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Required memberships

Eventer here…

I am considering take my guy to some recognized dressage shows. I am struggling to understand exactly what memberships I need. (currently First level) (owner = rider)

USDF Rider?
USDF Horse?
USEF Rider?
USEF Horse?

Do you want the scores to be on your horse’s record?

If not, check if the show has any Opportunity classes (usually Intro-First or Second). These classes don’t require any memberships nor do you pay the USEF Drug fee.

If you want the scores reported on the horse’s record or are trying to qualify for something, you need all 4 of those you have listed. You can do lifetime horse recording or pay for a year.

The show does have opportunity classes, but if I wanted to eventually try for my rider medals (bronze), I would need to have all 4, correct? Opportunity scores won’t count for a rider medal?

For USDF medals, see Page 16 of the member guide.

Rider - USDF participating or group membership and and to show in recognized shows, USEF member

Owner - meet minimum competition eligibility requirements (so USEF member)

Horse - USDF HID or lifetime registration in the name of current owner, then to show USEF/USDF, also need USEF horse registration

Scores start counting for medals at First level, so if you are showing Intro/Training, take advantage of the Opportunity classes until you move up.

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You dont need usef horse unless youre trying to qualify for regionals.

Go for the opportunity classes, unless you want the recird, then pay the fees + breed registery and local gmo if you want points

Are “non-member fee” still available if you only show 1 or 2 shows a year?

I haven’t competed in a while, but I dropped my USEF and USDF memberships and just paid non-member fee when I entered the occasional show. The horse had a USEF number.

Yes non member fees (I think they are now called guest passes out something similar) are still available. But if the horses doesn’t have his registration the scores won’t count to any award.

If you do plan on showing for more than 1 year just go for the lifetime horse registration.

Just for fun I wrote a list of all the orgs I pay money to in no particular order this year

ADS
NFHR
GDCTA
FL Whips
FEI passport
FEI annual horse and rider
USEF
USDF

And to think I used to bitch about paying USHJA AND USEF when they first split up. :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::sob::sob::sob::sob::sob:

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Also consider taking advantage of GMO membership if you’re not trying to qualify for something like Regionals. With my GMO, it’s $100 for a TWO year membership, versus $90 for a ONE year USDF membership. Especially when you have quite a few yearly memberships to renew, that kind of thing can make a difference.

It is a bit intimidating. I was thinking of possibly showing in 3 or so recognized shows next year. This is all very pending since I havent even gotten to a schooling show yet due to my health problems. The issue with schooling shows is that my horse is Second Level (if he retains his brains at a show - TBD) So there tends to be little to no competition and often inexperienced judges at schooling shows.

Looking at this year, the recognized shows offer little to no opportunity classes - certainly none at Second. So then I have to do the math problem and decide if joining or paying the extra fees would work better.

Currently I have a GMO membership but that is it. The horse is not registered.

I know there are schooling shows who hire local trainers to judge. But if your schooling shows hire only L and licensed judges, you should be good. An L judge isn’t necessarily inexperienced. It’s expensive and time consuming to go farther up the judging chain, so many Ls decide to stay where they are. In our area, we have four or five L judges who have been judging for between five and ten years, and judge frequently not only at our schooling shows, but are in demand around the region.

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When you start these registrations - think in your head registering you and your horse as separate registrants… so even a gmo youre going to register you and then the 3 horses you compete with for example.