Pennsylvania National Horse Show 2014
I had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of the 2014 Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA this year, offering complimentary immigration information to the riders, owners, trainers and show personnel. It was a wonderful experience, and I had such a great time talking to everyone, and even had some time to watch some top-notch hunters and amazing open jumpers.
To those of you who do not know much about the PA National Horse Show, it is truly a historic gem. It began as a four-day show in 1946 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, and has grew over the years to a ten-day extravaganza that it is today. The show hosts numerous national championships and is one of the biggest and most prestigious horse shows in the USA.
So, how does immigration law tie in with this show? Many top riders, trainers and grooms are foreign-born in the hunter/jumper industry today. For a non-equestrian, it may seem difficult to understand the intricacies of the jobs of a top rider or groom and why this specific individual is so integral to the success of a farm during the grueling show season. There are numerous non-immigrant visas that are available to the hunter/jumper industry, including the seasonal H-2B non-immigrant visa for grooms, which allows them to be legally present in the USA for a period not to exceed 10 months to work in their profession.
A top rider and horse are only as great as their support team, which includes many hard working grooms, trainers and other staff, some of whom happen to be citizens of other countries!
I hope to attend more horse shows in 2015, so keep an eye out for Elizabeth B. Ford, Attorney at Law at a horse show near you!
