Membership Rules

Membership in the GSDHJA allows your points earned during a competition to be tracked on this website, and for you to get recognition at the annual GSDHJA awards banquet depending on your year end point totals.

Membership Rules

  1. In order to compete at the Championship Show and/or accrue points towards GSDHJA Year End Awards, the RIDER, HORSE OWNER (if different from rider) and RIDER’S TRAINER must be members in good standing.
  2. Membership year begins on December 1 and expires on November 30.
  3. Memberships must be purchased prior to, or during the first horse show attended by rider/horse in order for points to count. Absolutely no points will be awarded retroactively.
  4. Rider must be a GSDHJA member in order to compete in any of the GSDHJA medal classes.
  5. Show age is calculated as rider’s age on December 1st of the start of the show year. (eg. if the date today is the middle of 2012, then the rider’s show age is computed by their age as of December 1st, 2011).
  6. Members are eligible for amateur status if they have not participated in any professional activities as cited in the GSDHJA Rule Book under Amateur Classification. Any person competing in amateur classes who is found to be engaging in professional activities shall have their amateur status revoked for a period of one year.
  7. Any horse owner who wishes to use their business, barn, or stable name as “owned by” must submit a business membership
  8. All trainers must submit professional membership in order for their riders’ points to count.