New USHJA Wheeler Museum Exhibit Looks Through the Lens of Hunter/Jumper Photography

Exhibit will run through December 2020

Lexington, Ky.—April 25, 2019—As thousands of visitors prepare to descend upon the Kentucky Horse Park for the season, the USHJA is pleased to open the newest Wheeler Museum exhibit, “Through The Lens: The Art of Hunter/Jumper Photography” at the USHJA Headquarters in Lexington, Ky. 

“This exhibit offers a glimpse into some of the most beautiful and significant moments in the hunter/jumper sport, captured in time by some of the most renowned photographers in the industry,” said Mary Babick, USHJA president. “We look forward to this exhibit drawing many visitors to the USHJA headquarters and reliving those moments through beautiful photography. Thank you to all of the photographers and donors who helped make this exhibit possible.” 

The new exhibit, now open to the public, showcases the art of hunter/jumper photographers through their eyes. On display are memorable images selected by legendary photographers accompanied by their stories behind the images: the significance of the captured moment and the technique of framing the shot.

On film and with digital cameras, hunter/jumper photographers have captured the elegance of hunters and the power of jumpers as well as the bonds between horses and their people. While practicing their art, horse show photographers serve as the visual historians of the hunter/jumper sport. 

“We are very excited to present these images from the photographers’ point of view,” said Denise Quirk, curator of the USHJA Wheeler Museum. “We thank the contributors for sharing their experiences shooting in the film era that shaped ‘classic’ horse show photos. The stories of their efforts to freeze-frame great images as well as the many original prints on display preserve a record of past horse shows and provide insight to the photographic traditions that they and others have carried on through to today’s digital photography.”

The contributing photographers selected photos that feature iconic horses, riders and events, images captured through strategic planning or luck of location or lighting, and candid shots filled with emotion. Many images carry personal significance for the photographers. Together, the photos on display provide a unique view of 60 years of hunter/jumper horse shows. 

The exhibit also includes items from the permanent collection of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame related to the horses and riders featured in the photographs on display, and a special section dedicated to film excerpts from "Harry & Snowman" and personal mementos loaned by the de Leyer family.

The USHJA Wheeler Museum is supported by individual donors to the USHJA Foundation, especially USHJA Foundation Legacy Circle Founders Kenneth and Selma Garber, the Gochman Family, the Hallman Family and Merrylegs South, the Oberkircher Family, and Roger and Jennifer Smith.

The exhibit is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. during USHJA office hours. For more information, please visit ushja.org/wheelermuseum. For questions about the USHJA Wheeler Museum’s ongoing mission to preserve the hunter/jumper sport, email the curator, Denise Quirk, at dquirk@ushja.org.