The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association Board of Directors elected Mary Babick as the next president of the organization on Sept. 12, during the board of directors meeting held in Dallas. Babick will take office on Dec. 15, following the final BOD meeting of the USHJA Annual Meeting, which will be held in Palm Springs, Calif.

The election consisted of brief presentations from both candidates, Mary Babick and Diane Carney, followed by a question-and-answer session with the board. Board members conducted their vote by secret ballot. A recorded webcast of the election will be available on the USHJA website no later than Sept. 13. (Read an interview with both candidates.)

“It’s such an honor and a huge responsibility to be selected as president,” said Babick after the election. “I look forward to working in concert with other passionate volunteers to unite our industry, tackle our problems and, in so doing, assist in the development of our future leaders.”

A professional horsewoman for 38 years, Babick has trained several well-known riders in the hunter, jumper and equitation rings. She is a USEF judge and has officiated at competitions across the United States. Babick earned her instructor certification from the British Horse Society and is a USHJA certified trainer. Also, she has trained in certified management accounting and worked on Wall Street in the area of compliance.

Babick has served as a member of the USHJA board of directors since 2010, most recently serving as the Hunter Discipline Vice President and a member of the Executive Committee since 2012. Additionally, Babick has served on the Planning Committee, the Emerging Athletes Committee (on which she still serves), as well as chairing the Youth Committee. Her committee work dates back to the earliest USHJA committees. In addition to her USHJA service, Babick currently serves as chair of both the USEF National Breeds and Disciplines Council as well as its Horse Identification Task Force.

“The USHJA has an incredibly bright future, and I look forward to Mary’s leadership continuing to improve our excellent member services while growing our sport,” said Bill Moroney, current USHJA president on leave of absence and CEO of the U.S. Equestrian Federation, who presided over the election. “As Mary transitions into the role over the next several months prior to taking office, I look forward to working with her to ensure a smooth transition for our members, volunteers and staff.”

Over the next three months, the president-elect will work with the current president and officers to ensure a smooth transition of leadership in December. Additionally, in December, the USHJA Board of Directors will elect a new treasurer, national vice president, and three at-large board of director positions. These will all be seated following the Dec. 15 board meeting.

For more information about the election process, visit www.ushja.org/elections2016.