[Tha Ridge]

Anyone get this charming letter in your inbox? What a joke.

In the past seven years, USHJA has been unique in that we have not altered our annual membership fee, while the cost of doing business has been steadily increasing. You are all sharing our experience of increases in fuel, postage and shipping, utilities, lodging, insurance, etc., that are today's reality. USHJA has taken strong measures to control costs in order to delay an inevitable change in fees, while at the same time our membership has been growing and many programs have been added making greater demands on our available resources. The cost increases of the past seven years and the expansion of member driven services and programs have caught up with us and the Board had to determine the best way to proceed in order to maintain our current level of services and programming.

After extensive review the USHJA Board has identified the need to increase membership fees to $65 per year if utilizing the Three Year Active Membership option and $70 per year for an Annual Active Membership beginning with the 2012 competition year. While increasing fees is never done lightly, as a non-profit member based organization it is an even more difficult decision. USHJA has been able to avoid an increase for the past seven years and is confident this effort will allow us to hold our membership dues constant for the next three to five years. In reviewing the membership dues of other equestrian organizations, the USHJA, as the largest USEF Affiliate, will still have one of the lowest memberships for active competitors.

USHJA has worked diligently to meet and exceed the needs of the hunter/jumper industry. The USHJA Directors, Committee members and staff take great pride in serving the members of the Association efficiently and effectively, while placing the highest emphasis on fiscal responsibility. While we understand this notice will be disappointing, it is our sincere hope that each member is able to understand the need to increase the dues at this time, as well as the efforts USHJA has taken to avoid this increase for as long as possible.

As a community of horsemen and horsewomen, USHJA applauds each member for their support and dedication to the industry. The volunteers and staff of the USHJA are always here to answer your questions and discuss your opinions and concerns.

We appreciate your understanding and support.

[meupatdoes]

Wuuuuuuuut...

Well, I suppose there's the real response to that thread.

[S A McKee]

Just received it. Fits well into the 'what has the USHJA done for you lately thread'

They really do think that all their members go to Welly world each year and have unlimited funds. Plus they don't seem to have noticed some annoying nationwide economic problems.

So who needed a raise or are they building another new building?? LOL

[danceronice]

Well, I suppose there's the real response to that thread.

That was exactly what I thought...

[PonyPenny]

It is a useless organization. There should only be USEF and then you can check a box to whether you do dressage, hunter/jumper, reining, etc. All those years when it was just AHSA and everything worked fine. I think you only had to join USET if you did the talent search. It is a recession and fees keep going up. It just makes me angry that they are doing this.

[hntrjmprpro45]

I'm not surprised, did you read the latest "In Stride" magazine? They were clearly trying to show off all of what they have done in order to cushion the blow of raising fees. I agree it is pretty funny timing with the other thread.

[horseshrink]

Can you show without being a member of USHJA? It's been a long time since I've shown, but can you just be a USEF member and pay a non-member USHJA fee? Not that you would want to pay a non-member fee every show, but is it a "forced" membership?

Just asking a question.

[airineek]

Just got the letter about the fee increase and it made my blood boil just a bit. USHJA has done absolutely nothing for me lately or ever except to take my hard-earned money. They don't offer anything of value to me, the amateur adult (to confirm that, see interview with Shelby French, Part 1). Forty percent of all USHJA revenues goes toward administrative costs, not programs (see interview, Part 3) and now I must pay more for no benefit? I think not. This organization needs to start cutting staff, cutting office space, cutting pay and otherwise cutting down on overhead expenses. I am absolutely positive that USHJA could do more than what it is doing for the hunter community currently with less resources. It's a matter of prioritization, which is apparently no one is doing. USHJA should exist to serve the hunter community, but instead, it only serves itself.

Short of not frequenting USEF rated shows, how do I boycott this ineffective and poorly managed organization? Ideas?

