BSJA 5-Star award scheme now online

[Emily99]

http://www.bsja.co.uk/downloads/PDFonline.pdf

For 1* - jump 90cm
2* - 1m
3* - 1m10
4* - 1.20

plus a few silly questions and simple riding techniques etc. I could probably pass most of 5*, but i can't pass 3* cos my youngster isn't experienced enough to jump a 1m10 course.

 

[juliehannah58]

Just going to go off and read it in a moment but I don't think that's a very fair way of putting it at all! There are good riders out there who's horses can't jump 1.20m's! For clinics or lessons then yes of course group people by the height they are jumping, but don't grade the riders ability on the height their horses are jumping! Grrrr

 

[Santa_Claus]

well, going by that I could do almost all of the 5* BUT Fleur is not yet doing changes or jumping 1m20 tracks as she isn't ready, before Dan's navicular etc we were doing all the requirements but I still don't know whether he will be able to compete again, if I got him jumping again on face value I can meet all of the 5* criteria!!

 

[Rambo]

Hmmmm...well some of it is quite good. The One Star Award would seem to be somewhere marginally higher than a Pony Club 'D' Test though, and anyone who can't meet that criteria and some shouldn't be competing imo

I don't agree with the grading going along with course heights. Just because you don't jump bigger tracks doesn't necessarily mean you don't understand or display the skills necessary to achieve the higher ratings.

Basically, unless there is some specific requirement to have these qualifications to make teams or similar, I don't think i'll be bothering

 

[squid35]

so how do you go about getting graded?

 

[MagicMelon]

Jeez, the questions are like being back at pony club doing PC tests!

I thought they were more performance awards, not about your horse having a shiny coat......

The idea about setting goals etc. is fine, but the stupid questions about what you'd feed a horse etc. are dumb! Surely if your doing BSJA then you should know what to feed a horse etc. by now.

And I agree with the bit about the heights. Its stupid if you have a horse who doesnt jump 1.20's yet (ie. is a baby). And again, the standard of the horse is by no means a reflection of the rider. Some richies can buy a ready made grade A who has the flying changes down to an art and does 1.20's with its eyes closed - does that make the rider the same level of rider as one who has brought on a baby horse and taught it to do all these things?!

And what does this actually achieve? What do you get at the end of it? A certificate or something?!

 

[LEC]

I do think its a good idea but I also think they have the height thing wrong. I am also surprised by some of the questions asked about stable management because if you are jumping over 1.10m courses you are going to have a pretty good idea about it all.

 

[dieseldog]

Well I would fail the 1st star as my tack isn't always that clean.

Also ambigous questions - how many studs should you horse have - not really an answer to that.

If an unshod horse was turned out and went lame what is the most obvious cause = a kick?

Having to do Shoulder in and Travers at 3star, we have a grade A who struggles with travers but can jump round a decent sized track.

Definalty not doing it, I would get all embrassed asking someone to sign it for me.

 

[Petrie]

I'm just wondering what the advantages are of getting a grading? What do you get for it?

 

[Rambo]

I think when we find out the answer to that we will start to find out whether it will be taken seriously or not.

There are many things that *could* happen....a requirement to meet a certain Star Rating before being allowed to compete at a certain level being the most obvious (and concerning) one imo

I too thought the 'stud' question was a little odd btw. No-one from farriers and vets, to competitors themselves can seem to agree on what is the best configuration to use, so how they can base a question on it is beyond me