WHAT IS IT? The American Hunter-Jumper Foundation Inc. (AHJF) announces a new hunter program designed to positively impact the future of the show hunter sport in America. In this class, junior riders competing at the non-recognized level are introduced to a hunter type competition that will emphasize and reward their ability to present their horse or pony. The riders from each region (one from the East and one from the West) accumulating the most points (using the point system below) from their top three shows will be named regional Champions. Regional Champions will be invited to come, accompanied by an adult, as the guests of the AHJF to the Capital Challenge Horse Show to meet the sport's top professionals, participate in a behind the scene tour and watch show hunters compete at a world level. (To learn about the weekend go to http://www.ahjf.org/dover-sample-weekend.shtml)

WHAT IS THE COMPETITION YEAR OF THE AHJF JUNIOR HUNTER CHALLENGE AND HOW WILL REGIONAL WINNERS BE NOTIFIED? The JHC points begin accumulating on September 1 and close on August 31 for the competition year. Once the regional winners are identified, they will be contacted via overnight mail with an acceptance package. The regional winners are required to confirm their participation in the educational weekend by September 20. Should the winner choose not to participate in the educational weekend, or be declared ineligible because of not meeting the eligibility requirements below the AHJF will invite the reserve champion to participate. In addition to the Regional champions, the AHJF has broadened the invitation to include the Regional reserve champions and third and fourth place regional ribbon winners to a behind the scenes tour and educational clinic a The Capital Challenge Horse Show.

CLASS SPECIFICATIONS: The American Hunter-Jumper Foundation Junior Hunter Challenge will be judged on hunter showmanship and will be run as a two-phase event. The first phase is to be shown over a course of eight hunter type fences 2'6" in height (in & outs excluded) and include two changes of direction. Open numerical scoring (using the Hunter Challenge scoring system) will be used. The top scoring six riders will be invited into the ring for Phase II. Phase II must consist of six elements or fences and each rider will be scored for the second round. The first and second round score will be added for a total class score. The rider with the highest score is the class winner.

HUNTER CHALLENGE SCORING SYSTEM: The AHJF Junior Hunter Challenge will be judged using the open numerical scoring system (each rider will be assigned a score from 100-1 to reflect the result of their ride). The AHJF has sought the advice of many of the sport's top and respected judges in order to create a unique judges card specifically designed for this class. With this judging system, the judge will score the jumps individually (rating the horses' movement, way of going and jumping style), using mandatory deductions (for major and minor faults). Once the judge has scored the jumps, she/he will add points based on Rider Influence (the rider's decision-making skills and ability to present his/her horse) and Turnout (both horse and riders overall turnout and presentation). From this she/he will assign a score to each round. Scores from phase I and phase II will be added together to determine the class placing.

(click above for more detailed view of judge's card)

CLASS POINT KEEPING Points will be awarded to sixth place in each AHJF class as follows: First place, 10 points, then 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/2. Those points will be multiplied by the number of riders in the class for an event point total. Riders can track their points at www.ahjf.org. Rider's may show in as many AHJF Junior Hunter Challenge classes as they wish. However, only the points from their top three shows will count toward regional point totals.

RIDER ELIGIBILITY
  • Open to Junior riders (riders under 18 years of age at December 1 of the current competition year)
  • Past AHJF Junior Hunter Challenge Regional winners are not eligible to compete in this class.
  • To be eligible for a regional award, a rider may never have competed over fences exceeding 2'9" in height. In addition, riders may not show in a division recognized by the USEF (at a USEF recognized horse show) at the zone or national level after December 1 of the current competition year.
  • Rider's may show in as many AHJF Junior Hunter Challenge classes as they wish. However, only the points from their top three shows will count toward regional awards.

WHAT ARE THE REGIONS? The Eastern division will include all states east of the Mississippi River and the Western region will include states West of the Mississippi. The rider's home address will be used for their region.