Our purpose
The Site
Submission Info
Contact
Affiliates
Home | FAQ | Forums | Subscribe | Contact
Riding in the IHSA
by Sally Spickard, University of Georgia
The
University of Georgia finished their 2004-05 show season with a second and
third place finish at Erskine and Lander on March 4-5. Berry College won the
zone and earned a spot in regional competition. Members of UGA's team,
however, don't seem disappointed with their performance throughout their
inaugural season. Sophomore Alex Liss plans to point out of the Novice
division next fall and go on to compete in Intermediate before showing at
Nationals in the Novice division. Many other team members are adopting the
same plan to point out of their current divisions and compete at regional
and national shows next spring. Best of luck to any and all of you whose
teams or individuals qualified for regional competition!
If you are in high school and are thinking of going to a school that offers
some form of an equestrian team, there are some considerations to keep in
mind in your selection process. In this month's column I will go over four
things which, in my opinion, are very important when deciding which team is
right for you.
Disclaimer: These opinions are based on the IHSA and Varsity systems at
my current school. The teams and the way they are operated at other schools
might not coincide with what I describe, but the general ideas are
guidelines.
1 : Time Commitment
The two different formats for equestrian teams have differing expectations
regarding the amount of time that is required for lessons, taking care of
the horses, competition, etc. Every team needs its members to help care for
the facilities and horses as well as to prepare adequately for competition
by taking lessons and attending team meetings. The IHSA is generally not
funded by the school, which means that fundraising and other efforts to gain
financial support (sponsorship, dues, donations, etc.). This will require
more time commitment than a school funded Varsity team. However, the Varsity
level team often will have much more rigorous practice schedules, requiring
free rides in addition to group and private lessons. Varsity level teams
also tend to have a heavier competition schedule that will require traveling
greater distances than an IHSA team. This is because the NCAA is divided
into larger regions than the IHSA, such as the SEC (Southeastern Conference)
that encompasses most of the Southeastern United States. Keep in mind how
much time you would anticipate devoting to your riding once you get to
college.
2: The Coaching Staff
The level at which the equestrian team competes, be it IHSA or Varsity,
should have no effect on the quality of the coaching staff. I simply bring
this up as a point because the quality of the coaching staff of the team is
essential to the organization. It is an excellent idea to do everything you
can to find out how he or she teaches and utilizes time to maximize learning
and effectiveness. Taking a lesson or at least observing a team lesson will
help you gauge the trainer's effectiveness. A larger team or a team with
both Huntseat and Western discipline teams will often have more than one
trainer on the staff, so make sure to scope out the entire staff, including
barn managers, etc. The way the team is run and the organization of those in
charge is very important to the success and unity of its members.
3: Money!
In general, a team with NCAA status will be funded, if not wholly then
partially, by the University. This is a huge factor in deciding if money is
an area of concern for you. As I mentioned before, IHSA teams are usually
member and donation supported, so you will be expected to pay dues to help
offset the costs of caring for team horses and additional fundraising will
be necessary to help the team succeed and grow. Funding from the University
that comes with NCAA standing will take the pressure off of team members to
support the team. Personally, I didn't experience any problems in managing
my finances in helping to support the team even though I had to work extra
hours to pay the dues. Fundraising is always a helper to offset some of the
costs. It's really a matter of personal preference and ability to manage the
financial aspect of an equestrian team.
4: Your Level of Experience
The Varsity level teams will compete at the equivalent of the Open level in
the IHSA. During try outs, the coaches will be looking for experience, but
they will also be on the look out for riders with promising potential to
improve. Even if you don't think you will qualify for the Open level of
competition, it might still be worth your while to try out for a Varsity
team because the coaches might see that you are someone that they want to
have on their team to prepare for future competition. However, if you want
to improve your riding and gain experience in the lower levels of
competition of the IHSA (Walk/Trot/Canter, Advanced Walk/Trot/Canter,
Novice, Intermediate, etc.) then trying out for an IHSA team might be what
you want to do. It depends on how much experience you have as a rider and
how much improvement you stand to make as a competitor. But keep an open
mind; remember, just do your best in whatever try out you participate in and
then you know that you can be happy with the results because you tried your
hardest.
Of course, there are many other things to think about when you are deciding
what team you want to be a part of. Always keep in mind what is best for
you, but also try to keep an open mind and really scope out the team and see
if it's what you want, even if your initial idea is not to get involved.
And, on top of everything, have a good time!!
Hunter/Jumper
Eventing
Dressage
Education
Riding in College
Industry
Training
Health
Fun Stuff
Ringside Critique
Q&A: Life & Horses
Life in the USPC
Riding in the IHSA
The Equine Life