Recognized vs unrecognized HT’s - how, and why, do you choose? How far will you travel for an unrecognized 1-day HT? If two 1-day’s are offered back to back (Sat & Sun) do you enter both?
Discuss please!
Unrecognized are about half the price, so I usually go with them until my horse is solid at Training (there aren’t nearly as many unrecognized Trainings and nothing above that.) I live within two hours of 10 or so recognized events and 10 or so unrecognized events so I rarely travel more than that and usually try to keep it in the hour to hour and a half range for both rec and unrec. I’ve done two one days back to back at BN, but only because I was already entered in one and another one I’d entered was rained out and moved to the other weekend day. It was fine but I wouldn’t do it on purpose unless I lived somewhere where I had to haul 5+ hours and stay for a long weekend anyway and the events were at the same place-- and it would have to be Novice or below.
Eventing in my area is tough. There are only 2 recognized events that are “local” to me (~15 minutes away!) - the first and last of the season in my area so weather is a significant potential issue for both and the first one of the year is questionable due to fitness concerns depending on the kind of winter we have. There is one recognized event 2.5 hours away. All others are 5+ hours and a mountain range away!
There are approx. 4 unrecognized 1-day HTs per year that are less than 3 hours away. I won’t travel further than that for a 1-day HT.
I won’t travel further than 3 hours to a recognized HT (which also is more expensive and requires at least 2 days off work) unless I feel I have a reasonable expectation of being competitive.
I wouldn’t do back to back 1-days because I don’t think either I or my horse are fit enough and I am not sure what would be achieved in terms of our goals by doing so.
Which events I attend is determined by cost, time off work, and how competitive I think we will be. I currently have a young horse who I think is ready for her first season of eventing. I have not evented at the recognized level for nearly 20 years. We plan to do 2 unrecognized 1-day HTs (one local, one 2.5 hours away and preceded by schooling opportunities) before attempting our first recognized event 2.5 hours away and, if that goes well, we will finish the season with the last, local recognized event. If all goes well (a big if!!), I might try one of the further away recognized events next year.
Cost. I’d rather be able to go to more unrecognized events vs doing maybe two recognized events per year.
I’d like to do a recognized event maybe this year just for the sake of doing it, but I have no desire to go above Training or do recognized all the time.
I live in Area II but have to drive about four hours to get anywhere. We don’t usually go farther than that–it gets us a ton of different places (although I really wish it was closer.)
I’m in the same area as Highflyer, where both recognized and unrecognized events are plentiful, and often the unrecognized run on the same course as the recognized. I like to stay unrecognized as much as possible since they are half the price, and usually about the same quallity. With a move to training this year, so far we’ve done 1 unrecognized and will be heading to our second recognized tomorrow.
At a low level, and if you have to travel far enough to get stabling, I would consider back to back one day events. I have never done that, though.
Same here–I live in the same area as Highflyer. I would rather do 2 starters than 1 recognized (especially since I have a young horse that my trainer competes). Also I like the more casual attire and atmosphere (My horse is mostly white–just cleaning him takes forever. I don’t have time to braid!). You do occasionally get some tougher questions and weird stridings (downhill half coffin on a BN course, for example). But overall the courses are pretty good. I also like not having to worry about time (usually); especially early in the season.
I may aspire to do a recognized one of these days, but I am in no hurry.
What matters to me most is the venue, course design and how it is fitting in my schedule. After that…I don’t really care if it is recognized or unrecognized. There are some venues that I avoid…recognized or not. There are only a handful of unrecognized that run above training…so once my horse is running Prelim–we a bit stuck with recognized events.
I wouldn’t do back to back events in one weekend at any level.----but I would do back to back weekends at the lower levels. That actually can help the green beans. 3 hours is about my limit for a 1 day event.
@leheath, we are in the same area, just at opposite ends. There is one venue about an hour from me, the rest are 3-8 hours away. We used to have quite a few unrecognized HT’s in the greater Portland area, but they seem to have gone by the wayside. I don’t know if it’s due to lack of attendance, loss of land, or what, but I sure wish they would come back! Even the XC schooling opportunities are few and far. I know building and maintaining a course is no small feat, so I don’t really blame anyone, but I wish there was a way to encourage more local opportunities. I think possibly the eventing population is so sparse in this area that there may not be enough competitors to spread around between multiple events.
I appreciate hearing everyone’s thoughts. I’d like to compete this season, and was shooting for a recognized at the end of June just because it’s nearby and the timing works for our fitness schedule, but now I’m balking a bit at the cost. The same venue is holding 2 unrecognized one-day’s also, but it’s early in June just a few weeks from now and I don’t feel confident that we will be as ready as I’d like (I’m not even sure we will have an opportunity to go XC schooling before then).
