Frequently Asked Questions
1. What do I need to do to become a show team member?
To become a show team member, riders are first required to participate in an assessment lesson at the beginning of the semester. Then, they must complete the necessary forms and memberships required by IHSA. Here are a few memberships that new show team members can sign up for; follow these steps to successfully apply for USEF, USHJA, and IHSA memberships:
- Go to the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) website and apply for a membership. This step requires no application fee, but write down your username and password for later use. This is recommended, not required.
- Next, go to the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) website to apply for a collegiate membership. Your username and password will be the same as for your USEF account. This membership lasts for the whole school year (from August to the next August). This is recommended, not required.
- Finally, go to the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) and apply for a membership. Nora will then evaluate you in a trial lesson to determine your IHSA division placement and have you fill out an IHSA placement form. This is required and can be done with assistance from team leadership after try-outs.
2. Are men allowed to join?
Men compete alongside women in IHSA shows and are always welcome to join URET!
3. Is Western style taught?
At this time, there is not enough interest in IHSA Zone IV Region 4 to hold Western classes in competitions. Interested riders are welcome to contact us about future changes or a desire to switch to English.
4. How much does it cost to join the team?
Riding is not an inexpensive sport and although the University of Richmond puts forth a large sum of money to help subsidize our costs, riders are still left to pay the majority of their lesson fees and club membership dues. Membership dues is a lesson package ranging from 8 lessons at $410 per semester to 10 lessons at $550 per semester.
To help alleviate some of the costs, we hold multiple profit shares throughout the year and have funding for riders in special circumstances.
5. What is the commitment like?
We are a club sport, so we understand that riders have other commitments on campus. However, we are a competitive and close-knit team, requiring at minimum one lesson per week at A&N Training and attendance at monthly meetings, fundraisers, and all IHSA shows. There are also more opportunities for involvement through leadership-organized bonding activities such as trail rides, team dinners, and others! Participation is encouraged in activities organized by leadership to foster a unified team environment. Many of our riders have balanced their academic work and riding commitments along with other activities such as volunteer work off-campus, on-campus jobs, greek life, and other university-sponsored clubs.
6. How do I sign up?
Please do not hesitate to use the "Contact Us" page to reach out with any questions. We can also be found on Instagram, @RichmondEquestrian. We are happy to answer any questions about information sessions at the beginning of the semester or general inquiries about the team!
