Membership Awards Banquet

Congratulations to All of the Year-End Award Winners!

We had a fabulous turnout at the banquet this past weekend. A heartfelt thank you to the community for supporting your local nonprofit, the Boise Saddle and Jump Club. We truly appreciate each and every one of you!

Through the years, we have seen significant growth as a club. In 2022, we reinstated the year-end awards, added a third day of showing to the TVC, and turned it into a highly recognized and well-known event. In 2023, we expanded our outreach by welcoming new barns and members from across the state and even other states, allowing us to double our volunteer base. In 2024, our membership grew to 115 members, and we introduced our schooling series. We also launched new committee positions to support our board members as our club continues to expand.

As many of you may have read, we are now an affiliate of the Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP) through the Jockey Club! This creates more opportunities for OTTB (Off-the-Track Thoroughbred) and Thoroughbred owners at our shows. Kourtney helped explain this further at the banquet—BSJC is Idaho's first Jockey Club-approved show! Your Thoroughbred does not have to have raced; they simply need to have a Jockey Club paper and ID number. There will be a Hunter High Point Thoroughbred award for both High and Low divisions, as well as for the cross-rail divisions. At the Fall Finale, we will also have TIP program awards. Additionally, there is a TIP Championship in Aiken, South Carolina, which is open to anyone who shows at our qualifying events. You can read more about the program here. 

In terms of USHJA updates, Wynn provided us with valuable insights at the banquet. Brett McKormeth is currently serving as the President of USHJA. One of their key goals for 2025 is to create a comprehensive calendar that streamlines the shows, making it easier for competitors to plan and providing a more effective and efficient show season.

Looking ahead, some new rules to keep in mind include the ban on rowel spurs at USEF or USHJA shows, and the requirement for management to provide a Liverpool in the schooling jumper area. Additionally, USHJA now offers several new grants and scholarships, which can be accessed through their website—make sure to explore these opportunities! Our website has links to find these. 

Wynn also assigned us some homework: make sure to explore the member page, competitive program page, and educational resources and videos on the USHJA website.

Kelly shared exciting news about the Outreach program! Outreach is a semi-new initiative by USHJA that provides opportunities for competitors who may not have the financial means or ability to travel to shows that qualify them for national events. Outreach is free and can offer a path to qualifying nationally. To participate, you need to join before your first Outreach show. This year, the location has not yet been announced, but it may be at Thermal. Keep in mind that there will be two separate divisions: Outreach and USHJA divisions. You need to sign up for either or both divisions to receive points. These divisions do not overlap. You can read more about the Outreach program here. 

It’s truly incredible to see how our community has expanded! Here are some membership updates:

• Rider membership: $15
• Horse membership (Basic): $40
• Horse membership (Premium): $90 (includes ground fees)

Please note that we now have a "delinquent" membership fee. If you forget to enroll before the first show, there will be a $100 late fee for those wanting their points counted toward year-end awards and national shows.

To be eligible for Year-End Awards, members must be in good standing and complete at least 4 hours of volunteer service. We offer many ways to volunteer, and these hours can now be tracked online.

We also have a new Vice President! Unfortunately, Sarah McLean is stepping down, but we’re excited to announce that Sarah Pealy will be stepping into the Vice President role. Additionally, we’re bringing back the Junior Member-at-Large position, which will serve as a year-long seat.

Once again, thank you to everyone for your continued support and dedication. We look forward to another incredible year with the Boise Saddle and Jump Club!