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Welcome to the Iowa Horse Show Association HIGH POINT awards program, which recognizes the Iowa Horse Show Association members; horses, ponies, and riders as the most consistent ribbon winners for the year.

1. Points are counted from the date you nominate within your entered division. New for the 2025 show season: Each horse and equitation rider nomination will now count toward only one division. The first-division nomination for a horse or equitation rider is $25. If a member wishes their horse or equitation rider to receive points for another division, they must purchase an additional nomination for $5. Divisions are below. The Performance and Equitation Cup award nominations are $25. Please see the Performance Cup, Equitation Cup, and Academy guidelines below. The members must choose the $25 nomination before being nominated for their second division. Academy  nomination is $15. Please review the guidelines below for the Performance Cup, Equitation Cup, and Academy.

2. Only horses owned and exhibited by IHSA members are eligible. Leased horses count as ownership.

3. Horses must be shown in at least three IHSA-highlighted shows. The rider must show at least three highlighted IHSA shows in the Equitation division. Points follow the rider. Academy Divisions - Points go with the rider, not the horse. Horse ownership is not a factor in this division.

4. Champion and Reserve Champion awards will be given in each division. In the event of a tie for Champion, no reserve champion award will be given. Two reserve champion awards will be given in the event of one champion and a tie for reserve champion.

5. The horse or pony with the highest total points in their respective divisions will receive high-point awards in English, Western, or Performance. (Performance High Point = **Jack McDougall Award; see the definition of the High Point Performance Jack McDougall Award below). Each horse or pony must be nominated to begin accumulating points, and they will only earn points in the division/classes for which they have been nominated.

6. The **Jack McDougall Award for high point performance is presented at the end of each year to the horse with the highest performance horse points in the following divisions/classes: Five-Gaited, Three-Gaited, Fine Harness, and Park Horse. To earn points, each horse must be nominated; they will only accumulate points in the division/classes for which they have been nominated. The winning member will hold the trophy for one year, after which it must be returned to the IHSA Board President or Board member in November to be awarded to the next season’s winner.

7. An individual's age as of Dec. 1 shall be maintained throughout the following calendar year.

8. Points will be earned in regular and stake/championship classes. 

 

9. The IHSA will use the USEF rule book to define Amateur status and for any rule not explicitly covered under IHSA rules. 

10. The computation of points is as follows:
First – 6 pts.         Second 5 pts.          Third 4 pts.          Fourth 3 pts.         Fifth 2 pts.          Sixth 1 pt.
NEW—-—-The World's Championship Horse Show is categorized as a double-point show, and the Morgan Grand National and the National Academy Championship are also double-point shows. The World’s Championship Horse Show, the Morgan Grand National, and the National Academy Championship award points are as follows:

First 12pts.          Second 10 pts.          Third 8 pts.         Fourth 6 pts.          Fifth 4 pts.         Sixth 2 pts

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11. Protests for point changes must be made in writing to the IHSA Board at IHSABoardMembers@gmail.com. The Board of Directors will evaluate the protest and make adjustments if necessary.

12. The Junior Horse, Limited Horses/Riders, Novice Horses/Riders, Denver Horse, Medallion, Shatner Classes, Saddle and Bridle Medals, Good Hands, UPHA,  Veteran Horse, single bit classes, etc., will only consider the top two placings for class points toward the High Point award. For example, if you compete in two Novice Rider Pleasure classes and two Country Pleasure classes at a single show, only the points from your top two placings in the nominated High Point division will count.

13. Results points have been compiled from horse shows in the Midwest, WCHS, MGN, and National Academy Championship. See the complete list of Horse shows below. If you would like to add a horse show to the list, please let the Board know two weeks before the Horse show dates. If you ask to add a horse show after the show is over, that horse show will not count for points for the High Point awards.

14. Open Pleasure Driving and Open Pleasure Driving Stake classes at Iowa State Fair will qualify towards Show Pleasure Driving, Country Pleasure Driving, or Open Pleasure Driving - whichever division the horse has shown consecutively in. Open ASB Pleasure Driving at the Iowa State Fair will qualify for only ASB Show Pleasure Driving or ASB Country Pleasure Driving. 

15. If the Horse show does not offer your division class and has the more general division class, showing in that class will transfer points back into your division.​