24 Equestrians Set To Compete in USHJA Horsemanship Quiz Challenge Nationals

Findlay, Ohio—November 5, 2018—After committing to horsemanship and competing against hundreds of other members across the country in the Horsemanship Quiz Challenge, presented by The Plaid Horse, 24 of the top-scoring participants will be headed to HQC Nationals Nov. 9-11 at the University of Findlay in Ohio. 

"We are proud that so many of our members took time to focus on horsemanship and complete the Horsemanship Quiz Challenge this year," Terri Young, chair of the USHJA HQC Program Committee, said. "We are excited to announce this year's HQC Nationals participants, and we look forward to a fun and educational week at Nationals!"

The USHJA congratulates the following members on earning a spot at HQC Nationals: 

  • Dawson Amick, Marvin, N.C.
  • Toni Anderson, Alameda, Calif.
  • Maya Aryal, Fairfax, Va.
  • Chloe Bellerive, Keedysville, Md.
  • Laura Bishop, Washington, D.C.
  • Devyn Borden, Purcellville, Va.
  • Kylie Cohen, West Bloomfield, Mich.
  • Ella Doerr, Avon, N.C.
  • Cordelia Jane Edwards, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
  • Kristen Forti, St. Joe, Ind.
  • Angelina Franzese, Ann Arbor, Mich.
  • Liliana Franzese, Ann Arbor, Mich.
  • Isabel Hall, East Montpelier, Vt.
  • Rebecca Hopkins, Northville, Mich.
  • Emma Hyde, Reisterstown, Md.
  • Mattie McDonald, Yukon, Okla.
  • Madison Obermeyer, Clifton, Va.
  • Madeline Rideout, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
  • Diana Rudenky, Encino, Calif.
  • Ruthie Ruhl, Mt. Pulaski, Ill.
  • Hannah Simmons, Quechee, Vt.
  • Matt Tracy, Pennington, N.J.
  • Tori Weed, Arvada, Colo.
  • Tamara Zerbo, Fairfax Station, Va. 

To earn their spot, participants took two levels of online horsemanship quizzes. They had to receive a score of 80 percent or higher on the Level One Quiz to advance to the Level Two Quiz. The highest scoring participant in each of the 12 USHJA Zones for the Level Two Quiz was invited to Nationals first, followed by the highest nationally ranked finalists with a maximum of 24 participants at HQC Nationals.

This year nearly 400 members competed the Level One Quiz and nearly 150 completed the Level Two Quiz, with an increase this year in members who scored a 90 percent or higher on the Level Two Quiz.

The 24 participants will be competing for the National title at the event. They will be completing multiple days and phases of competition including a written exam, horsemanship/identification exam and a final practicum (split into sections A and B based on scores from the first two exams.) The 12 participants with the highest combined scores from the first two exams take Practicum A, while the other participants take Practicum B.

The winner of HQC nationals is the individual with the highest cumulative score from the written exam, horsemanship/identification exam and Practicum A. The winner will win a $2,000 training and education grant from USHJA Foundation, and internship opportunity from Spy Coast Farm, a Charles Owen helmet, Parlanti paddock boots and a gold medal.

The second place individual will receive a $1,500 training and education grant from USHJA Foundation, a Charles Owen helmet and a silver medal, and the third place individual will receive a $500 training and education grant from USHJA Foundation, a Charles Owen helmet and a bronze medal.

Awards and ribbons will be given to the four finalists overall, as well as the four finalists with the highest written exam scores, highest horsemanship/identification exam scores, and the highest Practicum A scores.

HQC Nationals is held in conjunction with the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund/USHJA Emerging Athletes Program National Training Session. In addition to testing and competition, HQC Nationals participants will be able to take part in other educational seminars and audit riding sessions of the EAP National Training Session, which will be led by Olympian Joe Fargis. For more information about the EAP National Training Session click here. 

For more information about the Horsemanship Quiz Challenge Program, visit ushja.org/hqc.