VHSA - Associate Program Details

The 2023 Associate Championship Prize List is now available:

ACHS PRIZE LIST

The 2023 Associate Championship Horse Show will be held in Lexington, Virginia, on November 9th ~ 12th. Please remember that in order to be qualified for the Associate Championship Horse Show:

The horse/pony must be registered with the VHSA.
The Owner/Lessee must be a current VHSA member.
The Rider must be a current VHSA member.
The Rider must have shown at a minimum of five (5) ASSOCIATE rated Horse Shows (NOT Regular rated horse shows). In ANY Division at an Associate rated Horse Show as a current member.
The Horse/Pony must have shown at a minimum of five (5) ASSOCIATE rated Horse Shows (NOT Regular rated horse shows). In ANY Division at an Associate rated Horse Show as a registered horse/pony.

Entry Deadline is October 26, 2023. Please make sure to send the completed Entry Form directly to the Horse Show Secretary, Debbie Bowden, not the VHSA office. Her address is listed on the Entry Form. Once the Entry is received and entered by Mrs. Bowden, you can confirm by visiting www.horseshowsonline.com and click on VHSA Associate Championship Horse Show. Unfortunately, the VHSA Office cannot confirm that entries have been received since we do not receive this information.

If you received a Championship Trophy at the 2022 Associate Championship Horse Show, please bring your Trophy back to the 2023 Show for presentations. If you are unable to attend, please have someone bring it back on your behalf.

2023 VHSA Associate Rules/Guidelines

The 2023 VHSA Associate Rules/Guidelines can be downloaded by clicking the above title

VHSA ASSOCIATE (LOCAL SCHOOLING) POINTS SYSTEM
VHSA Associate Point Structure for 2022

The following point system is for the 2022 Associate Horse Show Season. Each horse show is required to use this point system during their horse show and especially when pinning Champion and Reserve. If a show does not use the following point system, they will not be following the VHSA rules and will be considered not in good standing which may cause possible removal of VHSA sanctioning for any future shows.

Number of Exhibitors 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
3* exhibitors up to 5 exhibitors 10 6 4 2 1 .5
6 exhibitors up to 9 exhibitors 11 7 5 3 2 1.5
10 exhibitors or higher 12 8 6 4 3 2.5

*with the exception of Jumper Divisions which is allowed a minimum of 2 exhibitors to complete the course (Hunters must have a minimum of 3 to complete the course)

Champion: 10 points
Reservie: 6 points

The number of exhibitors for the Division will be determined by the number of horses or ponies shown successfully (completed the course) in the first performance (over fences) class of all Hunter Divisions and the number of horses or ponies shown in the first class of the Hunter Pleasure Divisions.

Year end points will only include the exhibitor’s top ten best horse shows, plus any points accrued at the Championship Show will be added to the
exhibitor’s top ten for the final year end total. With the exception of the VHSA Associate Equitation Classes which will be total points for year-end.

The Barbara Meegan Young Rider Award

In recognition of Barbara's support of the Associate Program and her many years of being involved with young riders the Barbara Meegan Young Rider Award was established and will be awarded each year to a deserving person in her honor. The following is the criteria for this prestigious award:

1.   The rider must be in their first year of competition in the VHSA Associate Program and have competed in Hunter or Equitation Divisions.

2.   The rider must have exhibited primarily in the Associate Program, but may have competed in divisions at USEF rated shows, with the exclusion of Regular Hunter, Working Hunter, Junior Hunters, Amateur Owner and Confirmation Hunter Classes. (Limited showing to divisions such as: Short Stirrup, Maiden Equitation, Local Classes- mostly Unrated Divisions)

3.   Riders are to be nominated by their trainers.

4.   The recipient will be selected at the year-end VHSA Associate Championship Show.

5.   Points of consideration will be as follows:
      a) Points accumulated in the VHSA Associate Program
      b) Performance at the Year End Show
      c) Conduct and sportsmanship at the Associate Championship Show

6.   The recipient will receive a ribbon and the trophy at the show.

Please submit your nomination via e-mail to the VHSA office (vhsa@verizon.net) by October 15th.