Due to the Virginia Horse Center's Schedule, they have required the 2024 VHSA Associate Championship Horse Show Dates be changed to October 31st thru November 3rd. Please make your Hotel Reservations as soon as possible. Due to this mandated date change, the last full weekend in October (26-27) will be a restricted weekend for Associate Horse Shows to be held. Horse Shows that were held during the 2023 restricted weekend will be allowed to hold their shows the weekend of October 26th & 27th, with the agreement that the show results will be submitted to the VHSA office within two (2) days of the competition date.
Approved Associate Judges
All VHSA Associate Hunter Horse Shows will be required to have an approved VHSA Associate Judge to adjudicate said horse shows. The VHSA Associate approved Judges list can be found by following the link below and will be updated periodically. If a person feels that they have been incorrectly omitted and/or wish to be added to the list, they should submit their resume outlining their judging experience to the VHSA office (vhsa@verizon.net) and the resume will be forwarded to the VHSA Associate Judges Clinic & Officials Committee for consideration. The people on the approved list will be considered Licensed VHSA Associate Judges (AJ) and their membership cards will be so noted. If a show wishes to use a judge not presently on the approved list, they will need to contact the VHSA Associate Judges Clinic & Officials Committee via the VHSA office in Warrenton, Virginia, for instructions on how to proceed. All persons that are on the approved Judges list must be VHSA Members and are expected to be familiar with the VHSA Rule Book and especially the VHSA Associate Guidelines found in Section 28 of the VHSA Rule Book. If persons on the approved list do not renew their VHSA membership yearly, their names will be removed from the list. All persons on the approved list are included at the discretion of the VHSA Associate Judges Clinic & Officials Committee. It is Show Managements responsibility to ensure each judges eligibility and if a show does not fulfill this requirement, it will be subject to a $200 fine and the possibility of forfeiture future show dates. This guideline will replace Section 28, Associate Program Guidelines, Sec. 3(h), Associate Horse Show Judge Requirements as found in the VHSA Rule Book.
In order to help support our current shows and show managers, the Virginia Horse Shows Association Associate Program will be putting a limited moratorium on any new hunter horse shows for the current show year. Associate Jumper shows will not be affected by the moratorium. In effect, current shows and show managers who held horse shows in the prior show year, including shows that had to be cancelled, will automatically receive approval of their 2020 show dates that are listed on their VHSA Associate Competition Application form that must be submitted to the VHSA office at least 30 days prior to the competition date. There are several sections of the state that are under-represented in our program, so we will consider new applications for shows in those areas and award them accordingly. All VHSA Associate show dates are awarded on a year to year basis and are awarded at the discretion of the VHSA Associate Executive Committee.
The necessary forms for applying for VHSA Associate recognized horse shows are below:
Associate Competition Application
Associate Judges List (This list will be updated periodically)
Associate Guidelines (New for 2025, “A Pony is eligible to compete as a Green Pony for a maximum of two (2) Years (not necessarily consecutive)”)
Are you ready to hold a VHSA Associate Show?
Associate Show Managers' Associate Show Packet
Associate Show Managers are required to have VHSA Membership Applications and VHSA Horse Recording Applications available to exhibitors at any Associate recognized Horse Shows. Also, all Show Managers/Secretaries must have their completed horse show results in the VHSA office fourteen (14) days after the competition date. Any VHSA Membership/Horse Recordings turned in at a show must also be received in the VHSA office fourteen (14) days after the competition date, or results will be considered late.
Following are the necessary forms that are needed for each Associate recognized horse show:
Associate Horse Show Hunter Results (PDF Format)
Associate Horse Show Jumper Results (PDF format)
We also have the Hunter and Jumper Results in Excel, available upon request (please e-mail office vhsa@verizon.net or call (540) 349-0910)
VHSA Horse Recording Application
MEMBERSHIPS/HORSE RECORDINGS CAN BE DONE ONLINE BY INDIVIDUALS ON THE DAY OF YOUR SHOW AND POINTS WILL COUNT.
POINTS ARE ADDED FOR EACH CLASS OF A DIVISION BASED ON THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE COURSE IN THE FIRST PERFORMANCE CLASS.
Also as a reminder, an exhibitor can only show in one Equitation over fences class at the same show (i.e., if an exhibitor shows in Children's Equitation then they are not allowed to show in the Pony Equitation Class at the same show). VHSA Associate Pony, Children's & Adult Amateur Equitation MAY have a flat phase, but this is not mandatory.
As a special reminder, during any performance class any rider who falls off while in the ring is not allowed under any circumstances to remount in the ring .
Horse Show Evaluation Form - Completed forms that are received in the VHSA office aid in the decision as to the current year's Top Ten Best Associate Horse Show Awards
VHSA ASSOCIATED (LOCAL SCHOOLING) POINTS SYSTEM
VHSA Associate Point Structure for 2024/2025
The following point system is for the 2024/2025 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.
If there are any forms that are needed to be mailed to Show Managers/Secretaries that appear above, please contact the VHSA office at (540) 349-0910 or e-mail at vhsa@verizon.net