USHJA Kicks Off Amateur Festival at Split Rock Kentucky National

Lexington, Ky.—Sept. 16, 2025—The USHJA Amateur Festival kicks off this week at the Split Rock Kentucky National at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, bringing together over 400 Amateur Hunter and Equitation entries from across the East for a week of premier competition.

The USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic for Amateurs - East starts the excitement on Friday. This three-round class combines the precision of Equitation with the handiness of Hunters over a 3’ course. Riders begin with a Hunter Style Equitation Round, followed by a Handy Hunter Round for the top 20 competitors, and conclude with a Final Round for the top 4–6 riders, testing both style and skill.

Equitation competition continues through the weekend with the USHJA 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final - East, a three-phase class that allows Adult Amateur riders to showcase their Equitation abilities in a Jumper-style format. The competition includes a Flat Phase, a Gymnastics Phase, and a Jumping Phase, giving riders the opportunity to demonstrate precision and adaptability across multiple rounds.

Debuting on Saturday and Sunday is the inaugural USHJA Amateur Hunter Championships - East, a national final offering competition and $25,000 in prize money for 2’6” Low Adult Amateur, 3’ Adult Amateur, 3’3” Amateur Owner, and 3’6” Amateur Owner Hunters. Each division features three phases: Under Saddle, a First Hunter Round, and either a Classic or Handy Round, depending on height. The Championships will also recognize the highest-scoring riders in each age group, celebrating the achievement of the country's top Amateur Hunters.

In addition to the competition, the week will host an Open Forum with USHJA President Britt McCormick on Friday from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the North Exhibit Hall in the Alltech Arena. The forum provides attendees with the opportunity to engage directly with McCormick as well as USEF leadership on initiatives, program updates, and the future of the sport. All are invited to attend and are encouraged to RSVP in advance here.

The USHJA extends special thanks to the entire Split Rock Jumping Tour team for hosting the Festival; to Official Sponsors Herm Sprenger, Nutrena, and Parlanti; and Supporting Sponsor Essex Classics.

Spectators and participants can stream the competition live at splitrockjumpingtour.com/livestream and view the schedule and results online here. For more information about USHJA's competitive programs, visit ushja.org/Competition. 

Photos: Winslow Photography, Terisé Cole/USHJA