Low registration prompts cancellation of this year’s Oregon High Desert Classics hunter jumper horse competition
Barney Lerten
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Low registration numbers have prompted organizers of the Oregon High Desert Classics to cancel next month’s two-week hunter jumper horse competition.
An announcement posted Friday on the event’s web page stated:
OHDC 2025 Has Been Cancelled
“Thank you to all our 2025 Oregon High Desert Classics sponsors, vendors, contractors, exhibitors, and community members. It is with a heavy heart that we are taking a pause this year and thus cancelling both weeks of the OHDC. This is due to a low number of registrations, and sadly the low numbers just did not pencil out for us to be able to hold the show this year. We hope that this year’s pause is just that – and we can look forward to 2026 for some changes and improvements. And of course any payments/deposits made will be refunded. Thank you all so much for all your support!
“The OHDC is our main fundraiser for J Bar J Youth Services that raises money for all our programs serving youth, and for that reason as well, we are disappointed that there were not enough registrations this year.”
It’s not the first such pause in the annual fundraising event for J Bar J Youth Services. It also was canceled five years ago, due to COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings.
A long-time High Desert Classics attendee told us, “Last year, the smoke from wildfires was so bad, walking through the grounds was like walking in a ghost town. Vendors were closed, horses were being sent home etc. Maybe stables have found competition closer to home and/or don’t want to take the chance that things will be different this year. Hope next year will be better.”
KTVZ News is working to learn more and we’ll have updates as we receive them.