This will probably prompt a series of town halls on why we don’t feel USEF town halls are effective. After which they will call any criticism “mean” and ignore it. All of which will generate nada in terms of change.
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I have virtually no alterative for the divisions/disciplines I do.
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Are there no schooling/unrated shows for your discipline?
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Hunter breeding? No. Not really. Not in my area anyway.
My under saddle horses do show at some very nice unrated hunter and dressage shows. But there’s really no “unrated” hunter breeding. And if you want to show hunters somewhat regularly in this area, you invariably end up at some USEF shows. At which point, joining USEF and USHJA makes more sense than paying non member fees.
But I did get a ribbon, in a box, with an advertisement, and nothing else (not even a LETTER, nothing even with my NAME on it) for being a national reserve champion last year. So I guess my USEF membership bought me that? A ribbon sent in an unmarked box along with an ad leaflet. SPECIAL!!! USHJA at least included a cover letter.
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As long as people keep paying there is no incentive for them to change.
So far it is all just lip service and pandering
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Have you been to the Young Horse Show Series? There are shows all over the country.
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They don’t even allow any members to speak at the town halls, do they? Definitely not at the last one I attended. It’s kind of like the corporate town halls we have at work…here’s an occasional update on things we’ve already implemented or decided to implement effective as soon as this town hall is over.
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I do that too. But it’s not hunter breeding. It’s something pretty different.
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At the virtual town hall I attended (as a non member) I was able to ask questions that were answered.
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It is different but it is an option. I guess it depends on your reasons for showing and for needing to show in hunter breeding.
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What would be the reason for someone to be showing in the hunter breeding classes? Did you type this out loud?
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Yuck
What reason does anyone have for the discipline they choose? For one reason or another they enjoy it. I’m not negging someone else’s choice. If they really like doing YHS, good for them. It’s not the discipline I choose (as my primary choice) but I don’t know why I should have to defend why hunters or dressage or hunter breeding or any other discipline is a worthy activity.
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Genuine question, as I didn’t grow up in a country that does Hunters (and a bit of a side track): what’s the difference between Hunters and Hunter Breeding?
I’m not asking you to defend it. I’m genuinely saying it depends on your reasons. If you want to do “Hunter Breeding,” fine, do it. If you are doing it to get your horses experience at shows, then YHS is an excellent alternative.
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“Getting experience at shows” is not what Hunter Breeding classes are meant for. Look up the specifications in the USEF Hunter Breeding section of the rule book, if you are mistaking one for the other.
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YHS is lots of things but not a particularly good way to get a young horse used to what happens at horse shows. I don’t go to any horses shows were adult horses run free in an indoor, do a jump chute, or are handled by strangers. Nor where they’re judged by someone from another discipline. While I think there’s plenty of value on YHS for other reasons I wouldn’t suggest it’s a good prep for what horses are likely to experience at hunter shows.
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If you’re taking a yearling through 3-4yo that has never been off property or to a facility with multiple other horses, or to a place where they get braided, groomed to the 9s, then it absolutely is a place to get them accustomed to a horse show. At 3+ yo, it’s exactly like a hunter show - do a flat class with other horses and then jump a course.
Anyone can have their own reasons for showing where they want to show, I was simply saying that you might not think YHS is a good alternative because of the reasons why you show hunter breeding. No need to get defensive about it.
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My goals are different. I’m glad YHS exists and it’s a good option for many people. It’s not what I choose to do. Just like I don’t barrel race or event or lots of other things. I’m glad options exist for different people to do what they enjoy.
At 3+ someone doing the hunters doesn’t need to go to YHS to do a flat class. Once a hunter horse is under saddle you can take it to any show anywhere and do a flat class. Same thing with dressage horses. You can go do a dressage test anywhere you want with your under saddle 3+ horse.
I do not happen to find the experience at YHS for 3 and under horses to be particularly representative of what I hope my young horses will do once they’re broke. But I’m glad it exists because it fills a need for some people.
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I don’t believe that Demerara understands the difference between USEF Hunter Breeding classes vs the YHS, and that is why there is a disconnect.
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