovering. “It’s literally like trying to get Taylor Swift tickets,” she said, laughing. The mission? Summer camp registration. “In previous years, it was fully booked by 10:03,” she explained. “So, the night before, I needed to make sure everything was filled out. I needed to make sure my...

Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian would like to invite those eligible to apply for the 2026 USEF Junior Hunter National Championship – East Grants. The grants, provided by Split Rock Jumping Tour, will be awarded to ten (10) Junior Hunter National Championship East participants and will cover the costs associated with one (1) stall fee, division fees, ticketed schooling, and other standard showing fees (excluding third party vendor costs). ©Avery Wallace/US Equestrian “Split Rock...

Catherine Lee’s love for horses began not in the heart of horse country, but on the tropical island of Guam where riding wasn’t part of the culture, and access to horses was limited. There, on the small U.S. territory in the western Pacific Ocean, horses entered her life through something simple: slow trail rides that were organized by her father for their family on Sundays. Equestrian sports are nearly non-existent on the island. What may have started as a novelty became a...

It has been proven that athletes improve fastest when they can see what happened, analyze the truth of their performance, reflect on it, and measure their progress over time. While professional athletes can watch replays of their game or competition, amateurs—especially equestrians—haven’t had the benefit of being able to watch themselves perform … until now. Pivo Equestrian features 360-degree rotation that tracks your horse’s movement as you go around the arena...

Georganna Parker, Judy Nielson and Bobby Shazam celebrating a 5th place finish; photo courtesy of Callie Dodson Most of us relish the idea of a guardian angel looking out for us in our time of need, but rarely does that dream become a reality. For 14-year-old Georganna Parker, from Greer, S.C., her guardian angel came in the form of Las Vegas-based trainer Judy Nielson. Georganna was over the moon when she received an invitation to apply for the USHJA National Championships in Las Vegas, Nev....