Live Event Cancelled
No-Show Horse Show
July 1-25
Premier Hunter
Jumper Shows
Announcing the No-Show Horse Show
We all wanted a horse show this year. So many events have been cancelled, and we all miss the connections and excitement of hundreds of horses, riders, and trainers coming together to compete and celebrate the sport. Unfortunately, the regulations surrounding COVID-19 stands in the way of these events, along with so many other joys we have all had to forego.
The Oregon High Desert Classics is J Bar J Youth Services largest annual fundraiser this. The cancellation of this event was a painful loss to this non-profit organization. They are now experiencing serious hurdles in helping youth overcome obstacles to self-sufficiency in Central Oregon. The opportunity gap is wider now, with issues such as homelessness, pregnancy, and adjudication. There are lack of mentors, victimization in human trafficking, and increased anxiety. J Bar J’s programs are varied and help hundreds of youth each year.
We at J Bar J Youth Services and Oregon High Desert Classics are creating an event to bring back some of those connections and that excitement, a No-Show Horse Show! A virtual event which will bring together exhibitors, trainers, and barns who are unable to compete in real life this year. Competitors can enter almost any event they want -the Grand Prix will be limited to riders at that level- including Gambler’s Choice and Ride, Drive, and Drink. Barns and riders will set up their own course at their own facilities, film their rounds, and post them on their social media tagging @OregonHighDesertClassics and using the hashtags #NoShowHorseShow and #EquestriansForYouth. We will enlist a judge to comment on the rounds, although medals will not be awarded and no USEF points will be given. There will be no entry fees, however donations will be appreciated. Those donating $100 or more to the No-Show Horse Show campaign will receive a No-Show Horse Show mini-poster, featuring artwork by Kimry Jelen, a NSHS Ribbon, as well as a bag of goodies.
Entries open July 1st, and the event will culminate on Saturday July 25th with a virtual Grand Prix event at 2:00 PM. We will live stream the NSHS Grand Prix on social media, and the event will include several horses and riders who have graced our Grand Prix in the past, riding in their own courses. Details and rules are coming soon, and will be available here on our website. Download a flier here, the 2020 poster featuring the artwork of Kimry Jelen will be available soon!
Download a No-Show Horse Show Flier, or the OHDC 2020 NSHS Poster (legal size)!
Read our How To and Rules, Waiver and Release Information, Likeness Use Agreement (For sharing your videos), and Sign Up for the No-Show Horse Show!
OREGON HIGH DESERT CLASSICS 2020 CANCELLED
We were trying to beat the odds and hold the show we have all been waiting for. Our team had been working on plans for months to keep staff and participants safe. We, in coordination with USEF and Deschutes County, were able to address numerous safety concerns and modify our event to adapt to the current social distancing regulations.
The guidance laid out in Oregon’s recent Phase 2 Re-Open plan was too restrictive and impracticable for us to feasibly continue with holding our competition. This has made our plans and modifications unworkable and has pushed J Bar J Youth Services into the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Oregon High Desert Classics Horse Show.
We will miss all the excitement. We will miss all the laughter. We will miss all the hot, sweaty days. We will miss the horses. We will miss all of you!
Save all of your energy and we will see you next year.
Stay healthy and be well.
COVID Information
June 1st Policies and Procedures – Downloadable PDF
May 2020 Update
A note on our protocols for the Oregon High Desert Classic:
To Our Valued Trainers, Exhibitors and Attendees:
The Oregon High Desert Classics is first a horse show competition for YOU!
In years past we have promoted this as an “event” to garner community support and provide further awareness of the programs J Bar J Youth Services provides for the youth in our region and state.
Governor Brown’s strategy to re-open business in Oregon has required us to modify our event this year. Due to COVID-19 regulations we have had to eliminate some of the aspects we are so well known for, such as spectators and the seated dining experiences. This however, does not prevent us from holding the equestrian competition we provide the horse riding industry each year.
We have, along with USEF, USHJA, and the Deschutes County Public Health Department, drafted a COVID-19 plan that we will present to our Deschutes County Commissioners of the procedure and actions we will be taking to proceed with planning and executing this competition in July.
