Are Hunter Derbies at every level of riding?

[Sunny74]

I am new to huntseat but not knew to riding.

So, I was reading something on Hunter Derbies and they sure do look like fun. Are these offered at every level of competition or is it just an A circuit thing only? It would be nice if they offered these on the B and C and even unrated circuits but I do not know if it is the case.

Are Hunter Derbies the only ones that are held on grass with a spread out course (besides eventing)?

I am thinking it would be fun to have a safer eventing type course but where you don’t risk dying in a rotational fall.

[StormWarriorC]

Hi there! Welcome to the H/J world!

Pony, National, and International Derbies are the only recognized derbies by the USHJA. Pony derbies are only for ponies and I believe are held at the same height as the division for each section (small, medium, and large). National Derbies are held at 3’ with options at 3’5". International derbies are set at 3’6" to 4’ with heigh options being 4’3"-4’9" in height.
Those are the derbies held at AA shows and AA shows only, or as their own special occasion show.

Some smaller shows have their own versions. Some do a derby at 2’6" or lower, for fun as a class. Some shows do a hunter challenge type class as a money class (I just participated in one in Venice called the Huntfield VET Hunter Challenge). They’ll have differing formats (some with high options, some without. Some with a second callback as a handy course, some with it just being a second round scored like a classic round).

Very few derbies are held on grass, as very few venues have a grass ring anymore. Even then most hunters like to stay in the ring, as it’s a safer option footing wise - especially when weather is concerned. There are some shows that hold their grand prixs out on grass, and a few places have a Jumper Derby type course that has some eventing type elements with jumper jumps as well.

I’d suggest looking up shows in your area and seeing what they offer. If you’re ever looking just to watch stuff, look up Jumper or Hunter derbies on youtube and let the recommended section play its way through!

[mmeqcenter]

Eventing is not the only sport that competes on grass. Derbies (hunter or jumper) are not “Eventer type” courses, they’re Derbies. Whether they’re held on grass or in a sand ring depends on the venue.

If you want to see/do Eventing in a ring, look for Arena Eventing
https://eventingconnect.today/2018/06/02/why-eventers-should-embrace-arena-eventing/
However, Arena Eventing still has solid obstacles that create the potential for rotational falls.

[Sunny74]

StormWarrior- thank you very much! I appreciate the information. I just started with huntseat lessons having done trail riding and dressage. So far, so good but I have a lot to learn!

MMeqcenter- ok, thanks. I guess I’m not a big ring person so It would be great to be able to do jumping classes on the grass someday. I’m not sure what is out there on grass but StormWarrior said it is not that common…unfortunately. Obviously, I’m still a long way off from jumping courses but I was just curious. I have always been drawn to eventing but then I balk because of the injuries and fatalities.

[mmeqcenter]

@Sunny74

MMeqcenter- ok, thanks. I guess I’m not a big ring person so It would be great to be able to do jumping classes on the grass someday.

Even Derbies held on grass will have some kind of outer perimeter to the “arena” area.
You could see if there are Hunter Paces available in your area. A hunter pace is essentially a timed, competitive “trail ride” with optional fences.

[ToTheNines]

Although you are new to the sport, you have brought up a subject, that I after years and years of hunter riding, have been pondering.

To me, it seems like the model of the winning hunter has been the huge horse with the huge step that can go very slowly around the course and still make the desired strides in the lines.

I’m kinda tired of that model. Do we really need to be riding such big horses? Why are older people like me feeling the need to ride 17 hand horses? I just leased a 16 hand horse that is going to be a blast to ride. He does not have a huge step, but he is safe and fun.

Around here, the hunter shows are the conventional 12’ stride lines. Outside, diagonal, etc. There are very few shows, even local ones, that pull in the lines for smaller jumps. Making the distance at little jumps is harder than with bigger ones.

I think there is a need for something between eventing and conventional hunter divisions that is safe and fun. If I ran a local horse show, I would have divisions with no related distances. Apparently the Arabian shows do this, with lots of long bending lines. Or I might have a “small horse” division with the lines pulled in. More emphasis on the individual horse and less emphasis on a stereotype.

[StormWarriorC]

@ToTheNines

Although you are new to the sport, you have brought up a subject, that I after years and years of hunter riding, have been pondering.

To me, it seems like the model of the winning hunter has been the huge horse with the huge step that can go very slowly around the course and still make the desired strides in the lines.

