The 2008 Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament featuring the 125th National Horse Show was held the week of October 29-November 2, 2008, and proved to be a grand success and a winning combination. Earlier in the year, the Board of Directors for the National Horse Show Association of America, Ltd. approved with a unanimous vote to move the 125th National Horse Show to the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament in Syracuse, NY.

The goal of relocating the show was to find a better date for the National Horse Show, one that would allow the show to run indoors and reflect the tradition of the historic show from years past. Additionally, the Board of Directors hoped to bring the ASPCA Maclay National Championship and the National Horse Show back together at one event.

The 2008 Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament featuring the 125th National Horse Show required hunters to qualify for the show for the very first time. In years past, the invitational competition only accepted qualified show jumpers and ASPCA Maclay National Championship equitation riders. This year, the National Horse Show invited the top professional, junior, and amateur-owner hunters in the country to participate.

"I thought the entire competition was great," commented John Madden, the Organizing Committee Chairman of the event. "I hope the exhibitors enjoyed it too. It was really important to us to try to treat the National Horse Show with the dignity and respect it deserves, so I hope we were successful in doing that. This was definitely our most successful year yet. The crowds were really good, the competition was exciting, and I think it worked out really well with the hunters. We also had a great Maclay Final. On the whole, it was a fabulous week of competition, and it was an honor to have the National Horse Show there."

"Working with everyone at the National Horse Show was a pleasure, especially for our first-year effort; it was shocking how seamless it was," said Madden. "You can imagine, with two reasonably sized organizations getting together, that the spirit was fantastic. It went so smoothly, and everyone was pulling for things to go in the same direction. Having the National Horse Show there was mutually beneficial for both organizations, and everyone kept that in sight, with the same goals in mind."

Mason Phelps, Jr., Chairman of the Board for the National Horse Show, stated. "I think it was a great experience working with John Madden and his crew. The Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament did an amazing job upholding the integrity, tradition, and history of the National Horse Show. I think, since we're no longer able to have the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden, that the Syracuse show is the best alternative."

For more information on the National Horse Show Association of America, Ltd, please visit www.nhs.org.

For details on the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament, please visit www.syracuseinvitational.com.