How to Start a Team
IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association) recognizes and welcomes all teams regardless of their status as a club, club sport, or NCAA recognized varsity team.
Locate Your IHSA Zone and Region
Go to the IHSA website at www.ihsainc.com to locate your IHSA Zone and Region and contact the Regional President. This person will steer you through the process of getting started and will provide you with leadership and guidance throughout the year. Depending on the Region, there may be a waiting list of teams wanting to join or there may be an immediate opening. If you can not locate your IHSA Zone and Region or where you can compete, contact the IHSA National Secretary, Jim Arrigon, at
jimarrigon@hotmail.com for information.
Talk to Your College or University
Contact the appropriate representative at your school and alert them of your intentions. This person may be your athletic director, head of club sports, or a faculty advisor. Allow them to steer you to the appropriate department where your team can find the best avenue for support. A club is generally run through your student government and a club sport is generally run through your athletic intramural department. Some teams form with the intent of gaining varsity status. Meet with your school’s athletic director to learn about the requirements for this process.
Your team’s ability to be recognized by your school as a viable group will help you conduct your team in an organized fashion, attract new team members, receive assistance with funding, fundraising, team transportation, and publicity.
Find an Official College Representative (Advisor)
Your team is required to have an official contact with the college called the “college designated representative” or “advisor”. This person must work in an official capacity at the college -- faculty, staff, or administration, and may be from any department on campus. He or she connects your team to the college or university and to the IHSA. Once you have found a representative, be sure communication is established between the college official and the coach that will travel with your team.
Find A Coach
You team is required to have a coach who is a professional trainer or riding instructor that is contracted to work with the team at a riding facility on or off-campus. (In some cases where there is an established college riding program, the coach may also act as the advisor). The IHSA will only recognize one coach to represent a team (or one hunt seat and one western). It is important to have the entire team training together with one coach to provide continuity. If the coach is unable to travel with the team, the IHSA will allow a student to act in the capacity of coach, accepting correspondence, attending coach's meetings, appointing team point riders, etc. The student coach may not sign an official IHSA document ----in this case, the designated college representative’s signature is required. Please note that some regions have policies that do not allow students to coach.
It is the responsibility of every coach to follow the rules stated in the current IHSA Rule Book and to provide the necessary leadership to insure their rider(s) receive adequate instruction and guidance to participate in an IHSA horse show. A coach must assume responsibility for their rider’s safety and their understanding of good horsemanship, as well as their rider’s conduct and understanding of good sportsmanship. It is strongly recommended that coaches / instructors actively seek on-going education and/or certification by nationally recognized organizations such as ARIACP (American Riding Instructor Certification Program), USHJA (United States Hunter-Jumper Association) Trainer’s Certification Program, and CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association).