IHSA Divisions and Advancement

[zaparaquah]

I’m going to be joining my college’s IHSA team in August and I’m trying to understand how the divisions work. I have ten years of riding experience, was in 4-h, had shown at a few local competitions in western horsemanship, some gymkhanas, and some w/t/c English classes at schooling shows in addition to probably 250 lessons over the years. But I’ve never jumped and never competed in any rated/recognized shows (unless Stock Horse Association counts?)… So I’m trying to figure out whether I’d be placed in class 2A or 2B?

And I’m also wondering how many points I would need to get to compete over jumps.

Any insight?
Thanks!

[hj0519]

I’m pretty sure you would be in in 2B, advanced walk-trot-canter.

You’ll be eligible to jump when you point into the novice division, which would be after getting 36 points in 2B, and you also need to have had at least 6 continous months of lessons over fences in the past year.

Page 55 of the rulebook is where they start talking about rider eligibility, I’d suggest reading through that. It pretty clearly states what they consider to be recognized shows and what makes you eligible for each division. http://www.ihsainc.com/docs/default-source/rules-and-guidelines/ihsa-2013-2014-rulebook.pdf?sfvrsn=0

[SouthernYankee]

Whatever you do, do not pad your riding experience! I saw a few girls come in and exaggerate their experience then they struggled at shows because they were in a higher division than they needed to be in. And once you are placed in a division you cannot drop down levels.

I went in at Novice but could have made the team at the Open level. I was good and had plenty of experience but didn’t make it to many rated shows, therefore I was placed in Novice.

If you enter at a higher level than you should really be at then you will struggle to place, if you enter at a lower level than you should have then you will do well and point out of those divisions quickly until you get to the division you’re supposed to be in.