Amy Jo Magee and Little Lady © Al Cook – alcookphoto.com
PRESS RELEASE
Harrisburg, PA – October 18, 2016 – Amy Jo Magee, Coatesville, PA, and Little Lady captured the Championship in the Sidesaddle Division, sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Richard L. Hornberger, at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, presented by The Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund. Seeya Layta, owned by Sharon MacDonald and ridden by Jocelyn MacDonald, were the Reserve Champions.
“This is the first tricolor I’ve won here,” said Magee. “It’s especially meaningful because my grandfather used to be on the jump crew here.”
Magee and the 9-year-old Hanoverian mare earned the Championship with a win in the Over Fences class a third in the Hack, but the pair also finished second in the popular Hunt Teams class on Monday Night. Magee, who is a member of the Kimberton Hunt Club, had the distinction of being the only sidesaddle entry on Hunt Night.
“She is so great,” said Magee. “She carries me in the hunt field and in the show ring. I hunt her sidesaddle and I also show her sidesaddle in all the disciplines that I compete in. I do the jumpers with her and I event her, she does it all!”
© Al Cook – alcookphoto.com
MacDonald was especially happy with her Reserve, but the tricolor did not come easy. Her trip from her home in Mineral, VA, took longer than expected and they missed the Under Saddle class.
“My three and a half hour drive took five hours. I had to quickly enter and then braid, so I missed the class,” said MacDonald. “I am so proud of her. This mare got off the trailer, jumped two fences and then went into the ring and got two seconds and the Reserve Championship. Amy and I have known each other forever, so if you are going to come in second, you can’t ask for anyone better to beat you.”
More About the PNHS
The Pennsylvania National Horse Show Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 1999 that assists in funding therapeutic riding and equine rescue programs. The proceeds from the PNHS are divided between the PNHS Foundation and The Harrisburg Kiwanis Youth Foundation. The PNHS Foundation gives to equine programs while the Kiwanis Foundation donates to youth programs. The PNHS has donated $1.68 million dollars to the Kiwanis Youth Foundation since its inception in 1947 and has donated $350,000 to local therapy and equine groups since 1999. Applications for grants are accepted throughout the year with action upon requests awarded in September.
Now in its 71st year, the PNHS is one of the most historic horse shows in the U.S., featuring the best in the sport of hunters and jumpers and is the launching ground for many future Olympians. 15,000 spectators, and 1,000,000 live feed viewers will enjoy ten days of national top competition as 1,400 top Junior and Adult competitors vie for eight national championships – including the prestigious Pessoa/US Hunter Seat Medal Final and the Neue Schule/USEF National Junior Jumper Individual and Team Championships. The top jumping riders and horses are expected to compete in the $100,000 Prix de Penn National Grand Prix Presented by The Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund, which will be held on the final day of the show on October 22.
Immediately following the $100,000 Grand Prix de Penn National presented by The Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund will be The Ben Gallaher Country Music Finale, a live concert that will be held in the main competition arena. Ben Gallaher is a Sony Nashville recording artist, singer, songwriter and a Central Pennsylvania native. Gallaher’s special performance is presented by L.B. Smith Ford Lincoln and will begin at approximately 10 p.m.
Tickets for the Grand Prix and Ben Gallaher Country Music Finale are available NOW at www.PANational.org and ONE ticket allows guests to enjoy BOTH the Grand Prix and the Ben Gallaher Country Music Finale. Ticket proceeds assist in funding the PNHS Foundation’s therapeutic riding and equine rescue programs along with the Kiwanis Youth Foundation programs. Reserved Tier Seating ranges from $40-$50 and Family 4-pack packages range from $75-$175. General Admission for students and senior citizens is $25.Children aged 10 and under are admitted FREE and parking is FREE. Tickets are also available for ALL sessions of this year’s Pennsylvania National Horse Show.
The show also features special theme days, Family Fun Day, and great shopping, with over 70 vendors featuring clothing, antiques, art work, jewelry and equestrian products. For more information, updates, promotions, and more, visit www.PANational.org or call (717)770-0222. For those who cannot make it to PNHS in person, the World Equestrian Center Live Feed can be viewed throughout the 10 days of the show and can be accessed through a link on the PNHS website at www.PANational.org or through www.EqSports.net.
