PRESS RELEASE

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – October 10, 2017 – The Pennsylvania National Horse Show (PNHS) has announced that  famed equestrians Joe Fargis and John “Jack” Sterling will be inducted into the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Hall of Fameduring a special induction ceremony on Saturday, October 21.  The induction will take placeprior to the start of the $100,000 Prix de Penn National Grand Prix presented by the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund, the culminating event of the 72nd annual Pennsylvania National Horse Show which takes place October 12-21 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Started in 2013, induction into the PNHS Hall of Fame is an honor bestowed annually upon select individuals in recognition of their extraordinary efforts, commitment and dedication to excellence in Horse Showing and the Pennsylvania National Horse Show.

“Both Joe Fargis and Jack Sterling have made significant contributions to the sport of show jumping and the PNHS for many decades, and we are delighted to welcome them both into the PNHS Hall of Fame,” said Susie Webb, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania National Horse Show.

Joe Fargis

Joe Fargis won individual and team Gold Medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games  Joe has been successful throughout his career as a rider, trainer, stable owner, clinician, judge, and Olympic gold medalists and has been inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, the Virginia Horse Show Association Hall of Fame and the Virginia Horse Center Hall of Fame. He has also been named AHSA Horseman of the Year and has received the USHJA Lifetime achievement award. Additionally, he has been named among the 50 most influential horsemen by the Chronicle of the Horse, and received the USEF Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

Joe Fargis won individual and team Gold Medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games 

Joe and Touch of Class, a Thoroughbred mare, won individual and team Gold Medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. In the 1988 Seoul Games, he rode Mill Pearl on Team USA to win the team Silver Medal and finish seventh individually.

In his career, Joe rode on more than 30 Nations’ Cup teams as well in some of the world’s most important shows such as Aachen (where he rode on the winning team three times), Spruce Meadows, Rome, New York, Pennsylvania National, and Washington where he was named leading rider. He was also leading International Rider at the National Horse Show in New York in 1987.

In World Cup competition, Joe won the USA-East World Cup League twice and finished fourth in the finals in Tampa, in 1989. He rode on the gold medal winning team at the1975 Pan American Games in Mexico City and rode on the fourth-place team at the 1990 World Championships of the initial FEI World Equestrian Games in Stockholm.

Among his Grand Prix wins were Hickstead, Zurich, the American Gold Cup, Ox Ridge, Tampa, Hampton Classic (twice) and I Love New York (three times).

His accomplishments at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg include riding as junior; being Working Hunter Champion in the late 1960s on Dunraven; riding on the winning Nations Cup team in 1970; winning his first international class; and winning the Big Jump twice. Joe has also judged hunters and the USEF Medal Finals (twice).

John “Jack” Sterling

Jack was a noted rider, owner, instructor, trainer, show manager, stable owner, and long-time Secretary of the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. When Jack was Secretary, he managed the PNHS and made all decisions regarding the show operation. His legacy includes developing the Prix des States for junior jumper riders for competition between the USEF zones and developing the Grand Prix de Penn National.

John “Jack” Sterling at the 1982 Pennsylvania National Horse Show AHSA Medal Draw

As a rider, he showed jumpers and hunters. He also had broodmares and foals at his farm, Windswept Acres, and taught young riders. He hosted horse events including the Central Pennsylvania Junior Horse Shows Association (CPJHSA) annual show and developed the Beaufort Hunt One-Day Horse Trials. Jack was active in show management including the CPJHSA and also hunted with the Beaufort Hunt in Dauphin County. He was a mentor to a number of his students who went on to careers in the horse business as well as judges/stewards and racetrack trainers. PNHS directors, Ralph Alfano, who is Co-Manager, and Lloyd Longenecker, who is Show Secretary, began their journey with Jack Sterling.

Previous PNHS Hall of Fame inductees include: Gerry Hempt and Frank Chapot (2013); Irvin S. Naylor and Steve Stephens (2014); Mary “Polly” Gingrich Brand Caswell and Rodney Jenkins (2015); Mary Mairs Chapot and Harry Rittenhouse Gill (2016).

For over 70 years, the PNHS has continued to be one of the most prestigious, as well as one of the largest indoor, horse shows in the U.S. In all, 1,400 qualified Junior and Adult competitors from the U.S. and abroad will vie for more than $500,000 in prize money and eight national championships – including the prestigious Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final, and Neue Schule/USEF National Junior Jumper Individual and Team Championships.

“Junior Weekend” will take place October 12-15, followed by “Senior Week,” October 16-21 which includes the Open Jumper and FEI competitions. This year’s show will again host three internationally sanctioned FEI CSI3* rated jumper classes including the $35,000 Keystone Classic, $40,000 Big Jump, and the $100,000 Prix de Penn National Grand Prix presented by the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund, the culminating event which will be held on Saturday evening, October 21 and will feature over 40 top riders from seven countries, including six Olympic veterans.

Admission Information

Junior Weekend (October 12 -13):  Daily admission FREE for all ages the ENTIRE DAY AND EVENING!

Junior Weekend (October 14 -15):  General Admission – $12, Students & Senior Citizens – $7, Family 4-pack General Admission (all ages) – $30.  Children 10 and under FREE.

October 16-18 – Daily admission FREE for all ages the ENTIRE DAY AND EVENING!

Thursday, October 19 – Pony Up for Pink with the PA Breast Cancer Coalition

Free Admission for Survivors!  Tickets: Adult $15; Students & Senior Citizens $10; 4-Pack $40

Friday, October 20 – Foundation Friday featuring Therapy Riding Championships and Therapy Horse of the Year award. Tickets: Adult $15; Students & Senior Citizens $10; 4-Pack $40.

Saturday, October 21- Grand Prix Day featuring the $100,000 Prix de Penn National Presented by the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund – Tickets are good ALL day; re-entry w/hand stamp

General Admission: $25 each – 4 pack $75; Reserved Seats Red Level: $40 each – 4 pack $130; Reserved Seats Blue Level: $50 each – 4 pack $175

The Pennsylvania National Horse Show Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, non-profit organization, provides support for therapeutic riding and equine rescue programs. The Foundation makes grants exclusively for charitable and educational purposes to acquaint, teach, and train the public in therapeutic equestrian endeavors and to support equine rescue efforts. Proceeds from the show benefit the Foundation.

The Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund is a private, charitable fund. It accepts grant proposals for the benefit of charitable, educational, or scientific purposes, exclusively from tax-exempt, charitable organizations. The issues where the Fund focuses its resources reflect Lindsay’s personal priorities and values: improving the lives of children with special needs; enabling access opportunities to education; and providing care, compassion, and protection to animals.

Further information, updates, promotions, ticket information and more is available at www.PANational.org or by calling 717-770-0222.