A Cover Story

We went through several iterations of the dust jacket for the book before choosing this image. I took the photo during a Hunter under saddle class in Ring 2 at the Upperville Colt & Horse Show.

I’d spent a memorable day back in 2011 (on my birthday) walking around and simply taking photos and experimenting with a variety of lenses and camera settings. Because the show is in my backyard, I often go early in the mornings and stay later in the evenings to capture artistic photographs. This is a special show for me because I first began competing at Upperville on a Large Pony when I was in my early teens. Since then, I’ve shown there regularly and have earned many of my favorite championships in the hunters and jumpers on both sides of Route 50.

Nick Haness, of California, the subject of the cover photo, had recently turned professional and was riding for trainer Kim Stewart. When he found out he was the “cover boy” of the book, he reminisced about his time on the East Coast and how he liked showing at the iconic Upperville show before returning to the West Coast.

Another photo in the series I took that day at Upperville in 2011.

In 2016, I had the privilege of judging Upperville, and Julie has judged the show nine times, making this photo even more meaningful for both of us.

Designer Michelle Bloch chose to wrap the photo around the entire book and dust jacket to showcase the beauty of the ring and emphasize the wide-angle photo. While it’s an unusual cover image, it reflects the tradition and beauty of our horse show world and the country’s oldest continuously run horse show, which is still held each June under the Oaks in Upperville, Virginia.

Tricia Booker