Ocala, FL – This week’s Ocala Sunday Spotlight shines on professional hunter rider Jennifer Bliss of Wellington, Florida. Bliss began riding at an early age and shortly after she finished her junior career she became a professional, opening Harris Hill Farm, LLC. Bliss is not only an accomplished hunter rider and trainer, but she is also a Large R Hunter and Equitation judge. We caught up with Bliss to learn more about her career, some of her top mounts and how judging has influenced her career as a rider.
WEC: When did you begin riding?
I have been around horses my entire life. I grew up on my family’s farm in Bedford, New York. My grandfather foxhunted and my mother rode and showed extensively as a child and young adult. I was exposed to horses from an early age, but my mom is the one that really got me started riding.
As a junior, I was fortunate to get help from a lot of top professionals, but my horses and ponies lived at home. It was an interesting balance between having some great guidance at the shows and also a lot of independence at home.
I showed in the ponies and then later in the junior hunters and equitation. I’ve always really loved the hunters. I think that there is such an art to it. I especially now love the hunter derbies, I think because of the combination of accuracy and style that they require. There is also a real element of strategy to the handy rounds.
WEC: Tell us about Harris Hill Farm, LLC?
For the past several years now, we’ve been based in Florida year-round.
The number of horses we have varies, but it is typically in the eight to 12 range. Some are with us all year, while some are just down seasonally for the winter circuit. We focus on all hunters and have a mix of both amateur students and horses that show in the professional divisions, in various stages of their careers.
I really enjoy starting horses at the beginning, typically at about four or five years old. I like to produce them myself and really have that relationship with each horse as an individual. Poker Face is a great example; I started him in the baby greens all the way up to the High Performance. That whole process, I just love. Of course, the accomplishments in the show ring are very rewarding but also the day to day work I find fulfilling as well – the feeling, planning and patient consistency that goes into creating good horses and riders.
WEC: Tell us about some of the top horses in your string.
Pokey is my top horse. We’ve had him for about 12 years now. We started him as a newly imported five-year-old in the baby greens and have competed up through all the levels together. At this point, he just shows in the international derbies. It is so interesting how your relationship kind of evolves with a horse that you have for such a long time. He knows the game now; we just try to be really mindful of his fitness and keep him as happy and comfortable as possible. He is like a member of our family. He has had a great career and he doesn’t owe us a thing, but I still have the feeling that he loves to show and I certainly love to show him. We have so much trust in each other. So I just feel very lucky to have him, and as long as he enjoys it we will carry on.
Sugarman, we also started as a young horse. He had an injury a while back, so we are pretty careful with him and now he just does the national derbies. He is super competitive and my favorite for the handies, as he is just game for anything.
I have a horse called Face The Music. She is another one that I started as a pre green horse and eventually up to the international derbies. She is coming off of a break right now, but she is really special and I am hoping that she will be back and ready for the winter circuit next year.
I have a couple of younger ones coming along. Flight is owned by Dandelion Farm; she’s doing the national derbies and hopefully will step up to the international derbies soon.
Honor Code is another really promising young horse, he is owned by Ann Root. He just started doing the national derbies this spring and has won a couple of nice classes.
WEC: How has judging influenced your riding career?
I think you learn so much when you judge, from every angle – as a horseman, a rider, and an exhibitor. It’s such an interesting perspective. I rarely complain about the judging because I know how hard it is to be in that box trying to get it right.
As a busy professional, it’s not often that I get to sit and watch round upon round with my full attention. I always learn a lot and enjoy the different styles and nuances of other riders, especially when I have the privilege of judging some of the bigger classes with top horses and riders.
I love judging at WEC. In the summer it’s a luxury to sit in the comfortable air-conditioned arenas, and watch riders compete in the beautiful rings.
We always have a great time at WEC, whether I am riding or judging.
Thank you, Jennifer for taking the time to chat with us! We can’t wait to have you back at World Equestrian Center!