General Info:
Ox Ridge Hunt Club was founded in 1914. The present property of thirty-seven acres was formerly owned by the opera singer, John McCormick. He operated this property, in addition to some adjacent properties, as a dairy farm. Some of our facilities still stand symbolically to his operation. The dining area was once John's milkhouse, and the Clubhouse was his icehouse, both built to stay, and converted handsomely to their present purposes. The polo barn housed dairy cattle until the barn was converted to stable horses. The Club's name in itself represents the use of oxen in John's operation, as well as the ridge that crowns our polo field. In 1929, a man by the name of Otto Heuckeroth came to ride ; he was to remain for over forty years as the nationally famed manager of Ox Ridge. Miss V. Felicia Townsend had already been in reign of a top instructional program for two years. Their combined efforts are still felt today through some of their more successful students ; George Morris, Ronnie Mutch, Victor Hugo-Vidal and Otto's daughter, Patty Heuckeroth. These names are the trend-setters in Hunter Seat Equitation today. Ox Ridge Hunt Club has hosted a number of important, nationally recognized horse shows over the years, including our own Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show and the Ox Ridge Dressage Horse Show. The Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show has a seventy-five year history and has featured internationally famous riders in breathtaking exhibitions of Show Jumping at its very best for five days in June The Club is a non-profit organization in which all Active members hold an equal share in ownership. The Club is governed by the Board of Stewards which acts as a representative body of the membership. The Board, by guidelines of established by-laws, meets on a monthly basis throughout the year to provide sound financial management and to insure that we continue to be the finest Equestrian Club in the United States and the educational center of the horse industry. The Club's fiscal year begins October 1 and ends September 30. There is an annual meeting of the Active members in November during which the officers of the Board provide the Active membership with a summary of the previous year's activities as well as expectations for the upcoming year. Elections of new officers are held in November. There are also appointed committees that serve various interests of the membership and help by providing the Board of Stewards with their recommendations. Our extensive indoor and outdoor facilities represent some of the finest in Fairfield County. The Club is situated on thirty-seven acres, twenty-two of which consist of the beautiful front field that is used for a variety of riding activities through the summer. The field provides the premier setting for our June Show and recognized dressage competitions. In addition, the field is used on a regular basis by members for instruction, horse show and pleasure riding.