As far as back to back one days, at the lower levels I’ve fairly often seen them used to move-up e.g. rider who has been working toward moving up to Novice from BN runs the lower level on Sat for confidence and then the higher level on Sun. At the lower levels, it’s not such a big ask of the horse in terms of fitness.
I will compete recognized when I have a goal that is only achieved by being recognized. For example, I’d like to go to the N3D next spring before our move up to T, so will be trying to get the NQRs for that. I have a friend that wants to go to AECs, so she went to some recognizeds for that. Otherwise, we have good localish (within 1.5 hours) unrecognized venues, and I use them liberally.
Dovetailing off BFNE’s comment… course design is a big factor for me. Plantation is one of those events (that I have yet to attend, recognized or unrecognized!) that uses the exact same courses at their recognized events, so logically I would go to the unrecognized one if I were doing Training or below. I’m not chasing USEA points, and not having to braid or wear a jacket = bonus. 
Unfortunately it’s a bit of a haul for me, but if I lived closer I’d absolutely take advantage of the unrecognized events! Same for Fair Hill – I believe they also use the same courses (correct me if I’m wrong).
Maryland HT/Loch Moy does a solely unrecognized series that’s not based on their recognized courses, and it’s kind of a hit or miss – they’ve gotten better in past years in terms of course design, but it’s become such a popular event that you have to be tolerant of the craziness that comes in hand with running 5 different levels at one time. :winkgrin:
@Heinz 57 Yes, I think we are in a tough area if you don’t happen to live near Seattle. I’ve been in the Spokane area for 9 years and only in the last 12-18 months has eventing really started to be something I can realistically consider (thanks to Spokane Sport Horse Farm developing a XC and hosting recognized and unrecognized events). Prior to that, just trying to find a clinic or XC schooling typically involved 2-3 hours each way! So I have been focusing on dressage and only now starting to get back into eventing.
I was so spoiled growing up in southern Ontario - I could event every other weekend (if desired) throughout the summer, none required time off work (all run as recognized 1-day HTs), and the furthest drive was 2.5 hours!
Recognized vs unrecognized HT’s - how, and why, do you choose?
When I was competing regularly I preferred USEA recognized because I only want to compete monthly anyways, and I think they are better run with nicer courses and a more organized environment than the unrec. My goal was preparing for the Novice 3 Day and I wanted to set up self up correctly.
Last year when eventing was more of an occasional thing (aging horse) I entered in unrecs put on by my local eventing association (MCTA) purely because I know and trust those course designers and know that I like the environment. Loch Moy unrecs are a zoo, not for me. Waredaca has theirs at weird times. Really for me the USEA calendar and course design are superior. As I learn the venues better I am more open to trying unrecs that seem like a good fit for me.
How far will you travel for an unrecognized 1-day HT?
1.5 hours, which is easy since I live in Area 2. I am not comfortable driving my rig on most freeways, so that takes Fair Hill or Plantation away. I can get to Seneca, Waredaca, Loch Moy, MCTA (at Shawan or Tranquility), Middleburg, Loudon, Morven, CDCTA, Surefire and Full Moon by myself.
If two 1-day’s are offered back to back (Sat & Sun) do you enter both?
Do I run 2 full events in a row? No. Would never unless there was a super weird circumstance like Highflyer describes. I used to do USDF dressage shows back to back, but that was dressage!
And PS, I never braided for USEA events after I realized it wasn’t required and I love my jacket- if I’m sweating I might as well cover it up!
:lol: Braiding is not a concern here, I started roaching my horse’s mane last year when I was pregnant and discovered that it actually makes his neck look much nicer than braiding does, when done right. And it’s the epitome of convenient, I just don’t have 2-3 spare hours to pull his pony-quality double mane these days. He’s got a decent topline for a TB, but it adds a bit more crest if I shape it properly.
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Good to know - I hate braiding! I am hoping I can grow my mare’s mane long enough for a simple running braid - suits her baroque appearance and is way less work for me!
Recognized events have certain standards they have to meet whereas unrecognized events have more freedom. There is a great deal of variation among unrecognized events. Most of my young horses are at starter level so they primarily do unrecognized events. My concern is safety (course maintenance,foting), emergency services (some unrecognized HTs have an EMT on duty), and amenities (food availability, vendors, plentiful serviced porta-potties.) I am picky and will not go to some unrecognized HTs based on what I have seen or heard.
I personally like Loch Moy a great deal. It is busy, but the facility is well maintained and it has amenities. It’s also competitive which is good preparation for going to a starter division at a recognized HT or moving up to BN recognized.
We have lots of choices, so the driving distance/time is not an issue. And thankfully we show a breed that you never have to braid.
