The BVRC is affiliated to the British Horse Society (BHS). Since around 40% of members’ subscriptions are paid each year to the BHS (making the BVRC more expensive to join than non-affiliated riding clubs) what do members get for their additional cash? There are seven main benefits:
Membership
The BVRC is a Seniors (Adult) only club, and members have to have attained their 17th birthday.
Every Riding Club is self governing and prices vary, but the average prices for joining are around £20 – £40. Some clubs may be more, depending on the facilities that the club owns. BVRC subscription is £30 (for the 2015 year) for a riding member and the membership year runs from the 1st November to the 31st October with a discount for rejoining members paying prior to the 1st of January.
You can be a member of more than one club but you can only represent one club in any competition year. The competition year starts after the Festival of the Hunter.
British Riding Clubs Office
The fees paid to the BHS are used to maintain a British Riding Clubs Office, staffed by a salaried full time team, whose role is to act as a central rule-making body and point of reference for the Riding Clubs movement. Members can call the office at any time. A National conference is held annually. The office is located in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.
Competitions
The BHS and British Riding Clubs determine competition rules and standards in all equine disciplines. Each year, inter-club competitions are held in all disciplines, with winning teams & individuals going forward to National Riding Club Championships. These competitions are only open to members of an affiliated Riding Club. For more details visit the teams page.
Competitions organised by BVRC have discounted entry fees for club members, which over the course of a year could total more than the membership fee!
Training
The BHS and British Riding Clubs organise and moderate a wide range of equine related qualifications, training and examinations. Some of the latter can be taken at a local Riding Club.
The basic examination cost is £7.50 which is sent to the British Riding Clubs office. However, individual clubs may charge more, dependent on commercial factors.
Insurance
This is a powerful reason for belonging to an affiliated Riding Club.
Club members are insured whilst taking part in activities organised by their own Riding Club, another BHS affiliated Riding Club or the Riding Clubs office at Stoneleigh. The policy extends to cover the liability of one member to another. The limit of Indemnity is £20,000,000 in respect of any one claim. Please note though that travel to and from activities is excluded.
Members are not covered while out hacking. You are only covered while at an affiliated Riding Club event.
Insurance extends to provide cover for any landowner or occupier on whose land events or other activities organised by the club are held or pass over or whose land is used for access to the event.
The Policies cover all Instructors (paid or unpaid), officials and helpers while acting on behalf of an affiliated Riding Club.
The Riding Club will be covered for all its activities,so even if non-members compete, the policy DOES apply. If a non-member sues a member, the member is covered. If a non-member should cause an incident for which they are personally are sued, there is no cover for the non-member.
Finally, we provide the above notes in good faith. For full details, contact the Riding Clubs office at Stoneleigh.
Rider Magazine
Published four times a year, each edition includes useful features plus all championship reports and results. The magazine is de-duped so that if there are several members living at the same address only one copy will be sent per household. This is done in order to save money on postage.
BRC Discounts
- Quarterly issues of the BRC Rider Magazine
- Liability Insurance whilst taking part in BRC events/activities.
- Save up to 35% on a subscription to equestrian magazines Horse & Hound, Horse and Eventing when you call 0844 848 0848 and quote MADD.
- 30% discount when you join the BHS as a new member. Call 08701 201900 or join online: bhs.org.uk (each person applying must already be a BRC member)
- 15% off Duralock Post & Rail fencing
- 10% off Signam Products. t: 01926 417300 or visit sportsmark.co.uk
- 5% discount on all wall, stable and trailer rubber matting t: 01536 513456 equimat.co.uk
- 5% off all orders from Jump4Joy (excludes jump cups) t: 01386 7933339 jump4joy.co.uk
- 5% off any purchase at Kate Negus Saddlery. t: 0845 4308456 or visit katenegus.com
- £5 off Freezemarking services at Farmkey. t: 0870 870 7107 or visit farmkey.co.uk
Discounted Cap to the RA Hunt
BVRC members are entitled to hunt with the Royal Artillery Hunt up to 4 times during the season for a heavily reduced cap on production of your membership card.