USPC SPECIALTY RATINGS

You may have already heard the buzz about a new change that might be happening in the upper level ratings. If not, USPC is looking into the possibility of offering Specialty Ratings at the C-3 level and up for Dressage and Show Jumping. The traditional eventing based track would still remain and would be known as the traditional track. If you like the way it is now, you can continue on as you're planning to and go through the ratings just as they are now all the way to the A level. But if you're someone who only rides dressage or who does jumpers but not cross-country at a higher level, now you'd have an option of continuing on in your Pony Club ratings!

Along with the Specialty tracks that would be offered, another change would be that the C-3 and B tests would now be riding only tests, just like the A. After your C-2, you would take the HB rating, which is an unmounted rating (just like the H/H-A) that combines the Horse Management portions of the C-3 and B tests. Once you pass that test, then you can go on to the riding ratings and pursue any track you wish.

You aren't limited to one track either, you can become an A in Dressage, Traditional and Show Jumping if you want the challenge!

The Board of Governors has been researching this program for over a year, and now we need YOUR feedback. The draft of the Specialty Standards for Dressage and Show Jumping have been posted to the forms section of the USPC website under “S” for Specialty Standards. Please take the time to go look at them and then tell us what you think. Your feedback is very important to us! You can email your thoughts, comments and questions to instruction@ponyclub.org  To further explain these new Specialty tracks, there will be workshops and informational meetings available at the Annual Meeting in Kansas City in January.

Thanks for taking the time to give us your input!

Take a look at these links:

Pony Club Tree of Learning

Specialty Ratings Chart

HB Specialty Standard

Dressage Specialty Standard

Show Jumping Specialty Standard