Just to make things more difficult, our show year begins December 1st as opposed to January 1st like everyone else. It is now time, if you haven’t done it already to renew your memberships, as well as look into some new ones.
All riders need to be a member of the organization they are trying to accrue points for.
Riders only accrue Equitation points. Horses accrue Hunter or Jumper Points. In addition, the horse’s owner must also be a member. If the Rider is leasing the horse, the Rider can be listed as Lessee but the horse’s actual owner still needs to be a member.
Most organizations make it easy to get a lifetime membership for the horse but require the rider to renew yearly or every three years. There is an option to become a lifetime member for riders as well- it is just costs more, sometimes a lot more. Note that when filling our online memberships, horses and ponies are “recorded” (Horsey membership) and Riders get “memberships”
Our Grassroots Cedarhill shows don’t have any membership requirement to participate. Nor do the Local C shows however they won’t count your points if your aren’t a member. A shows require a yearly or temporary membership. All of the organizations below require you to be a member to ride in their equitation medal classes.
All of the organizations below have Year End Medal Finals as well as a yearly Banquet. This provides a great opportunity for some Goal setting as well as a fun finish to the show year.
Progressive Show Jumping (PSJ) hosts both C and A shows in the local area. Their C Shows have Medal Finals and Derby Finals, as well as a year end Banquet.
Blue Ridge Hunter Jumper Association (BRHJA) is a C rated organization primarily in the Tryon/ Piedmont area. They have a fun Derby and Medal Final horse show that riders and their horses need to qualify for- a great year end goal for some.
North Carolina Hunter Jumper (NCHJA) has both a C show and an A show following. Become a member of them if you’re doing more than a few shows this year. Make sure that the horse you are leasing or own is a member by checking their website. If you just bought your horse, you will need to transfer ownership with them. The A show finals are in the end of June at the NCHJA Raleigh Show with Children’s, Adult, Pony, and Junior Medal Finals. They also have a C Show Finals that changes dates from year to year.
South Caroline hunter Jumper (SCHJA) also has both C and A shows, and you should also become a member of the them, as well as your mount. They have a C show Finals in the Fall, and an A show Governor Cup Equitation Final in Aiken in September ( this month in November due to a Hurricane)
United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is the governing body of all equestrian activities which you need to be a member of to go to A shows.
United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) On the same USEF website you choose our discipline- This means that you register for both USEF and USHJA at the same time. They have a discounted 3 year deal that most of us do. Effective for 2019, all horses must be a USEF member and be microchipped, regardless of the division they do. `The USHJA website has lots of learning opportunities.
World Hunter Champion Rider (WCHR). Once you are regularly going to A shows; it is a good idea to also become a member of WCHR. They host their shows at choice A shows around the country and showcase the best at their Finals at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in October. They award ribbons for our Southeast Region at the Blowing Rock Horse Show.
Maclay If you are moving into the 3’6 Equitation, you should become a Maclay Member as well. Horses do not need to be a member since the points are only for the rider. The USEF Junior Medal, sponsored for years by Pessoa, is now sponsored by Dover. It requires the USEF membership. The USEF Pony Medal is the same.
A Show 3′ Equitation has NCHJA Medal Finals, SCHJA Governor Cup Finals, and Taylor Harris Medal Finals. The first requires you to be a NCHJA member, the second, a SCHJA member, and the third a USEF/USHJA member.
The North American League (NAL) is an organization with Finals at the Harrisburg Indoor Show in October.They offer events for Children’s Hunters and Jumpers, Adult Hunters and Jumpers, and Low Jr/AO Jumpers. We have a few local shows that host the NAL shows where you can accrue points; most of them are West coast, Northeast, and in Florida. I don’t suggest becoming a member of this organization, although if more shows in the area start hosting the NAL classes more often I would reconsider.
Going on the USHJA and USEF website will give you a huge amount of information, which they are updating all the time with opportunities for learning, showing, and participation.
We are in USHJA/USEF Zone 3 whose finals are at the Capital Challenge Show grounds the week after Capital Challenge. They host Children’s hunters, jumpers, and Children’s Pony Finals for our Zone.
All of these organizations keep track of points we earn participating at the shows we go to, giving us recognition and goals. For each rider and horse these goals might be quite different. For some, the goal is to make it to Zone Finals, others, to WCHR, Indoors, Devon, Pony or Junior Hunter Finals, and others, the C Show Medal Finals. Let us know what you are striving for (or help you figure out what you are striving for) and help you get there!
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