Riding Club info

convert

Just wondering if anyone could give me any info on the different grades in the riding club system, i.e. height of fences, how it's decided what grade you're in, etc. How you upgrade or if there are any rules on grading if you are a member of SJI or Eventing Ireland.

I've tried looking on the AIRC website, but couldn't find any info on it. I also tried contacting them and one of the clubs near me (got contact details from the website), but haven't heard anything back 3 weeks later.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

MDFM

Grades are (as regards sj heights)
Primary - for v novice riders, generally jump up to 80cm
Advanced primary - 80cm
Intermediate - 90cm
Advanced Intermediate - 1m
Open - 1.10
Ad Open 1.10-1.20m

I'm not in riding club this year, but from past experience, and unless its changed..for an intermediate rc rider, you may compete in sji reg classes up to 90cm, ad inter can compete in 1m and amatuer (A), open = 1m-1,10m and so on upwards. Though i wouldnt really worry about sji and rc overlapping. I think as regards your grades for the other disciplines, u can, for example, be a mixture - I'm open for showjumping, but my xc and dressage grades are adv intermediate.
re upgrading - this can be done thro the club secretary who can then go to the regional committee who will have their say as regards approving your upgrade. Theres an abundance of other rules for rc, many of which i fail to rem though, sorry!!!

convert

Thanks for that.

Riding capability wise I'd be Open or Advanced Open, but I only have young horses at the moment (start of another cycle), so realistically I'd only be able to compete in Advanced Primary or Intermediate initially, and then upgrade as the horses progressed. The last thing I want to do is overface them in competition.

Are there many competitions held during the autumn/winter, and if so, what disciplines? Or does it depend on club and/or region?

doctor evil

Information here

http://www.airc.ie/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

There are young horse classes and you can always go HC.

MDFM

convert wrote: »

Thanks for that.

Riding capability wise I'd be Open or Advanced Open, but I only have young horses at the moment (start of another cycle), so realistically I'd only be able to compete in Advanced Primary or Intermediate initially, and then upgrade as the horses progressed. The last thing I want to do is overface them in competition.

Are there many competitions held during the autumn/winter, and if so, what disciplines? Or does it depend on club and/or region?

You can stay in the adv op/open - if your horses are young (or below a certain age, afaik) or in their 1st year of competition, you may compete the horse in the 'green horse' category in sj/xc/jc classes where you'll only have to jump 90cm for the season - or the year..which answers your next question - airc competitions run pretty much all year round, right through winter (when obviously most classes will be indoor or on all weather surfaces.).all over the country, these are all listed on the events calendar on the airc website.
if you are joining rc for the 1st time, i'd prob go in as adv inter if i were u..so at least u have the option of jumping your horse 1m..i would imagine it would be difficult if you entered as advanced primary to try to upgrade the next year to open/adv open (there may/may not be objections) - plus then it may be equally as difficult to try to justify a downgrade from open to adv primary in a subsequent year! There's always the option allowed at most rc shows whereby you can go HC for the day..so say u are adv in/open, and u feel the height of the jumps/standard too hard for your young horse, you can request to go HC in maybe an intermediate/adv primary jumping class, you wont be eligible for a prize though!

convert

Thanks guys! It's nice to know that there is some lea-way given! Will definitely look into it in more.

Kournikova

A downgrade is extremly difficult to actually get so don't go in too high for your horse. Also going up is never too difficult I have been at the regional meeting and they never question an upgrade.

But the Festival in June in Stradbally is the best craic ever The best part of the RC.

fits

I just got graded this week. I'm very inexperienced in certain areas and so is the horse so I went in at advanced primary. By the sound of it they might not let you go in at such a low grade though. Easier to go up grades than down imo..

convert

It's been a long time since I've competed properly (apart from mini/midi/maxi) as I've only had young horses and point-to-pointers for the last number of years. I'll try have a chat with a few people in the AIRC and see what they would recommend. As most of you have said, it's easier (and probably better) to go in at a lower level and upgrade if and when I feel it appropriate.

fits

I havent competed since my pony club days and even at that I didnt do much.

byhookorbycrook

some areas have better clubs than others, what part of the country are you in, if you want to say?

convert

I fall between what the AIRC have defined as south and west Leinster. It's as handy for me to travel to either area, so if you have any recommendations for clubs that would be great.

I've been flicking through the Irish Field Directory to see what info clubs have provided, but without talking to someone who actually has experience it's very hard to make an informed decision!

byhookorbycrook

both are good busy areas, do you want to attend club nights or just use the "name " to compete?Have you checked out the links to websites on the AIRC pages?

convert

Initially I'd probably just want to compete, but I'd also like to have the option of participating in other aspects of the club too, if work permits. (tho maybe that's me just wanting my cake and eating it, too!)

I did try to have a look at some websites, but any I visited don't seem to have been updated in quite a while. One of them hasn't been updated since 2007! Or maybe it's just my bad luck with the sample I chose!!

Kamili

I'm currently in the Long Acre RC which suits me as I'm not competing much at the minute.
Greenvalley and Foxborough are very active. Greenvalley have started hosting a mini/midi/maxi in Boswell on wednesday evenings until the end of september I think (may be thursday but not too sure)

There is also Brooke Lodge who I know do training evenings etc also.
Killegar is another one. All are in the south leinster region.

Maybe you can contact those lot and see what they do?

convert

Thanks Kamili.

convert

Thanks

Kournikova

Also some clubs are fairly cliquey, I dunno what it is like in your region though.