Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association

The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) is a nonprofit organization composed of men and women of all riding levels and offers both individual and team competition. Members of the IHSA participate in horse shows. Students compete at eight levels, from beginner through advanced, with horses provided to them. The organisation was founded by Bob Cacchione in 1967 and currently has +10,000[1] members in 47 U.S. states and Canada. 400 colleges and universities participate in the program, where college and university team participation is represented through varsity athletics, academic departments and club sports.

Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association
Formation1967
FounderRobert E. Cacchione
TypeNonprofit
PurposeCollegiate Equestrian Competition

An estimated 250,000 people have participated in the IHSA and contributes a significant percentage of membership to the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA), the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF), the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA).

Divisions

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Within the IHSA, riders compete as individuals and teams in English riding (hunter seat equitation, aka, 'flat,' and over fences) or Western riding (Western horsemanship and reining). There are eight hunter seat levels total of nine classes including Introductory, Pre-Novice, Novice, Limit on the flat and over fences, Intermediate on the flat and over fences, and Open on the flat and over fences. Alumni on the flat and Alumni over fences may be offered.

For the Hunter Seat divisions, over fences, the Limit division jumps are set at 2’ to 2’3”, Intermediate jumps at 2’6” to 2’9” and Open jumps at 2’9” to 3’.

In Western Horsemanship, there are six levels: Beginner Western Horsemanship, Rookie A and B, Novice, Level I, Level II, Open and Open Reining. Alumni Horsemanship may be offered.

Judging

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In both Hunter Seat and Western divisions, riders are judged on their equitation, i.e., each rider is individually judged on their effectiveness in communicating with their horse, while maintaining proper form.

Individual ribbons correspond to points, which combine for a team score. Each team can have only one 'point rider' per division and the lowest score on their card is dropped. A cumulative team score of 49 points for Hunter Seat or 42 points for Western would be a 'perfect' card. A rider may only score a given number of points before they graduate to another level of riding experience. Points correspond as follows:

General Points Awarded through the Zone/Semi-Final Level:

Placing Point Value
1st 7
2nd 5
3rd 4
4th 3
5th 2
6th 1

Nationals Points Points will be counted as follows:

Placing Point Value
1st 10
2nd 8
3rd 7
4th 6
5th 5
6th 4
7th 3
8th 2
9th 1
10th 1/2

Competition

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The IHSA divides the country into eight zones. Every zone is divided into regions, and each region ranges with approximately five to 15 collegiate teams. The teams within the region compete against each other in two to ten horse shows per year.

An IHSA team organizes and hosts each show and invites other member colleges in its IHSA Region to compete. Competitors are not permitted to ride their own horses. IHSA show horses are provided by host stables or "donated" for the day from other teams, coaches, or area equestrian facilities. Each horse is warmed-up before classes begin by non-competing riders, while student competitors observe. Each rider is assigned a horse, through random selection, called the "draw" and partially through a matching of the horse's abilities with those needed for horses participating in certain classes. Riders are not permitted to warm up their assigned horse except at the walk.

Each place (first through sixth) has an assigned point value that accumulates throughout the seasons. When riders acquire 36 (or 28 for Open) points in their division, they qualify to compete in the Regional Finals competition. The top two riders in each class move to the Zone Finals and the top riders from Zones move on to Nationals. The high-point team (and in some zones, the top two teams) from each region also compete in Zones for the National Competition. At Nationals, both Hunter Seat and Western teams compete.

Once a rider has qualified for IHSA Regionals in a division, they must compete the rest of the year in the next division. The one exception are Introductory and Beginner divisions. A rider is only allowed to remain in the Introductory or Beginner division for two years before moving up to the next division.

Zones

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Zone State
Zone 1 Maine

New Hampshire

Vermont

Massachusetts

Rhode Island

Zone 2 Eastern Ontario, Canada

Northern New York

Connecticut

Zone 3 Southern New York

Northern New Jersey

Eastern Pennsylvania

Zone 4 Southern New Jersey

Southern Pennsylvania

Maryland

Delaware

Eastern Virginia

Eastern North Carolina

Zone 5 Western Kentucky

Tennessee

Western North Carolina

South Carolina

Georgia

Florida

Alabama

Arkansas

Zone 6 Southern Ontario, Canada

Michigan

Ohio

Western Pennsylvania

Eastern Kentucky

West Virginia

Zone 7 North Dakota

South Dakota

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Western Michigan

Iowa

Illinois

Indiana

Kansas

Missouri

Oklahoma

Texas

Louisiana

Zone 8 California

Washington

Oregon

British Columbia, Canada

Nevada

Idaho

Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

Nebraska

Utah

Arizona

New Mexico

Northwestern Oklahoma

Western Kansas

Alumni and awards

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Its USEF/Cacchione Cup stars include U.S. Olympic Show Jumping medalists Greg Best, Beezie Madden, Peter Wylde, and U.S. Combined Training champion Mark Weissbecker.

The IHSA's founder, Robert E. Cacchione, was awarded the IHSA Lifetime Achievement Award, the USHJA Presidents Distinguished Service Award, the 2011 US Equestrian/EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian Award, a Doctor of Humane Letters from Centenary College and the Zoetis/American Horse Publications Equine Industry Vision Award.

The IHSA official Facebook Page was recognized by the Equestrian Social Media Awards as a finalist and for the FEI Solidarity Award.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "General Information". www.ihsainc.com. Retrieved 2024-04-09.

https://campusequestrian.com/

http://www.ihsainc.com/rules/rulebook

https://www.ihsainc.com/

https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.profile&ein=472345589

https://www.guidestar.org/profile/47-2345589

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