In 2019 alone, Haness amassed numerous championships and awards including reserve champion in the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship in Kentucky aboard Verdict and the highest-placed rider designation of the Tier II combinations. Haness was also both champion and reserve champion in the Stal Hendrix Green Futurity Championships in New York aboard Crowd Pleaser and Reese’s, respectively. Most notably in 2019, Haness was named the US Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) National Equestrian of the Year.

While this year’s competition schedule has been anything but typical, Haness remains competitive as ever, particularly as shows resume. According to Haness, Hunterbrook Farms is a smaller boutique-type barn that is show-oriented, with an emphasis on hunters and equitation, as well as jumpers including Grand Prix horses.

With approximately 25 horses in his care year-round, Haness understands the importance of keeping horses comfortable and happy, especially with demanding show and travel schedules. When he learned that new horses entering his barn were using supplements from Equine Elixirs, a brand offering all-natural, show-safe equine supplements, he was eager to try them with his other horses. Currently, Haness uses two products in the Equine Elixirs line with almost all of his horses—Positude, a liquid for hormone support, and Ulceraser, a forage-based gastric support supplement. He also uses Immunox, a whole food immune support supplement loaded with anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories for other horses in his string. Haness is also incorporating Calmakazi into his supplement routine as year-end competitions and the winter circuits pick up. Calmakazi’s whole food-based ingredients promote optimum nervous system function.

With a renewed focus on showing as competition resumed, Haness was intrigued by the fact that the Equine Elixirs supplements are all-natural. “[Amidst] this era of rules changing with USEF, [being able to use a product such as] Positude has made a big impact, especially with horses that are more challenging or horses that have a difficult time adjusting to a horse show environment,” he noted. Haness believes that ensuring optimum horse health and well-being is critical during an arduous competition schedule, and that’s where Ulceraser’s forage-based proprietary blend comes into play. “We’re pretty competitive and we’re on the road quite a bit,” said Haness. “We horse show a lot, on average 25 to 30 shows per year. [New environments at] shows and trailering put stress on horses, and [because stress can cause ulcers, that’s why] the Ulceraser is really good. We want to beat ulcers before they come.”