Sussex County Horse Show granted exemption for date

Augusta — For over a year, the United States Equestrian Foundation and the Horse Show have tried to reconcile a discrepancy on the national horse show calendar that would have changed the dates of the Sussex County Horse Show, which usually runs the same time as the New Jersey State Fair. The Sussex County Horse Show has been granted an exemption by the Equestrian Foundation - the parent organization for all Horse Shows in the country - allowing the show to run from Aug. 3 through Aug. 12. “Today is a day to celebrate,” stated Ken Okken, president of the Sussex County Horse Show. “Through months of incredible negotiations, lots of letter writing and phone calls, the USEF has done everything in it’s power to work with our show on this difficult matter. It was a glitch in the calendar that affected every major horse show in the country. “The staff and administrators at the USEF have given us every effort and consideration possible to resolve this issue. Thanks to their creativeness and resourcefulness, it’s on with the show.” Box seat holders and fair visitors will be relieved to have a full schedule of Horse Show events fill the rings during the Fair. New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm and Horse Show President, Alan Henderson said Okken is to be commended for his diligence and perseverance in pursuing a reasonable resolution to this calendar glitch. For more information on Horse Show events, call Ken Okken at 973-209-1646.