The Pennsylvania National Horse Show (PNHS) is inviting all past winners of the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final and Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships to return this fall to help Harrisburg celebrate 75 years as one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious horse shows.
The Pennsylvania National Horse Show returns to the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA, October 8–17, 2020. All past winners of the two prestigious championships, two of Harrisburg’s most revered traditions, will be honored and recognized during Junior Weekend, October 8-11. Past winners in attendance will participate in special ceremonies and will be provided special seating in the stands.
2013 Hunt Seat Medal Champion Lillie Keenan. Photo by Al Cook Photography.
“Nothing is associated more with Harrisburg than the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final and Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships,” said Susie Webb, Executive Director of the PNHS. “This year, as we mark such an historic milestone, we look forward to welcoming back all past winners of these two championships and featuring them prominently in our celebration festivities!”
The first Pennsylvania National Horse Show was held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in 1946. Initially a four-day competition with 226 horses entered, the PNHS has evolved into one of the most prestigious shows in the nation, hosting more than 1,400 world-class competitors and thousands of spectators over the course of 10 days.
Pamela Carmichael Keenan won the AHSA Medal Class during Children’s Day at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in 1967. Photo by Budd.
With over $650,000 in prize money, the PNHS hosts some of the country’s best hunter, jumper and equitation riders for one of the nation’s largest indoor horse shows. The famed show also features five North American League (NAL) Finals, unique classes such as Ladies Sidesaddle and the traditional Hunt Night, and the grand finale, the $137,000 Grand Prix de Penn National.
The PNHS has been named a USEF “Heritage Competition,” a designation reserved for long established competitions making a substantial contribution toward the development and promotion of the sport. The Pennsylvania National Horse Show’s impact on its local community has earned the title as a “Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism” by Sports Destination Management.
Team medalists celebrate after 2015 Junior Jumper Championships. Photo by Al Cook Photography.
Proceeds from the PNHS benefit The Pennsylvania National Horse Show Foundation (PNHSF), a 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organization, providing support for therapeutic riding programs and equine rescue groups. Each year, the Foundation Grant Money supports programs in various areas including upkeep of therapeutic equipment, equine-assisted activity programs, rider scholarship funds, feeding and veterinary care, and volunteer programs. The PNHS also features “Foundation Friday,” showcasing its fifth annual Therapeutic Riding Championships and the Therapy Horse of the Year Award in 2020.
- Susie Webb, Executive Director, Pennsylvania National Horse Show Foundation
- susie@panational.org
- +1 (717) 770-0222