Showing Information

We compete in the IHSA. IHSA stands for the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, meaning only full time college students are eligible to compete in the shows. 

The IHSA Mission:

"The IHSA promotes competition for riders of all skill levels, who compete individually and as teams at regional, zone, and national levels.

The association was founded on the principle that any college student should be able to participate in horse shows regardless of his or her financial status or riding level. Emphasis is on learning, sportsmanship, and fun. Competition plays a role but the students’ enthusiasm and team spirit are the major factors. The objective of IHSA competition is to offer the opportunity to riders in their first years of riding as well as to students with show experience. Eliminating the expense of shipping or even owning horses puts IHSA competitions within reach of many who would otherwise miss the equestrian experience."

Visit the IHSA website here, for more info.

About the Shows:

    - Each Show that our club attends is hosted by a school in our zone and region (zone 3, region 3)
   
    - When a rider places in a class they receive a ribbon and a certain amount of points that accumulate for their IHSA class

    - Riders are placed in an appropriate class by their ability, number of years riding and show experience

    - Riders who excel in their classes are moved to a higher class once they gain enough rider points to do so

    - Classes are basic hunt-seat flat classes and hunter over fences

    - Riders compete against riders from other schools that are placed in the same class

    - Riders are not allowed to choose the horse they ride; the paramedics randomly select a horse for each rider

    - Riders must understand how to ride any type of horse; riders are only given a short description of the horse they have drawn to ride before their class

    - Shows typically begin at 9 AM with the hunter over fences classes in the morning and the flat classes in the afternoon

Points:

When a rider places in their class, they receive individual points for themselves and if they are a "point rider" they receive points for their team.  Once a rider receives a certain amount of points appropriate for their class they must move up into a higher class. 

The Point Riders for the team (1 per class) are determined before the classes begin.  If the point rider receives points for the class they also receive the same amount of points for the team.  The team with the highest number of Point Rider points at the end of the show day wins.   

    1st Place=7 points

    2nd Place=5 points

    3rd Place=4 points

    4th Place=3 points

    5th Place=2 points

    6th Place=1 point