09/08/2026
Hackney highlights from the recent World's Championship Horse Show
Celebrating an Incredible Week
for AHHS at the
2026 World's Championship Horse Show
Dear AHHS Members and Friends,
The 2026 World’s Championship Horse Show was an incredible week for the American Hackney Horse Society, filled with opportunities to celebrate our breed’s history, honor those who have made a lasting impact, engage our youth, build new friendships, and invest in the future of the Hackney.
We are very proud and excited to share some of the highlights from a very special week and to thank our sponsors and volunteers for their tireless efforts in giving back to our community.
AHHS Hall of Fame Reception
The AHHS Hall of Fame Reception, hosted & fundraised by Bryan & Katy Earehart with planning support by Event Mix, brought over 300 members of the Hackney community together to celebrate Tom Lowry and the late Mary Dell Pritzlaff following their induction into the AHHS Hall of Fame. The event was held at Heritage Stables in the North wing on Wednesday evening following the evening session classes.
Friends, family, and fellow Hackney enthusiasts gathered for a memorable evening honoring their tremendous contributions to our breed. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our history while recognizing two individuals whose influence and dedication will continue to be felt for generations.
AHHS WCHS Junior Exhibitor Progressive Party
Organized by Sandy Backer, the AHHS WCHS Junior Exhibitor Progressive Party gave our youth members a unique opportunity to visit several of the show’s premier Hackney barns and experience the breed up close. Throughout the progressive party, junior exhibitors enjoyed special activities, Hackney-themed swag, and meet-and-greets with World Champions, including WCC Alexus Texas and WGC Kennedy.
A special thank you to Harper Stables, Rodney Hicks Stables, Majestic Oaks, Winding Creek Farm, and Heritage Stables for opening their barns, sponsoring gifts & treats, and creating such a memorable experience for our young people.
AHHS WCHS Youth Buddy Challenge
The AHHS WCHS Youth Buddy Challenge, organized by Katy Earehart, was created to get kids interacting not only with Hackney ponies, but also with one another.
Youth participants teamed up and spent the week completing fun challenges designed to strengthen their horsemanship, Hackney breed knowledge, communication skills, confidence, and interpersonal skills.
Challenges encouraged participants to meet new friends, learn about one another and their horses or ponies, watch Hackney classes together, identify parts of a show harness, visit Hackney barns, learn more about the breed, take photos together, and complete other fun, hands-on activities. Most importantly, the contest encouraged our young people to step outside of their usual circles, make new friendships, and become more involved with the Hackney community.
Every participating youth received a Hackney pony-engraved drinking cup as a keepsake, and two teams each won a $1,000 grand prize!
Congratulations to our winning teams:
Vivian Zieth & Alicia Sparks
Pepper Hill Stables & Richmond DeHart Stables
Brently Schrock & Jordan Herschberger
Windy Meadows Stables
Congratulations to these youth and to everyone who participated!
AHHS Youth Committee 50/50 Raffle
The AHHS Youth Committee hosted an incredibly successful 50/50 Raffle benefiting the Joe Crawford Harrod Memorial Grant. Thanks to the overwhelming support of our horse community, the raffle generated $4,400 for the grant, while grand prize winner Hannah Sette of Greensboro, North Carolina, took home $4,000 in cash!
The Joe Crawford Harrod Memorial Grant supports active AHHS members ages 21–30 who are committed to advancing their personal or professional growth in horsemanship and showmanship. Grant funds can be used toward equine-industry education, internships, training programs, and other career-related opportunities that help young adults build their futures within the show horse industry.
A very special thank you to Emma Carruso, Courtney Cahill, Hillary Wilcox, Katy Earehart & Anne-Marie Overstreet for selling raffle tickets & to Heritage Stables, Ingleside Farm, Silvers Stables, Matt Shiflet Stables, Milestone Farm, and Heartland Stables for encouraging their youth to get involved and help sell raffle tickets throughout the week.
Their enthusiasm and participation played an important role in making the raffle such a tremendous success. It was especially rewarding to see our young people working together to raise money that will directly benefit the next generation of Hackney horsemen and women—a wonderful example of youth supporting youth.
AHHS Fast Friends Hackney Challenge at the ASB Youth Pep Rally Event
The AHHS Youth Committee had the opportunity to host a table at the fast friends challenge at the ASB Youth Pep Rally. Over 120 kids rotated through designated stations. The AHHS station hosted a trivia contest filled with Hackney and general horse knowledge questions where youth participants got to buzz in with game show buzzers and take home prizes. These questions were generously planned and written by Anne-Marie Overstreet of Wind Blu Farm and the trivia contest was hosted by Katy Earehart. The interaction, energy and enthusiasm were at an all time high at the Hackney station. It was definitely the fun place to be!
A Special Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors
None of these events at the World Championship Horse Show would be possible without the generosity of those who continually step forward to support the AHHS and invest in the future of our breed.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to:
American Hackney Horse Society
Mary Ga***rd
Vicki & Sam Reed
Jacqueline Ohrstrom
Shelby Creek Farm
Swope Equine Investments
The Sinex Family
Heritage Stables – Bryan & Katy Earehart
Winding Creek Farm
Ellen & Tim Messinger
Amber Kildow & Martha Hickham
Bent Tree Farm
John & Kathy Singleton
Smith Equine
Elizabeth Ghareeb
Cheryl Innis
Mindy & Mark Preston
These individuals, families, farms, and organizations do so much more than provide financial support or prizes. They invest in our youth and, in doing so, invest in the future of the Hackney.
Their generosity allows us to create experiences that are fun and memorable while also building confidence, friendships, horsemanship, leadership skills, and a deeper appreciation for our breed. These are the experiences that can turn a young person’s interest in the Hackney into a lifelong passion.
To each of our sponsors, thank you for believing in our young people, supporting these programs, and continually giving so much back to the Hackney community. Your generosity truly makes a difference.
The 2026 WCHS was a wonderful reminder of what can happen when our community comes together. We celebrated the individuals who helped build the Hackney breed, created meaningful experiences for the young people who represent its future, and had a great deal of fun along the way.
Thank you to every organizer, committee member, sponsor, participating farm, volunteer, parent, trainer, and junior exhibitor who helped make these events possible.
We are proud of our history, excited about our youth, and incredibly optimistic about the future of the Hackney!
Warmly,
American Hackney Horse Society
