Rider showing two horses in same eq class?

[findeight]

Oh, I get it, one of those all heights combined things where they all come back (if you can find them) and flat together? Those are a nightmare to judge anyway and can take forever, especially when each group gets to warm up at their height before they jump.

Trainer is still dead wrong but I can see where it might not have been noticed with the breaks to raise the fences and the above noted lack of diversity in appearance of most entries.

It’ll get noticed at OPs shows though and at the next board meeting.

But I got another question, how the he*l is an Eq rider showing at two different heights in the same class??? Is it “Novice Horse Eq” at 2’ and age group Eq at 2’6" thrown together as one class? Or some kind of MacClay format medal class judged on combined O/F and flat???

That’s more bizarre then just going in the same Eq class twice.

[Jumper_girl221]

its an open eq class, run similar to a hunter division where you can choose your height 2’, 2’6", or 3’ (IIRC the 2’ isn’t a VHSA rated height).

Riders don’t warmup, just go in, jump around then leave the ring, then they all flat together for the second section.

[findeight]

Well, I guess she chose two heights in the same class then. That might explain why the trainer thinks it’s OK, if ones not VHSA rated, not the sharpest tool in the shed there despite what she probably thinks is being clever.

That needs to stop. Weirdness…

[lachelle]

Oh, wait…

You can’t combine VHSA classes with non-VHSA classes.

So, is this NOT a VHSA sanctioned class? I had assumed (whoops), that it was something like VHSA Pony Equitation, or VHSA CH/AA Equitation.

If this was just something like a “Novice Equitation” class, and is NOT a VHSA division, then contacting VHSA will do nothing. Even if it’s a VHSA show. We had an issue in our association either 1 or 2 years ago where we had some questions about a low hunter division. VHSA wouldn’t touch it because Low Hunter is not a VHSA recognized class/division.

So, if it’s NOT a VHSA sanctioned class (even though it may have been at a VHSA sactioned show), then how it is judged and the rules that apply to that class are determined by that particular show’s management, or if the show is part of another smaller association, then it falls on the leaders of the association to make the call.

[Peggy]

Several random musings…

In a hunter derby with different heights a given horse can show only once, even with different riders. So no reason an eq class with different heights should be any different.

USEF did help to “clarify” a rule for an association that is several degrees removed from them, so it’s possible to contact them about something and present their reply to the association board. This was, wait for it, an amateur clarification. My trainer dragged me to a board meeting because I’m good at writing horse show rules and that’s what they were supposed to be doing. After listening to 30 minutes of whining about a particular person who may or may not have been an amateur, my trainer whispered to me that this had taken up half of the last (very long meeting). I raised my hand and asked if anyone had contacted USEF and asked for guidance. People gasped! USEF won’t do that, they said. I volunteered to contact USEF and, indeed did get a response, which the association board did not like. Clarification – I think they appreciated that I got a response, but didn’t like the USEF interpretation which, at that time, allowed people who gallop race horses to ride as amateurs.

I was involved with an organization that had a one number per horse-rider combination policy. It was a policy before I became involved with them so I really don’t know the logic. I’m pretty sure that part of it had to do with Kid A showing a horse and then disappearing for the day with “their” number, forgetting that Kid B needed it as well. It may have also been related to assigning points and/or fees. Since a policy of assigning numbers to riders clearly wouldn’t have worked, they went to the one horse-rider combo per number rule.

[gottagrey]

I’m still going with the trainer is uneducated on show rules in general. I think the OP should bring it up to the board - either at the next meeting or via email to address the situation. It’s not fair to other exhibitors that this trainer is getting away with this - either out of naivete/ignorance or just blatant disregard for the rules.

In a situation like this IMO, once the board has discussed it - the trainer and exhibitor should be sent a letter stating that any points accrued in the Open Eq class where she competed on 2 horses will be dropped. the rider should be able to keep points where she competed on one.

[findeight]

[QUOTE=Jumper_girl221;8144638]
its an open eq class, run similar to a hunter division where you can choose your height 2’, 2’6", or 3’ (IIRC the 2’ isn’t a VHSA rated height).

Riders don’t warmup, just go in, jump around then leave the ring, then they all flat together for the second section.[/QUOTE]

Well, OP says the 2’ is not a VHSA approved height so, presumably, no VHSA points on that 2’ trip are possible even though it is within a VHSA approved class? Maybe that’s the trainers theory that this is OK? Non rated height means it doesn’t count?

This reminds me why I quit serving on boards for anything sometime back. Morass of technicalities and conflicting interpretations with a dash of cheating and conflict of interest.

[Jumper_girl221]

Lachelle, it’s a vhsa rated class it’s open in that anyone can compete, I believe when you report the results to VHSA you divide them into catagories. Just like if you combined a division like working hunter as tb hunter. Results get reported separately.

Even with vhsa classes you can still have riders jump a non vhsa height, that height just doesn’t get reported to vhsa, ie it’s like they never existed (i.e. if you have placings of A, B, C, D but the B horse jumped 2’, then you report results to VHSA of A, C, D and omit B.

I touched base with the judge from the march show that I ran, she’s familiar with the rider and trainer. Said hell no to showing twice, and said she would have pointed it out if it happened while she was judging, also interestly enough said that vhsa voted this year to omit the hack portion of the class at the judges discretion.