FWSSR Jumping Classic Show and Rodeo Grand Prix raises funds to combat animal abuse

CBS News

26-01-2025

FORT WORTH – The Jumping Classic Show and Rodeo Grand Prix debuted at the Will Rogers Coliseum on Sunday as part of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
Dozens of riders showed off their skills at the inaugural event, including 12-year-old Danica Davis.
"I really like the adrenaline in jumping," said Davis, who didn't horse around and maintained her focus during the event. "You have to figure out where to go and to find the right distance and stuff like making sure that your stride is the right stride for the job."
Riders like Davis are not only jumping high into their future goals; they are also helping animals in need.
The event benefits the Saving Hope Foundation, which was founded by Gloria Moncrief and her mother to reduce animal abuse and neglect.
"About 12 years ago, we found Hope the dog, a pug mix running around on our ranch in the middle of July," Moncrief said. "She had been stabbed over a dozen times, and her mouth was taped shut by electrical tape, and she was running for her life."
The non-profit even had its own obstacle on the course.
"The riders will go around the course and jump as high as they can and go as fast as they can, and the winner is the person that is the fastest, but also clears the course, which means not knocking over any poles on the jump or falling off," Moncrief said.
District 7 Fort Worth Councilwoman Macy Hill said the city worked together to bring the new event to life. She added that five invitational classes bring a different jumping style to the arena.
"This is a preview of the World Cup that the Sports Commission in the city of Fort Worth is bringing to Will Rogers in April of 2026," Hill said. "Traditionally, the rodeo is a Western discipline, and we're able to showcase English discipline, particularly showjumping."