At what point do you say ok ill affiliate?

[mazziek]

just wondering at what do you say im going to affiliate? do you spend years doing unaff events or do you just go for it?

 

[TinselRider]

It was my yard manager (at the time ) and my close friend that suggested I affiliate Ban, I tried him on a ticket a few times and got hooked (BSJA)

I have been sending myself in to poverty ever since

 

[Britestar]

For me in dressage, at the point I had to do elem at unaff level, so registered BD so i can do Novice

 

[HayleyandBob]

Well iv decided to join BSJA after competing on a ticket a few times and had i have been a member we would have been placed quite high

x

 

[cptrayes]

When you're feeling rich! For eventing, when you are feeling mega-rich!

 

[milliepops]

I affiliated my mare for dressage when she was being placed consistently with good scores - happily the trend continued!

I haven't ever done an unaffiliated one day event - I went straight to BE after a few local SJ classes and a couple of goes xc schooling. I had been grooming at BE comps for years with people on the yard so I knew what I was letting myself in for. Had my horse not given me the feeling that she was ready I wouldn't have done that though

 

[amandaco2]

i would once score unaffil are good. for dressage expect a 5-10% drop in scores on average...

 

[MrsMozart]

An interesting question

.

Some people, or so I've heard, go straight into BSJA as the courses tend to be 'better built and designed'.

 

[Luci07]

First time for jumping - when my horse was going clear easily over a 3.6" course and dressage - when my horse was getting mid 60's in unaffiliated novice stressage..

 

[Shrek-Eventing-SW]

I do eventing and am joining BE this year, the reason I am joining is because I have reached the highest level possible in unaffiliated and I just want to be more professional really I guess.

 

[mazziek]

some interesting posts, esp agree with mrs m. if u have an experienced horse, why not!? how easy is it to get a ticket?

 

[speedbird]

when you can jump a course at about 3 ft level, as for dressage, prepare yourself for scathing comments from the judges, they re far harsher !

 

[xmariax]

this is the problem im having with showing...really dont know whether to join the bsha or not..hmmmmmmm

 

[eggs]

Made the mistake of telling my friend (who is also my instructor) that I had never competed affiliated. She immediately decided that as she could not qualify my youngster for the Regionals (too high a rider gruop) that I would have to affiliate.

To my utter joy and definite surprise we won our first two Prelim classes which were both qualifiers. We are now competing Medium and I am always stunned when we move up a level that we do not look out of place amongst the others.

I'd say give it a go - try on a class ticket if you are not sure as this will save having to pay the fairly hefty registration fees until you decide it is for you.

 

[Mari]

Depends why you are affiliating. Standards are often just as high at unaffiliated levels. Do you compete for fun or because you want to aim at qualification for national championships or to compete against professional riders/producers? Unaffiliated costs less & is just as much fun & often has unaffiliated championships to aim for.

 

[DollyDolls]

When I sent the monster away to SJ boot camp and he had to be affiliated to be taken to comps. I then got to see him do both Hicksteads as an owner which was very nervous but loads of fun too.

Not sure I'd affiliate to BE until I knew I would make it pay. There is (IMO) a huge gap between the way unaff SJ and aff SJ are run, the latter being on time and far more professional.