Lexington, Ky. – April 1, 2019 – The team at the National Horse Show is thrilled to announce its all-new Outreach Program that has been designed to fund educational and developmental initiatives for equestrian youths. In continuing with its mission to improve the prestigious horse show and allow it to grow with each passing year, the NHS Outreach Program will give back to the equestrian community that has supported the show since its inception in 1883. This year’s National Horse Show will run from Oct. 25 – Nov. 3, 2019 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
“I am honored to see the National Horse Show create a new outreach program. The program will include the existing Leo Conroy Equitation Grant in addition to new educational offerings and group support initiatives for our junior riders,” remarked Jennifer Burger, president of the National Horse Show.
The National Horse Show Outreach Program is supported by tax-deductible donations specifically earmarked for its four objectives for this year’s event: the Leo Conroy Equitation Grant, an internship program, a junior leadership program and educational/intercollegiate programs.
Established in 2015, the Leo Conroy Equitation Grant provides financial assistance for up to five (5) riders from each of the three Equitation Championships at the National Horse Show: The ASPCA Maclay Finals, the Hamel Foundation NHS 3’3″ Equitation Championship, and the Taylor Harris Insurance Services NHS Adult Equitation Championship.
The Leo Conroy Equitation Grant is open to riders who qualify to compete in the ASPCA Maclay Finals through the Regional competitions, and those who qualify to compete in the Hamel Foundation NHS 3’3″ Equitation Championship and the Taylor Harris Insurance Services NHS Adult Equitation Championship. Riders must apply online from September 14 – October 3, 2019 at www.nhs.org.
The internship program offers a seasonal internship that is open to college students in the nearby Fayette and Georgetown counties. Interns will gain hands-on experience in equestrian event management, sports marketing, media relations and production logistics. For more information or to apply for the 2019 internship program, please email Ariel Weisman at ariel@nhs.org.
The junior leadership program will also launch in 2019. The goal of this program is to engage junior riders competing at the National Horse Show and to provide them with unique opportunities for team building, personal development, education and camaraderie. The junior leadership program will aim to connect junior riders and foster an environment of friendship and support to build memories that will last well beyond the competition. More information will be available soon.
The educational and intercollegiate programs are designed to support young riders with specialized clinics and to give Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) riders the opportunity to compete at the iconic National Horse Show. In conjunction with the IHSA program, the National Horse Show will be inviting 12 qualified IHSA riders to compete in the exciting Taylor Harris Insurance Services NHS Adult Equitation Championship. More information will be available soon.
”The National Horse Show has a certain mystique and it’s a goal for equestrians across the country. We are thrilled that the National Horse Show and Taylor Harris have included a qualification process for IHSA athletes to compete in this class,” remarked IHSA Executive Director and Founder Bob Cacchione.
This all-new National Horse Show Outreach Program gives individuals the chance to support the National Horse Show by donating to programs that are vital to improving the sport while offering educational learning opportunities to up-and-coming riders and young people.
For more general information about these programs, please click here.
Founded in 1883, the National Horse Show is the culmination of the east coast summer equestrian season. With $716,000 in prize money offered, the National Horse Show has been designated a CSI4*-W event by the FEI. The highly-anticipated $225,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Lexington CSI4* returns this year on November 2, 2019 at 7 p.m. International Open Jumpers will compete for almost half a million dollars in prize money, while the top-rated hunter sections will vie for a total purse of $190,000. For six consecutive years, the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame has named the National Horse Show the Horse Show of the Year.
To learn more about the National Horse Show, click here.