Palm Beach County Horseman’s Association Announces Judges for September Horse Show
Equestrian News Release

Wellington, FL – August 28, 2006 - The Palm Beach County Horseman’s Association (PBCHA), founded in 1968, is a local organization dedicated to the promotion of quality horsemanship, sportsmanship, and fair competition in the hunter and jumper disciplines.

The PBCHA is pleased to announce that the association’s next horse show will be held on September 9th and 10th at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, Florida.

The association welcomes judges Ken Smith and Gary Duffy as the licensed officials for this competition. Both are USEF “R” rated judges who have spent years in the equestrian industry and have impressive histories.

Ken Smith grew up at his parent’s farm in upstate New York, where his family owned 50 show horses. He attended Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio, and worked for Howard Lewis of the Chagrin Valley Hunt Club in Gates Mills, Ohio. During his seven year career at the hunt club, he met his future wife Emily. In 1992, Emily and Ken Smith started their own business, which resulted in national championships at such shows as the Pennsylvania National, the Washington International Horse Show, the National Horse Shows in both New York and Florida, the Winter Equestrian Festival, and the Devon Horse Show. He has judged at such prestigious competitions as the Northeast Regional Finals, the Legacy Cup, and Kentucky Indoors. In addition to judging, Smith and his wife both serve on numerous USHJA committees.

Gary Duffy has thirty years of experience training top show hunters in USEF sanctioned “A” shows. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University, he coached many national winners, which include the Grand Champion Small Pony and Medium Pony of the Year in 1997, the 1997 National Green Pony Champion, and the National Champion Large Pony in 2002. In addition to training several national champions in the Working Hunter and Junior Hunter divisions in 2005 and 2006, Duffy was the recipient of the George Patterson Memorial Trophy for Professionalism in 2005.

The PBCHA holds eight two-day events between April and November and hosts more than 25 divisions, ranging from Walk Trot Hunter to Open Jumper at 4 feet. Division Sponsors for PBCHA shows have included Geoff Teall and Montoga Inc., Bainbridge Farms, Wellington Show Stables, Nuzzle Girl Perfume, StableWoman Design, Southern Cross Stables, and the Victor Connor Financial Group.

This year’s PBCHA Board Members include: President and Interim Treasurer Ann Root, Vice President Victor Connor, Secretary Andy Silverthorne, Assistant Secretary Peggy Thorndyke, and Assistant Treasurer and Show Office Manager Betsy Mackenzie. Additional Board Members are: Brooke Lyn, Debbie Williams, Melanie Peterson, Carol LeMaster, Nancy Hugins, and Megan O’Dwyer.

For more information on the Palm Beach County Horseman’s Association, please visit their official website at http://www.pbcha.org/.

Photo Credit: Riders line up for their awards at the PBCHA Horse Show. Photo: Courtesy of PBCHA.