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Photo of Nancy Hutcheson - Click to enlarge
For Immediate Release: February 10, 2010
Contact: Lynne Richmond
(609) 633-2954

(EAST BRUNSWICK) – Nancy Hutcheson, a horsewoman instrumental in the development of the Horse Park of New Jersey at Stone Tavern in Allentown, NJ, was honored February 9 with a Distinguished Service Citation at the New Jersey Agricultural Convention held in East Brunswick.

“Nancy Hutcheson’s love of horse and lifelong commitment to the New Jersey equine industry led to the development of one of the premier equine facilities in the state – the Horse Park of New Jersey,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher.  “She is a true leader who has dedicated a good portion of her life to stimulating, improving and promoting the industry through her volunteer efforts.”

Nancy Hutcheson’s love of horses began with a little Shetland pony named May in her childhood.  Once she had her own children, she spent summers at her sister Anita’s Bridle Vale Farm in Vermont, where she and her four children enjoyed riding, training and showing Morgan horses.  That eventually led to Hutcheson representing Morgan Horses on the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Equine Advisory Board for more than 38 years. 

While on the board, Hutcheson and others determined that New Jersey needed a large show facility located in the central part of the state with multiple show rings, stabling, office space, an indoor arena and an outside course.  Over the next 10 year, under then-Secretary of Agriculture Phillip Alampi’s jurisdiction, a property was located, an agreement was reached with the state Department of Environmental Protection to use the land and funds were acquired for the development the Horse Park. 

The Horse Park, a world class equine and agricultural exposition center, has been a passion for Hutcheson, who was often seen mulching or watering some of the many trees, flowers and bushes within the park’s property or doing any number of other chores needed to keep the Horse Park appealing to all who visited.

Hutcheson served as the president of the Horse Park Board of Trustees for 20 years.  She was twice awarded the Governor’s Trophy as Horse Person of the Year by the New Photo of Hutcheson Distinguished Service AwardJersey Equine Advisory Board – in 1979 for developing and implementing the concept of the Horse Park of New Jersey and again in 1989 for having helped the Horse Park to become a functioning reality.  Nancy is now part owner of Scussell Farm in Pittstown, NJ where daughter Ann and Son-in-law Brad have their training facility.

Distinguished Service Citations are awarded to farmers, agricultural leaders and allies of the industry who have made outstanding contributions to agriculture and to enhancing the quality of rural life in New Jersey.