2025 USHJA Evening of Equestrians Celebrates Outstanding Members

Orlando, Fla.—Dec. 9, 2025—The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association honored its 2025 Annual Award winners on Tuesday, December 9, during the Evening of Equestrians, presented by Desert International Horse Park, at the 2025 USHJA Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. The celebration, hosted by USHJA President Britt McCormick and Master of Ceremonies Charlotte Skinner-Robson, recognized members whose dedication, leadership, and contributions have made a lasting impact on the equestrian community.

“One of the greatest highlights of this job is having the opportunity to recognize individuals who go above and beyond, those who dedicate themselves to the USHJA, to the industry, and to the sport," McCormick stated. "It’s always an exciting and meaningful process to bring this list together each year, and truly one of the best parts of what I do.”

Established in 2008, the USHJA Lifetime Achievement Award honors members whose lifelong dedication to the sport and to USHJA has had a profound impact on the equestrian industry. Reserved for individuals who have advanced the disciplines of Hunters and Jumpers on a national scale, this year’s award was presented to Debbie Stephens of Palmetto, Florida, and Lloyd Longenecker of Jonestown, Pennsylvania.

Stephens has represented the United States around the world, from Pan American Games, to Nations Cups, to the American Gold Cup. Her extraordinary skill, dedication, and sportsmanship have left her mark on the Show Jumping world. 

Longenecker revolutionized the sport with the creation of one of the first horse show software systems: Ryegate Show Services. His innovation has shaped the way horse shows operate today and elevated standards across our industry. 

The Volunteer of the Year Award honors individuals who dedicate countless hours behind the scenes to support the equestrian community, ensuring events run safely, fairly, and smoothly. The 2025 award was presented to Oliver Brown, of Rena, Virginia, for his exceptional commitment and tireless service to the sport.

Brown is a longtime advocate and leader in the Hunter Breeding community. He serves as Chair of the Hunter Breeding Task Force, Chair of the Young Hunter Pony Task Force, and is an active member of the Hunter Working Group and Officials Education Committee. A respected competitor, breeder, handler, and judge, Brown has dedicated his career to advancing Hunter Breeding and the sport's future. 

"Oliver is not just an outstanding volunteer, but he's probably one of the finest horsemen you'll ever have a chance to meet," McCormick expressed. "He has been instrumental in driving the Hunter Breeding world and driving the Hunter world in general. I'm lucky enough to talk to him usually on a weekly basis, if not multiple times a week, because he's always got something cooking. I couldn't be prouder to have him be the volunteer of the year."

The President's Distinguished Service Award honors members and volunteers whose exceptional dedication and service have advanced the USHJA and the Hunter/Jumper sport. This award recognizes individuals who go above and beyond to elevate the sport and positively impact the USHJA membership. The 2025 recipients are Joe Dotoli, Michele Hollis, Hugh Kincannon, Faith McKay-Alicea, Berry Porter, Megan Thiel, and Julie Williams.

Dotoli, of Chepachet, Rhode Island, has long been a leader in the Hunter/Jumper community as a trainer and judge. He is recognized for his dedication to rider safety, including his tenure as Chair of the USHJA Safety Committee, where he helped establish the rule requiring helmets on showgrounds and championed funding for helmet testing at the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab. Joe’s work has had a lasting impact on protecting riders across the sport.

Hollis, of Rockville, Virginia, is a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician and serves as Chair of the USHJA Safety Committee. Based in Wellington, Florida, during the Winter Equestrian Festival, she provides urgent care to riders and is a passionate advocate for rider safety, concussion research, and overall well-being in the equestrian community.

Kincannon, of Lexington, Kentucky, serves on the Stewards Committee and the Zone 2 Committee, and is the founder of Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC. He manages the annual Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship and the Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championship, playing a key role in advancing Hunter competition and supporting the USHJA community.

McKay-Alicea, of Barto, Pennsylvania, is a Certified Schooling Supervisor and “R” Steward. She serves on the Stewards Committee and the Zone 2 Committee and is passionate about equine sports medicine and rehabilitation, contributing her expertise to support horses in the Hunter/Jumper community.

Porter, of Conroe, Texas, serves on the Hunter Working Group and the Joint Equitation Task Force. A trainer at Brookside Pine Farms, Berry is dedicated to developing the next generation of top riders.

"Berry is a person that I've known for quite a while," said McCormick. "I pushed him into getting involved as a volunteer because I saw in him somebody who was going to be a future leader in our group. I put him in probably the hardest task force there is, and that's the Equitation Task Force. I have to say, he's holding his own and he's really grown into the role and I couldn't be more proud to have him as a friend."

Thiel, of Alpharetta, Georgia, serves as Chair of the Emerging Jumper Rider Task Force and is actively involved with the Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships and Markel/USHJA Platinum Jumper Championships. She frequently serves as Chef d’Equipe for Zone 4, supporting the development of riders in USHJA's programs.

Williams, of Scottsdale, Arizona, is a dedicated volunteer who serves on both the Affiliates National Council and the Zone 8 Committee. Formally, she was the Arizona Hunter Jumper Association President for over three years.  

The USHJA congratulates this year’s Annual Award recipients. In addition to these honors, previously announced nomination-based award recipients were also honored during the Evening of Equestrians. 

The USHJA extends thanks to Official Sponsors Herm Sprenger, Nutrena, and Parlanti. A special thanks also goes to Desert International Horse Park​, RingSide Pro, Hodges Badge Company, New England Equitation Championships, and US Equestrian for their support of this year's Annual Meeting. 

The 2025 USHJA Annual Meeting continues with important sports governance meetings through December 11. For more information on the USHJA Annual Meeting, visit ushja.org/annualmeeting.