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Monday, June 20 2016 / Published in Sidelines Spotlight

Billy Glass: Advocate for Equitation – Leader in the Horse Show Industry Is a True Equine-Inspired Success Story

 

Jennifer and Billy Glass have been mainstays at the Vermont Summer Festival for almost three decades. Photo by David Mullinix Photography

Jennifer and Billy Glass have been mainstays at the Vermont Summer Festival for almost three decades.
Photo by David Mullinix Photography

By Lindsay Brock

Billy Glass remembers the first horse show he attended like it was yesterday. A self-proclaimed city kid growing up in Buffalo, New York, his first steps near a show jumping ring were in his hometown at the Buffalo International. Now after several decades of tireless work in the horse sport industry, Billy still recalls those formative days as an adventure.

Billy started grooming when he was 16 years old and, two years later, dropped out of high school to pursue whatever path the horses would lead him down. While not a rider himself, Billy got his start at the most hands-on level as a groom. His first job was for J. Basil Ward in Ohio before moving on to positions with Chucky Graham in western New York and the Sifton family in Toronto, Canada.

“I was a high school drop-out and I wanted a little adventure,” recalled Billy. “I’d never touched a horse until I was 16. A buddy of mine told me that I could drive a truck, take care of horses and see the world. That’s what led me to do it.”

While Billy knew he’d found his place among horses, he climbed his way up through the sport, always looking for the next opportunity. His list of endeavors includes running his own training business in Cazenovia, New York, for roughly eight years; joining U.S. show jumping rider Debbie Stephens in founding Centennial Farm in Tampa Bay, Florida; and doing his fair share of course designing. Then he decided to make a move to ‘the other side’ of the business and set his sights on horse show management.

“My time training had run its course,” said Billy. “That’s when I decided that I enjoyed organizing shows more than I did actually participating in them.”

Behind the Scenes

Billy (right) speaks with exhibitor Chuck Waters at the Vermont Summer Festival. Photo by David Mullinix Photography

Billy (right) speaks with exhibitor Chuck Waters at the Vermont Summer Festival.
Photo by David Mullinix Photography

Browse through any old U.S. hunter/jumper show prize list and Billy has probably played a management role at one time or another. From working at the Fairfield and Ox Ridge Hunt Clubs to the Washington International Horse Show, his career has run the gamut.

In 1994, however, Billy broke the mold. He and fellow show manager Oliver Kennedy unveiled what’s now one of the most successful indoor horse shows in the country: the Capital Challenge Horse Show. Giving a home to the Ariat Adult Medal Finals and the Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) National Children’s Medal Finals at Capital Challenge, Billy quickly became an innovator in equitation competition. Given the connection, it came as no surprise when another one of Billy’s shows, the Vermont Summer Festival, began attracting some of the best equitation riders in the nation.

Billy estimates that he started with the six-week Vermont Summer Festival almost 30 years ago. He spends each summer in the foothills of the southern Vermont mountains alongside his wife, Jennifer, who has served as the show’s awards coordinator for almost as long. But Billy has done more for the show than he lets on.

“I always noticed a great nucleus of equitation trainers spending their summers in Vermont,” said Billy. “Historically, the equitation rings in Vermont would showcase the highest-level riders. We’ve had so many of the finalist winners, from Maclay and USET to Ariat and THIS, compete at Vermont over the years. They set the bar.”

Equitation Boot Camp

That high standard was one that Billy wanted to uphold and nurture. As a result, “Equitation Tuesdays” were introduced at the Vermont Summer Festival in 2013 and the six-week circuit quickly became dubbed “Equitation Boot Camp” by riders and trainers alike.

Tuesdays at Vermont see a frenzy of young riders and national champion hopefuls with tunnel vision for qualifying and preparing for year-end finals. Their hope is that the summer competition will land them in the show rings for prestigious year-end equitation finals. The Equitation Tuesday schedule, which is held in addition to equitation offerings taking place each week, features classes ranging from the THIS Children’s Medal to USEF National Hunter Seat Medal and ASPCA Horsemanship qualifiers.

“It had never been easy to win an equitation class in Vermont; a fifth-place ribbon there is often times a winning round at other shows,” said Billy. “So, in order for those riders to qualify for finals, they were running around early in the week at different horse shows trying to get points.

“To jump on board with how the system works, we created Equitation Tuesdays to serve our customers,” continued Billy. “It’s a vehicle for equitation riders to get additional mileage and ultimately qualify for finals.”

Big Equitation Names

The “build it and they will come” mentality did not apply in Vermont, as the big names in equitation were already in attendance, according to Billy. Missy Clark of Vermont-based North Run, Val Renihan of Findlay’s Ridge, Bobby Braswell of Terrapin Hill Farm and Old Salem Farm’s Frank Madden are all familiar faces ringside.

“We’ve always seen two things in the equitation rings at Vermont: big numbers and high-level competition,” said Billy. “By adding the Equitation Tuesday, we never felt we were watering down the avenue to qualify. We were instead creating additional opportunities for what was already there: a large number of very talented and quality riders.”

Billy has also seen the success of equitation riders spill over into other rings in Vermont. He recalls watching former North Run rider Kristy Herrera win in hunter derby competition last year, as well as 2015 ASPCA Maclay Final winner McKayla Langmeier lead the victory gallop in the amateur jumper ranks.

“Good competition draws more competition and I see new faces every year,” said Billy, who now makes his home in Bookelia, Florida, where he can often be found fishing. “We offer a lot of classes, but I’d say Tuesdays offer some of the best courses and stiffest competition of the whole horse show.”

While Billy maintains that his skills as a fisherman are much better than his skills within the horse show industry, a quick glance at his accomplishments within the horse world – Vermont’s national equitation standing being only one of them – points to much more. A trailblazer from the grassroots level to the pinnacle of horse sport, Billy is a true equine-inspired success story.

When home in Florida, Billy pursues his passion for fishing. Photo courtesy of Billy Glass

When home in Florida, Billy pursues his passion for fishing.
Photo courtesy of Billy Glass

 

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Tagged under: Billy Glass, lindsay brock, vermont, vermont summer festival

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It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is. It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is...

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You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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