NEWS RELEASE
Media contact: Betty Weibel / bw@yp-pr.com
Photos and interviews available on request
Chagrin Falls, Ohio—February 2023—The Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic (CHJC) will return to Chagrin Valley Farms in Bainbridge and will run July 7-9 for the unrated/local show and July 11-16 for the national A-rated horse show. The A-rated week will have a full roster of divisions including a $9,999 1.20m Jumper Classic and the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. The Classic, formerly held at the Cleveland Metroparks Polo Field in Moreland Hills, is the highlight of the equestrian calendar and local equestrians are determined to keep the biggest hunter jumper show in Northeast Ohio running.
The Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic will also continue its tradition of hosting the Riders with Disabilities Horse Show in partnership with Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center on Monday July 10. The partnership began in 1990 when the CHJC relocated to Chagrin Valley Farms. Fieldstone Farm is located less than two miles from Chagrin Valley Farms and the Monday competition for their riders, both children and adults, is a popular event.
Tonya Zimmer, Fieldstone Farm’s special events coordinator and PATH certified advanced instructor, emphasized the importance of the horse show, “We first started participating in the Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic at Chagrin Valley Farms to offer an opportunity for our students to show in a setting that felt very special. It is important because this is the only opportunity our students have to show outside of Fieldstone Farm and it is fun to be part of a larger horse show. The Hunter Jumper Classic also offers a great opportunity for spectators to come and see the success of our riders and carriage drivers.”
The volunteer Board of Trustees is headed by ChairmanRebecca Brayton McNish, of Newbury. “The show settled into its new home at Chagrin Valley Farms in 2021 and the owners are continuing to make major investments and improvements to accommodate the national competition including state of art footing, which has become a standard at top shows across the country. We loved the magnificence of the Polo Field but continuing to host the show there was fiscally impossible. With the number of horse show venues on the decline in Northeast Ohio, we are thrilled to continue the tradition just a few miles away.”
The loss of equestrian competition in Northeast Ohio threatens the unique heritage of the Chagrin Valley that at one time was also home to polo matches, horse racing, fox hunting, carriage driving, and horse shows of every discipline. “The beautiful landscapes in northeast Ohio have been shaped by the equestrian industry, with much of the land originally used for horse properties. Preserving this heritage is crucial in enhancing the quality of life for those who call northeast Ohio home, as it celebrates our history and the unique character of our communities,” said Karen Schneider Mayor of Gates Mills and a long-time horse show supporter.
An updated Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic website, ChagrinHunterJumperClassic.org, shares history of the show as well as details of the 2023 event. Information for exhibitors as well as spectators and sponsors is available on the website.