Contact:
Nancy Johnson 610-593-5189

April 29, 2008, AUGUSTA, New Jersey-Now in its 57th year, Garden State Horse Show (GSHS) is not only New Jersey's largest horse show, but a favorite among exhibitors. The show, which runs May 7-11, 2008 at Sussex County Fairgrounds, holds a AA rating and features many highly competitive divisions and classes, like the $50,000 Jr. Essex Troop Grand Prix to be contested the afternoon of Saturday, May 10. But GSHS also offers a full array of classes for horses and riders of every age and ability.

Many exhibitors claim that Garden State is their favorite horse show of the year. Maria Takacs, Tewksbury, NJ, is one example. Takacs and her horse, Mombo, show very successfully in the Amateur Owner (36 and over) division at many of the premier shows in the country including Devon, the Hampton Classic, Pennsylvania National, and Washington International. "It's just so great to have a horse show of this caliber in my backyard!" exclaims Takacs. "It's a true AA show. The footing in the rings is fantastic and the courses are really beautiful and more challenging than most shows. Even the schooling areas are nice." Takacs and her trainers, Rolf and Jennifer Bauersachs, Spring Hill Farm, Frenchtown, NJ, count on Garden State as an important warm-up before Devon Horse Show at the end of May.

Takacs is hardly a newcomer to GSHS. In fact, she clearly remembers at age 9 riding a pony, Farnley Zorro, on the outside course at the show's previous location in Chubb Park. Due to demands of college, career and family, Takacs admits she has been "in and out of horses." "When I came to Garden State in 2005 after a number of years absence, I was just blown away by how far the show had come since the last time I had shown here." Takacs recalls that prior to her return to GSHS in 2005, the last time she had been to the show was in 1997 when she claimed the Amateur Owner Hunter (18-35) title with her Full Circle.

Takacs rode Mombo to the Amateur Owner Hunter (36 and over) championship last year while Juliana Johnson took the award for the 18-35 section. It is interesting to note that both these horse/rider combinations also won their respective division championships at the prestigious 2007 Washington International Horse Show. Takacs will be back at GSHS in 2008 hoping for a repeat performance. Plus, the next generation of Takacs may be making a debut at Garden State. Maria's daughter, Samantha, 3, has just begun her leadline career.