Membership Madness

So one of the first things to have to get organized on this grand adventure is memberships.  As anyone familiar with horses and showing would know- there are a multitude of memberships one must have just to get to start filling out your entries.  This year I have the added bonus of having to get US memberships as well as FEI ones.

Typically in Alberta you need at least your Alberta Equestrian Federation (AEF) and Equine Canada (EC).  To event for a season you have to add on Canadian Eventing (CE) and Alberta Horse Trials (AHTA).  Now because I coach Hunter/Jumper I also have to add on Jump Alberta (JA).  Then to be able to show down in the states I have to add on a United States Eventing Association (USEA) membership as well as register Aloan in their database.  Then because I am going to be running a CCI* or two this year- have to add on a FEI passport for Aloan- plus registration for the both of us in the FEI.   Lets just say good thing I will have all these membership cards- they will have to take the room up in my wallet that money used too! 

AEF/AHTA/Out of Province&Country Insurance             $170
EC/CE (Platinum level for FEI and Coaching fees)         $240
USEA for Aloan and I                                                  $205
FEI Passport for Aloan                                               $348
FEI Registration for Aloan and I                                 $ 40
Jump Alberta                                                               $ 35
                                                                                    =====
                                                                                 $ 1,038

Yep- over 1k just in paperwork to get ready to show!  Welcome to the big leagues. 

Luckily eventing at the Provincial level still remains very affordable.  Here is a great link explaining what you need for Alberta.

http://www.albertahorsetrials.com/fees.php  

An EC Passport is not required until Training level, and up until then you can get away with a Bronze level EC membership. 

Best thing one can really do is research the Omnibus and rulebooks for the levels that are required to show- or get a hold of a more experienced competitor or coach to help decide.  Great thing about eventing is that everyone is willing to give a hand or point you in the right direction. 

Now off to try to make some extra $ to pay for all of these cards...

The Start Box

Happy New Year!  
(and Happy Birthday to the TB's!)

2014 is bringing some exciting adventures my way- I'm going to attempt to try a blog to chronicle said adventures. 

Who are we? 

There is Aloan- the star of the show!  He's a 2005 KWPN gelding I purchased from www.twowillowsequine.com  in 2009 after I fell in love with him while starting him under saddle.  There was just something about him that seemed to click with me and I was bound and determined to make it work.  I've never regretted it for a moment.  He's apparently tall (17.1hh) however since I'm 6'+ we create an optical illusion of average.  Aloan has a great work ethic and tries his heart out for me everytime.  He makes prelim feel like a casual hack, and despite being a bit of a princess he is tough as nails. (I can go on all day but there are many more blog posts to come to learn more about him and as the saying goes "Ask me about my horse!  Have you got all day?")

Then there is Chloe.  I'd never really intended to have a dog even though I love them.  Chloe came with the apartment I currently rent- her owner had moved to New Zealand and couldn't take her.  I took her on the condition she could learn to come to the barn and work with me- something Chloe has learned to love!  The first few days were interesting as she would growl at children and I had to be very careful if people brought their dogs as she was quite agressive. Now I don't think the barn would be quite the same without her.  She watches lessons, keeps the parents company, entertains little brothers or sisters and is always ready to comfort you if you have a tumble.  Its quite rare to see us apart now!

Me... Started riding when I was 13 (short of a handful of lessons and trail rides at 10).  Was involved with Pony Club and I had a great coach that introduced me to eventing.  Learned to ride on OTTB's, got to school XC through the Pony Club but had to wait til after graduating college to actually compete in my first event.   Just finished the 2013 season at Prelim and am aiming for our first CCI* in May and stepping up to Intermediate this year.  Which is pretty much why I figured I'd start a blog- this is going to be quite the most interesting year ahead. 

So out of the start box we go-
Lets see what 2014 has in store.