Hunt Seat Team

The Hunt Seat team at UC Santa Cruz is affiliated with the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA). IHSA utilizes a catch-riding system where the hosting school will provide horses and riders will draw their horse randomly.

The Hunt Seat team is open to all full-time undergraduate and graduate students who have competed during their undergraduate years at any institution. Alumni shows are not currently offered in IHSA Zone 8, Region 1.

More information about IHSA can be found here 

Tryouts

Members who are interested in competing on the Hunt Seat team must go through a tryout process and meet all qualifications, which include approval by the team trainer as safe to compete and compliance with the competitive rules outlined by IHSA.

The decision will be based upon the rider’s ability to control the horse, their balance on the horse, their expressed comfort level during riding, the appropriateness of their behavior around the horses, and other similar factors.

If a rider is approved to compete, the rider will be placed in an IHSA division through the IHSA Placement Form based on previous show experience and offered a position on the Hunt Seat team.

Any riders who were not approved as safe for their competitive level will be accommodated through the recreational division of the club to gain riding experience and skills. All riders may try-out again the following year.

Membership Fees

Members of the Hunt Seat team pay a $150 club membership fee per year and a $22 Sports Club administrative fee once per year.

In addition to the general club membership fee and Sports Club fee, members of the Hunt Seat team must pay an additional ~$200 Hunt Seat specific fee once per year. This fee is determined by annual IHSA dues and split evenly amongst all members of the Hunt Seat team. Members of other divisions of the club will not be subject to Hunt Seat team dues.

In order to be eligible to show, members of the Hunt Seat team must have an individual membership to IHSA, which is $45 per year and paid directly to IHSA.

Other costs for the club include lesson and show costs, which are to be paid by members on an individual basis.

Lesson Requirements

Members of the Hunt Seat who compete on the flat are required to take lessons at least once per week. Members who compete over-fences are required to take lessons at least twice per week.

Equipment

-White show shirt with collar (preferably long-sleeve)
-Hunt coat (navy or black)
-Breeches with belt loops (tan/beige)
-Tall boots (or paddock boots with leather half chaps)
-Helmet (ASTM/SEI certified only)
-Gloves (black)
-Belt (black or brown)

The UC Santa Cruz Hunt Seat Team is grateful for a collection of donated hunt-seat gear. If, despite your best efforts, you are unable to acquire your own equipment, we will do our best to accommodate you.