Intercollegiate Horse Show Association
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| Formation | 1967 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Robert E. Cacchione |
| Type | Association |
| Purpose | equestrian competition |
The Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) was established in 1967 by Robert E. Cacchione, while a sophomore at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey and with the encouragement of History professor and noted horseman, Jack Fritz. IHSA is based on the principal that any college student, regardless of skill level, financial status, or riding experience, should have the opportunity to compete on a college equestrian team. IHSA offers numerous scholarship opportunities while emphasizing education, sportsmanship, and team spirit. IHSA serves 400+ college and university teams across the United States and parts of Canada, with more than 8900 active riders. Collegiate equestrian, like Olympic equestrian competition, remains one of the only sports in the world where young women and men compete equally.
Within the IHSA, riders can compete in English riding (Hunter Seat Equitation, aka, 'Flat,' and Over Fences), Western riding (Western Horsemanship and Reining), or both. There are eight levels within the Hunter Seat division for a total of nine classes including: walk-trot; beginner and advanced walk-trot-canter; novice, intermediate, and open over flat; and novice, intermediate, and open over fences. In IHSA Hunter Seat shows, the riders may choose to ride in an over fences class, a flat class, or both. In Western Horsemanship there are six levels: Walk-jog, Intermediate A and B, Novice, Advanced, Open and Open Reining. An Open Western rider may compete in a horsemanship and a reining class but to compete in a reining class the rider must be in the Open or Alumni division and have six months professional training prior to competition.
These divisions allow riders of all levels to compete as part of an intercollegiate equestrian team. The most basic, walk-trot/jog, is reserved for riders who have not ridden in more than 24 weeks of lessons and who have never cantered, jumped or competed in a horse show. The next division is walk-trot-canter/Intermediate A, which is further divided into a beginner and more advanced. Riders who have been riding longer than 24 weeks of lesson but who have not competed in any horse show competition or has jumped more than 18", start in beginner walk-trot-canter. Once the rider has accumulated 18 points, the rider moves on to advanced walk-trot-canter/Intermediate B. Walk-trot and walk-trot-canter are the only divisions that do not include a jumping phase for English riding. To be placed in the open division, a rider must have won at least 6 blue ribbons at the 3'6" height in rated horse shows. After the rider has been originally placed into their appropriate division, they can then move up a division after they accumulate 36 points (which carries over year after year, except for in the open division).
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