To Affiliate or not to Affiliate that is the question?

[TheChestnutThing]

This will hopefully help a few others in my dilema....so here goes...

I have always ridden affiliated back in my old homeland. The unaffiliated shows were a big riding school standard in mostly crap arenas. But here, here in my new homeland the affiliated shows are largely at BS venues with BS course designers. Yes the distances can sometimes be dodgy (when building for horses and ponies it's impossible for the poor designer) but the classes are big and fun. Some shows they build to height, and some they don't and the oxers are more like verticals. My horse is currently popping and placing in the 1m classes and popping bigger tracks at home. Moving up to 1.05m this weekend at unaffiliated. We (well me) has open ambitions (if I am still brave enough and if my horse wants to take me there which I know he will because he finds this fun).

I know the costs involved and I know that you can win cash money (it pays for diesel and your entry) if you place and can enter into championships etc. Entries seem to not be that much more expensive.

Do I affliate? Or do I not? And if I do, do I do the 6 month or the year membership? Does it make much of a difference?

 

[RachelFerd]

If showjumping is your thing, then affiliate. Most unaffiliated stops at 1m and even if they advertise a 110 class it often won't run through lack of entries or they won't bother to change the course from the one before because of low entries etc. etc. and as you flag, often don't build to height.

At 1m+ you've got a big choice of classes affiliated and there's prize money on offer at every show. Lots of opportunities to qualify for Blue Chip and other champs. Get your Discovery DCs and aim for the second rounds of those.

I usually affiliate 6 months at a time. As a new member there might be some intro deals around for joining so do hunt through website info thoroughly.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

If showjumping is your thing, then affiliate. Most unaffiliated stops at 1m and even if they advertise a 110 class it often won't run through lack of entries or they won't bother to change the course from the one before because of low entries etc. etc. and as you flag, often don't build to height.

At 1m+ you've got a big choice of classes affiliated and there's prize money on offer at every show. Lots of opportunities to qualify for Blue Chip and other champs. Get your Discovery DCs and aim for the second rounds of those.

I usually affiliate 6 months at a time. As a new member there might be some intro deals around for joining so do hunt through website info thoroughly.

Oh I didn’t realise that and just did a Google search. Seems I should join a riding club and then joint BS as I will get a year membership for less than a 6 month!