I’m kinda tired of that model. Do we really need to be riding such big horses? Why are older people like me feeling the need to ride 17 hand horses? I just leased a 16 hand horse that is going to be a blast to ride. He does not have a huge step, but he is safe and fun.

Around here, the hunter shows are the conventional 12’ stride lines. Outside, diagonal, etc. There are very few shows, even local ones, that pull in the lines for smaller jumps. Making the distance at little jumps is harder than with bigger ones.

I think there is a need for something between eventing and conventional hunter divisions that is safe and fun. If I ran a local horse show, I would have divisions with no related distances. Apparently the Arabian shows do this, with lots of long bending lines. Or I might have a “small horse” division with the lines pulled in. More emphasis on the individual horse and less emphasis on a stereotype.

There are small hunters for the juniors, but lines are still the same.

A 12’ stride is achievable for any horse and honestly, a lot of ponies. I saw ponies in the jumpers this weekend doing the step in combinations just fine. A lot of us with big horses actually have to whoa in the line to make the step if we’re really rocking and rolling.

The reason we have striding is to make sure a horse has a nice big step. You’d want a big step out in the field for hunting - you cover more ground with less footfalls which in turn means it’s more efficient. Efficiency is key.

I think you’d be surprised at how nice and forward a lot of the top derby horses are these days. The days of deadheads winning everything is lowering as they don’t have the expression over fences that others do. But a horse who can have a nice big step and quietly jumps around without huge fanfare and going mock ten? That’s a horse I would want to ride, and that’s what judging is really all about. Would I want to ride that horse.

[Sunny74]

ToTheNines- while looking up other options for jumping, I found an interesting couple of articles that talked about what you mentioned:

http://equiery.com/the-evolution-of-equitation/

https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2017/0…-and-horsemen/

https://horsenetwork.com/2017/02/cha…d-hunter-look/

Honestly, I wish they would just move the hunter jumps out into an eventing field. That would be fun and much safer than eventing jumps but the same type of experience.

[StormWarriorC]

@Sunny74

Honestly, I wish they would just move the hunter jumps out into an eventing field. That would be fun and much safer than eventing jumps but the same type of experience.

Eh… I wouldn’t say it’s the same type of experience. Honestly a hunter pace would be perfect for you as someone else said.
I evented all through my teenage years and I am having way more fun perfecting a hunter round than I did eventing. Eventing has turned into something scary and honestly I think it’s going through a black spot on its history. Try riding a show jumping course - more adrenaline than I ever had XC and fairly safe when you ride it right!

[Sunny74]

StormWarrior- Thank you! I agree with you 100% on the current safety of eventing…scary stuff. I will talk to my instructor about long term goals being showjumping and hunter paces (thanks mmeqcenter for the hunter pace suggestion)!

[AliCat]

Where are you located? The farm I ride at does derbies on grass, and at lower levels multiple times per year.

[rockonxox]

You could always do hunters or eq, jumpers, hunter pace (I don’t recall seeing those in my area but they seem like a good time) as suggested above and also have fun going to school cross country courses. If you want to show, at the starter level - sometimes goes by other names such as pre-beginner novice - you’re not facing those rotational fall risks AND there is an optimum time that you don’t want to go over (so you don’t need to feel pressure to gun it about the course)… and you get the fun of riding out in the open, show jumping, and dressage. That isn’t a USEA sanctioned level, but might be something you’d like to try if you want to enjoy XC at a lower risk (not no risk, horses are horses and poor riding can land you in the dirt/grass in an arena, on a trail, on an xc course, etc). We don’t have many derbies held in grass rings in my area. There was one show series that offered a show with a derby like course in their grass arena, but it isn’t the norm.

[Sunny74]

Alicat- New England

Rockonxox- thanks for the additional information! I will look into that low beginner level…thanks again!

[outside_leg]

In New England, plenty of the state circuits offer derby classes at various heights at certain shows. CHSA in Connecticut, for instance, has a derby day at finals. I believe it starts at crossrail height, so very approachable for green horses or riders.

I’ve also seen derbies offered at lower levels at rates shows. These 2’6” derbies aren’t themselves rated, but again, they’re approachable and fun if the goal is to gain experience. Northampton ran one, for instance.

[Sunny74]

Outside leg- nice! That’s great to know!! Thank you!

[Fiona_785]

New England area- Fieldstone has a beautiful derby field and has rated and non-rated shows that do 2’-3’6”+! NHHJA does their summerfest there and they even had an 18”/long-stirrup derby (in a dirt ring IIRC). So to answer your question, no not all derbies are rated and there should be plenty accessible in your area