IHSA walk/trot.... WHY??

[Cannonball]

After reading through the IHSA trainwreck thread, I couldn’t help but keep thinking “why do they have a beginner division at the college level that requires you not have any riding experience?”

It seems there are plenty of experienced kids who want to ride in college. But part of the roster spots, practice and meet times are spent on beginners. I tried to think of another college sport that does this and couldn’t come up with another example. It seems this would hold equestrian sports back from being recognized at higher level of athletics.

Flame suit zipped up!

[hunterrider23]

It’s a club sport, not a varsity. It’s not the same thing. The problem arises with NCAA requiring an extensive show background in the 3’6".

[jherold]

Yes, because it’s a club sport. Frankly, I learned to ride in college and my first show experience was showing advanced walk/trot. Different levels allow for more participation. If you only allow people to show who are advanced riders, you would have a very, very small club, especially if you consider the non-horsey colleges. (I showed for Purdue back in the '80’s).

[To_the_MAX]

IHSA is not a varsity sport, it’s a club sport. And I’m pretty sure almost all club sports allow beginners to join.

Also, please refer to IHSA’s mission statement:

“IHSA provides collegiate riders of all skills the opportunity to compete individually and as teams in equestrian competition. It was founded on the principle that any college student should be able to participate in horse shows regardless of his or her riding ability or financial status.”

If someone wanted to ride as a varsity sport, then they could apply to a school that has an NCAA team.

[bugsynskeeter]

God forbid you bring new people into the sport who may never had the ability to ride growing up.

[SaturdayNightLive]

As others have said - because it isn’t a “college sport” as you are thinking of college sports. It’s a club sport.

NCEA/NCAA equestrian is the Division 1 sport of equestrian.

[Fun_Size]

That’s where I started. I didn’t learn to ride until college. It isn’t like they are taking time, money or resources from the advanced riders. They don’t meet at the same time, and there is more then enough staff around to teach an up/down lesson.

[LTLFLDF]

There is at least one pro at Harrisburg that is quiet accomplished. They got their start riding in college. My guess is their first showing experience was IHSA.

[woodhillsmanhattan]

Like others have said, IHSA is a club sport. College is all about trying new things. IHSA is a very affordable means for a student to ride that otherwise couldn’t afford it before college, didn’t have a program where they lived at home, or didn’t know about horseback riding as a sport. The fees are small depending on the amount of funds are allocated through the college towards the club.

I rode on the NC State team for two years. We only paid for our weekly lessons and coaching fees at the shows (and occasional team attire!). All entries were paid through club sports allocated funds and fundraising we did.

At NC State they offer a PE class for “Beginning Hunter Seat Equitation” and “Intermediate Hunter Seat Equitation”. Most of our walk/trot team members came from the PE classes. They often loved it so much they wanted to continue to pursue lessons and the IHSA offered an inexpensive means to be competitive!

I actually love this about IHSA. I like that the amount of points earned from the walk/trot is the exacts same amount as the Open Over Fences. Everyone plays an equal part in the team winning.

I think emphasizing the walk/trot and wtc divisions also contributes to strong long-term programs. The teams in our region that consistently do well are the teams that constantly recruit beginner riders and move them up the divisions.

Nothing wrong with sharing the love of horses with new people and hopefully aspiring future amateurs, professionals, trail riders, once-a-week-lessoners, etc.!

[Hunter_JumperMom]

I could be wrong but some schools do recognize IHSA as a varsity sport. Not a club. What exactly is the difference??

[To_the_MAX]

[QUOTE=Hunter/JumperMom;7220186]
I could be wrong but some schools do recognize IHSA as a varsity sport. Not a club. What exactly is the difference??[/QUOTE]

I have no specific knowledge, as I am pretty sure these schools are few and far between, but I would just guess the major difference is funding, along with mandatory practice and/or gym times.

[Hunter_JumperMom]

My daughter did IHSA her sophomore year at roger Williams and it was considered Varsity. I know we paid minimal and when she went to nationals the school paid all of it. That’s my only experience

[Dramapony_misty]

Because it gives people like my DH a chance to fulfill his dream of learning how to ride horses for a minimal cost- though he only rode on the western team. Team practices were his lessons and the coach loaned him most of his riding attire. I can say that thanks to the Cazenovia Equestrian Team, I found my husband! We both really met each other and bonded at a horse show

[Rel6]

IHSA is varsity at some schools - I know it is at mine. And I think the inclusion of the walk/trot division is amazing. The walk/trot rider’s points count just as much as the open o/f rider’s points. A lot of time the winning team is determined by the walk trot rider which means the whole team really supports the less experienced members.

If the team is varsity, it means that your expenses are covered. This allows girls who want to learn to ride to do so for free and get free show experience. We had one girl who started out in walk trot and ended up in novice and now had a part time job grooming at a farm.

The walk/trot division gives girls exposure to a new sport and makes them just as important as riders who have been doing it for 15+ years. Whats so wrong with that?

[enjoytheride]

I didn’t start taking lessons until I was in college through my equestrian team. We provided discounted lessons, cheap shows, and shared clothing to make it work.

[SaturdayNightLive]

There is a difference between “varsity” and NCAA Division 1.

“Varsity” status is given by the school, not by a national governing body. It just means that the school recognizes the team as an “Official” school organization and will foot some or all of the bill.

Division 1/2/3 status is given by the NCAA and is what denotes a team that is a true “sport” in the sense that it is governed by the same rules/organization as all other NCAA sports (football, basketball, etc…)

So, in a nutshell, “varsity” status is granted by the school and isn’t regulated by anybody. NCAA “varsity” status is an entirely different beast.

[Snowfox]

[QUOTE=SaturdayNightLive;7219426]
As others have said - because it isn’t a “college sport” as you are thinking of college sports. It’s a club sport.

NCEA/NCAA equestrian is the Division 1 sport of equestrian.[/QUOTE]

Are there schools that actually have NCAA equestrian?? I’ve never heard of it, but to fair I’m decades out of uni.

[MHM]

[QUOTE=Snowfox;7220684]
Are there schools that actually have NCAA equestrian?? I’ve never heard of it, but to fair I’m decades out of uni.[/QUOTE]
There are, though not a million of them. Yet. That program just started up within the past ten years or so. They can even give kids full or partial scholarships, and their show teams are often made up of kids who were very, very competitive at the biggest shows, including some recent winners of the Medal and Maclay finals.

It’s also a handy way for schools to add more women participants to balance out their sports programs, so you don’t see boys riding on NCAA teams, though you do see the occasional boy on the IHSA teams.

[pony4me]

Riding on a team, as a club sport, should be open to anyone who wants to give it a try. I know a wonderful person who just happened to sign up for the IHSA team when she was a freshman in college. Zero riding experience, and she did it because she thought it would be fun and a good way to meet people at school. Fast forward three years later, and she is a great rider, hard worker, qualified for Nationals, made friends and has had a wonderful school experience. We were hanging around at the barn talking a few weeks ago, and she said joining the riding team changed her life in a way she never could have imagined.

[Ghazzu]

God forbid we should attract newcomers to our exclusive club.
Geez…