May 6, 2010 — The Show Jumping Hall of Fame and Museum is moving from its long-time home at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla., to its new home at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.
Agreements with both the Kentucky Horse Park and the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) will give the Hall of Fame a presence at two locations at the Horse Park. The museum aspect of the Hall of Fame will be housed in the park’s new building that is home to the USHJA, and the plaques highlighting the careers of the men, women and horses who have been honored with induction into the Hall of Fame will be displayed in the park’s new outdoor stadium.
“The Kentucky Horse Park is the center of equestrian sport in this country, attracting thousands of visitors each year,” said George Morris, president of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame. “And with this year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, that number will be significantly greater. We are looking forward to sharing this country’s show jumping history with these many visitors, and we thank the Kentucky Horse Park and the USHJA for giving us a new home in the horse capital of the world.”
“We are truly honored to provide a home for these time honored pieces of our history,” said USHJA President Bill Moroney. “The Show Jumping Hall of Fame collection provides us with a greater opportunity to market our sport and teach the community about the rich history of show jumping. This collection will be one of the marquee exhibits at the USHJA National Hunter Jumper Sport Horse Museum and will support our goal to make the USHJA headquarters a true home for those involved and supportive of our sport.”
The Show Jumping Hall of Fame was established in 1987 and formally opened at Busch Gardens in 1989. The Hall of Fame was organized to promote the sport of show jumping and to immortalize the men, women and horses who have made great contributions to the sport.
From its opening, visitors to the Show Jumping Hall of Fame and Museum have been able to see plaques and mementos honoring heroes who have helped make the sport great. Videos recounting the careers of legendary horses and riders like Gem Twist and Michael Matz are featured, as well as treasures like the U.S. Equestrian Team jacket worn by Bill Steinkraus on his way to the individual gold medal at the 1968 Olympic Games and the famed “shooting star” jump used by course designer Bert deNemethy in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Now, horse lovers from around the world who travel to the Kentucky Horse Park will have the same opportunity to enjoy them.
“We are most grateful for our time at Busch Gardens,” said Morris, “but now as our sport and our Hall of Fame move forward, relocating to the Kentucky Horse Park makes perfect sense. We hope all fans of horse sports will plan to come see our Hall of Fame at our new home in Kentucky.”
For more information about the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, visit www.showjumpinghalloffame.net.
