Nicholas Award

The Vars family proudly sponsors the Career Achievement Award in memory of their Thoroughbred/Percheron cross gelding, Nicholas. Originally purchased for Hillary as an equitation horse for her last junior year in the late 1980s, Nicholas went from a dressage/eventing backround to a consistent show horse in less than a year. Hillary and Nicholas had top ribbons at many of the major horse shows including Devon (PA) and Harrisburg (PA). Hillary’s last junior year included the New England Medal Finals, the AHSA Medal Finals (Harrisburg) and the ASPCA Maclay Finals at Madison Square Garden (NY). 

After colic surgery the following spring, Nicholas resumed his successful show- ing career in the Adult ranks with older sister Elizabeth. The pair had many wins in the equitation including Reserve Champion at the first New England Adult Amateur Finals, Reserve Champion at the Rhode Island Equitation Cham- pionships and Bronze at the Connecticut Hunter Jumper Association Championships. 

Following a second colic surgery the next year, Nicholas was leased to Kristen Bumpus for the conclusion of her last junior year. The pair went on to become the “most winning” rider-equine combination at the New England Finals. By the end of the weekend the duo had won the open equitation 15-17, the New England Final, the MHC Finals and the Zone 1 Final. Continuing their winning ways, they went on to receive Reserve Champion at the AHSA Finals and had top ribbons at the USET Talent Search (Gladstone, NJ) as well as the ASPCA Maclay Finals at the Meadowlands (NJ). 

The next showing season Nicholas returned to the show ring as a hunter at the age of 18 and competed in the Amateur-Owner division with Elizabeth. The two competed at Devon and Washington International Horse Show (MD) and finished with year-end championships from the New England Horsemen’s Council, Rhode Island Horseman’s Association, Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council and Connecticut Hunter Jumper Association. 

The Nicholas Award, as it is commonly known, was first presented in 1998 as an acknowledgement for the horse who is the most versatile within the sport.