[S A McKee]

Can you show without being a member of USHJA? It's been a long time since I've shown, but can you just be a USEF member and pay a non-member USHJA fee? Not that you would want to pay a non-member fee every show, but is it a "forced" membership?

Just asking a question.

Yes, but it costs $30 a show assuming you are a USEF member.
If you show at least twice it is ( or was ) cheaper to pay up and join USHJA.

[S A McKee]

USHJA lists H/J financials for each zone. The number includes 2009 unused funds ( carryover) plus 2010 allocations from USHJA. That number also includes some USAE carryover but it comes to north of $420,000 at the start of 2010.
For 2011 we have a full year of the extra $ 2 a horse zone support fee. So what's up that they need more $$$$.

I estimate that my USEF/USHJA expenses for my USEF membership, 2 horses USEF annual membership + USHJA personal membership + USHJA + USEF per show fees + USHJA horse recording fees + USHJA farm recording fee will come to something over $900 this year.

Yet when I call USHJA or USEF with a question I get a run around. I guess I'm such a little exhibitor that it makes no difference. LOL

[theinstigator]

Looks like I'm going to keep my plastic helmet and rubber boots around for awhile!

The USHJA is such a joke.

[Ponytoes]

I'm not surprised, did you read the latest "In Stride" magazine? They were clearly trying to show off all of what they have done in order to cushion the blow of raising fees. I agree it is pretty funny timing with the other thread.

Also funny, the same lady answered the questions and wrote that letter, that it was sent at 5:00 on a Fri., and all the flack they got from the Pony Finals Fiasco, talk about, in your face

[Hattie]

Ladydoctor and I are here showing at the Kentucky Horse Park and are shocked at the size of the USHJA building! Everytime we drive by, we question the necessity of such a large grandiose building. Are they renting out space, because there is no way that the organization needs that many employees??!!!

[forward ride]

i just got that email too. clearly they did not see the recent thread. ugh. what a load of puckey.

[grandprixjump]

Start some good LOCAL show series, decent prizes and get sponsors to have decent miniprix's and hunter prix's and tell the national ASSoc'S to take a flying leap. Look around Tryon, NC for examples, shows most weekends, with reasonable prices and good classes... The BIG BOYS are too well represented nationally, and only want your money to promote, the big boy levels.
What would happen if there were more B and C type shows WITHOUT the national org and their fees to drive the prices up... Could you imagine a 50k GP with only 5 riders and NONE of the (Here to add to the purse only, riders) You know the one's, only have one horse and compete in a few GP's a year...when my horse gets going again, I would rather compete in several 10-15k mini's than waste all that money for one REAL GP against people with 20 GP horses in their stable...

City League was a great idea, that decided to become recognized and still went nowhere this year...

Times are tough, even mid and low priced people need sandboxes to play in.....

[Woodsperson]

That is certainly a responsive organization that responds to questions about its usefulness by jacking up its fees. [Sarcasm icon]

[Lucassb]

It amazes me that the USHJA would have the brass ones to send that letter, particularly after just being put on notice that so many of the core membership finds so little value in the organization.

I have been a member since the organization's inception, even though I was not showing the entire time. Based on this increase, and the appalling lack of value - or even plans to offer value - exhibited in Ms. French's answers with respect to what the USHJA wil do for me as an adult amateur... I am seriously considering not renewing.

Maybe, if the organization was going to need such a substantial increase, they should have constructed a more modest building.

[Doubleeez]

Which all goes back to the fact that you can bit@h and gripe individually on this and other boards, but until you all get together and organize a group to fight the Powers That Be as the professionals did, your cries are lost in the wilderness and the USHJA will continue to run roughshod over you. You have Lord HelpUs willing to chair a group but you don't go forward with it. Spend your time and energy putting together an organized objection to what USHJA is doing instead of whining about it here.

[Renn/aissance]

Good job I'm not renewing my membership this year.

I've volunteered whatever aid I can give to LHU already.

[Celeritas]

I got this today as well. Makes me "glad" I did a 3-year renewal this time around...