We will provide hand washing stations, hand sanitizer and – if needed- replacement disposable face coverings for our exhibitors. Our staff will be required to have their temperatures taken and recorded each day upon arriving for their shifts, wear face coverings and gloves when being of service or assisting attendees of the show. When it is necessary to be closer than 6 feet to offer service we will provide plexiglass barriers to protect both parties. Frequently touched surfaces will be wiped and disinfected throughout the day. Enclosed areas and buildings will be setup with a separate entrance and exit and limited to a maximum number of individuals. Signage will be posted throughout the property to provide a gentle reminder to abide by the physical distancing recommendations.
We have partnered with Dynamic Video to host a Live Virtual Broadcast of our special, featured, and better attended classes and events. Providing the means for those who like to watch the competitions.
We recommend, and it is required by USEF, that all attendees to our show bring and wear their own face coverings. We also recommend that you bring with you disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, and any other items that will make your participation more comfortable. We strongly encourage participants to register for the competition using online means to complete forms and pay fees.
Through all the modifications and requirements our show may look different this year and we want to assure you: We will still be offering our VIP Patron ticket, which will be a take-out breakfast and lunch with a beverage, each day of the competition. We will still have our Prize Room filled with fantastic offerings from the local area. We will still have a Vendor Village with the tack, food, and craft items you love and need. We will still be able to ride our horses and enjoy a horse show competition.
If all of our planning, procedures, and strategies are not enough and we are not able to hold our show, we will do our best to notify you on or before June 12th.
We hope this provides a better picture of what our horse show will look like this year. We want to make it safely through the Re-Open phases, hold our horse show, and get back to our regularly scheduled event next year.
We look forward to hosting you at our competition this summer. If you have any questions please give us a call.
Thank you,
Paul Jewell
OHDC Horse Show Manager
(215) 205-4265 (541) 389-1409
Jenni Garner
Events Coordinator
(541) 389-1409
Facilitating positive change for youth.
Your participation supports our programs helping kids on the path to
self-sufficiency and personal responsibility, creating brighter outcomes.
April 2020:
As this year’s Oregon High Desert Classics approach, maintaining safety during COVID-19 is a great responsibility we are aware of and proactively planning for. The US Equestrian Federation has suspended all events through May 31st. They are also creating safety protocols, based on CDC recommendations, for events as restrictions are lifted across the country. We are watching as they come out, and our plans for this summer’s event include implementing these rules.
The state of Oregon and Deschutes County are also monitoring the progress of the virus and the heath care system’s ability to respond, and are moving toward lifting restrictions. We are in communication with the County Commission and are working together to find solutions to enable us both hold this event and maintain the safety of all participants and staff.
We are hopeful that the show will go on, and are doing what we can do to make it happen. It will likely be different than shows from the past three decades, but we are looking forward to bringing together all the people and horses that make OHDC such wonderful events each summer. We appreciate your support and enthusiasm.
The prestigious Oregon High Desert Classics (OHDC) is the only event of its kind in Central Oregon. Approved by the US Hunter Jumper Association, this show attracts world class riders from all over the US and Canada. One of only 25 to receive Heritage Horse Show designation, it is also the only show of its caliber which is primarily a fundraiser for a non-profit. The Classics are held the last two weeks of July every year.
Each year, 600 horses and 3000 participants gather at J Bar J Boys Ranch to compete for $150,000 in prizes on six of the last remaining grass footing rings in the country. Thousands of family, staff, vendors, and spectators join them, celebrating the athleticism of horses and riders, and enjoying a variety of food and shopping at the vendor booths in the show village green.
The Oregon High Desert Classics serve as the primary annual fundraiser for J Bar J Youth Services, a nonprofit organization that facilitates positive change for youth. J Bar J hosts the show on its property housing The Boys Ranch, a residential program and school for adjudicated boys.
Proceeds from these events support programs helping kids overcome hurdles and work toward self sufficiency. The investment in “human capital” has concrete results as we see kids turn their lives around, becoming better community members, better partners, and eventually better parents. The board, staff, and youth at J Bar J Youth Services are grateful for the opportunities afforded by the OHDC. To learn more about J Bar J and their programs, click here.
Copper Lane Farm
Meridian Peaks
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