In 1998, Hope Jacob, our founder, began this club with four visionary members. Together, they outlined our goals and priorities with this club: To create a Club for the over 21 equestrian based on the high standards of the USPC, without excluding riders of disciplines outside the English hunter-jumper world. Today, there are in excess of 600 members in numerous chapters across the U.S. The number of chapters is rapidly growing, as we get numerous inquiries every day.

The Old People's Riding Club (OPRC) welcomes riders from all disciplines over the age of 21. We have English riders, Western riders, dressage riders, jumper riders, pleasure-trail riders, endurance riders, combined training riders, the full spectrum. We also have members who love horses but do not ride.  The purpose of the OPRC is to have safe, enjoyable riding activities, meet other riders with fresh new outlooks on the sport, and encourage knowledge of horses all around.
Check out the June 2001, October 2003 and July 2006 issues of Practical Horseman Magazine where you will find feature articles about us. Horsenews Online, the Chronicle of the Horse, Equestrian Network Magazine, and others have also published articles about our club.

The OPRC has a National Office located in California, MD and OPRC Chapters throughout the United States. The National OPRC has officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer), members that serve as web master, membership coordinators, rally committee, insurance coordinators, and a Board of Directors to review issues, create policies, and update the Bylaws. Each chapter has a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Membership Coordinator, as well as other officers determined by the chapter. Each chapter determines the direction their chapter will take. The chapters follow National safety standards and policies.

The National OPRC is a non-profit corporation, as described in Section 501(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code, and has been recognized as such by a letter dated June 18, 2003, from the Internal Revenue Service.

The National non-profit status does not extend to the chapters. Extension of the non-profit status of the National OPRC to the individual chapters was not approved. However, individual chapters are encouraged to attain a non-profits status.

Anyone aged 21 or older who agrees to abide by the OPRC Bylaws may be a member of OPRC. Members are not required to be expert riders or horse owners; in fact, non-riders and non-owners are welcomed as members. Additionally, members of all horse disciplines (English, Western, driving, etc.) at all skill levels are welcomed as members.

OPRC has incorporated the rating system of the United States Pony Club (USPC) into our club; however, we have modified the ratings to suit the older rider, the Western rider, and the English rider who does not jump. We have also incorporated more safety topics into the rating tests. To participate in mounted OPRC activities, all riders must get rated as at least a D1 (ratings are not required for non-riders). A member may remain a D1 forever, or ambitious members can climb the ratings as high as they wish to be challenged.
OPRC also requires ALL riders in OPRC activities (members and guests) to wear an ASTM/SEI approved safety helmet, heeled boots designed for equestrian activities, and a medical armband. If a guest does not own a medical armband, the OPRC has a medical form to be completed before the ride.

To participate in OPRC mounted activities, a member must:

have passed the OPRC D1 test,

wear an ASTM-approved helmet,

wear heeled boots designed for equestrian activities, and

wear a visible medical armband.

Medical armbands are available for purchase at many tack stores. They are also available for purchase on the internet at many sites, including:

The OPRC membership year is January to December of each calendar year. Individual chapters determine the amount of their annual chapter dues; the lowest possible dues are recommended. A total of $35 annually is a recommended amount, but some chapters charge higher fees to cover the cost of their chapter-sponsored functions, and others charge less if they have profitable fund-raising activities. For each member, from the chapter dues, the chapter sends $15.00 annually to cover the National OPRC dues, which pays the National OPRC costs (web hosting, office supplies, postage, lawyer fees, Board of Directors insurance, reimbursement of BOD members' costs, rally ribbons, year end award prizes, insurance, etc.). There is a $5.00 fee for late renewing members (mailed after 28 Feb, see below).

The $15.00 annual dues for each new chapter member is payable by the chapter to the National OPRC within a month of the member's joining the chapter. The $15.00 annual National OPRC dues for renewing members are due by 28 Feb of each calendar year. Dues mailings postmarked after 28 Feb sustain a $5.00 late fee per member, resulting in a $20.00 fee per member for late renewals.

Chapters may develop family memberships (husband and wife, mother and daughter, etc.) with reduced chapter dues. For example, a chapter may charge $35 annual dues for one person and $50 for two members of a family. However, the National OPRC dues rate is $15.00 for ALL members, regardless of the manner in which they joined a chapter. All members must be 21 years of age or older.

OPRC is insured through riding club liability insurance. Each year every member must sign an OPRC Liability Release Form . Guests at open activities also must sign the OPRC Liability Release Form and the chapter president must have requested sanctioned event insurance. The chapter keeps the liability release forms on file. OPRC is also a member of which affords our members the opportunity to purchase excess personal liability insurance for an individual or a family and our members are entitled to any member benefit ARG offers.

Most OPRC activities are organized by the individual chapters - the ideas and activities are endless! For example, chapters have sponsored horse shows (English and Western); polocrosse; English clinics in jumping, combined training, and dressage (also enjoyed by Western riders); Western clinics in flat work, barrel racing, reining, cow penning (all of these also enjoyed by English riders); and clinics in driving, trailer loading, vaulting, swimming with your horse, etc. Chapters also have sponsored trail rides and horse camps, as well as family days and open horse shows. Since a goal of OPRC is education, most chapter meetings include a speaker on horse topics such as nutrition, shoeing, veterinary care, emergencies, trail safety, etc. Chapters have also sponsored "field trips" to veterinary hospitals, horse races, etc. In many of these chapter activities, members of other OPRC chapters may be invited to participate. The bottom line - OPRC activities are endless and are determined by the needs, requests, and ingenuity of the membership and the thrust of local horse activities.

The National OPRC also sponsors activities for all OPRC members such special projects and the national rally.

Although OPRC is primarily designed for members and member activities, chapters may sponsor a few mounted activities per year during which non-members are invited. Such public activities may include a family and friends day during which non-member family members, including children, may participate in mounted activities such as a fun show, a trail ride, a mounted treasure hunt, etc. Chapters may also hold a mounted fund raising and/or membership recruitment activity. During these non-member activities, all OPRC requirements must be followed: all riders must wear an ASTM approved helmet, wear heeled boots designed for equestrian activities, and wear a medical armband or, for non-members without medical armbands, have an OPRC Medical Release Form worn conspicuously on the person (preferable) or inside the helmet. Additionally, guests must sign the OPRC Liability Release Form and the chapter President must apply for sanctioned event insurance through the National office.

You can join an existing OPRC chapter or form a new chapter in your area. To locate a chapter in your area, go to the "Chapters" link on the OPRC Home Page. If there is no chapter in you area, go to the "How to Form a Chapter" link on the OPRC Home Page to find out how to form a new chapter.

National OPRC provides guidelines and structure of chapters

Chapter start-up handbook available by request from National membership coordinators

Helps get new chapters up and running

Provides ideas for advertising, flyers, etc.

Provides guidance and mentoring to the chapter leaders who request it.

Answers questions about any issues relating to conduct & procedures of running a chapter

Provides an opportunity to purchase excess personal equine liability insurance for an individual or family.

Provides a $1,000,000 general aggregate riding club insurance.

Provides an Association Resource Group membership which offers our members http://www.associationresource.net benefits.

Provides a website:

articles and exchange of ideas for clinics, meetings, etc.

post photographs of chapter OPRC events

all important specific standards for furthering members equine education.

Free web space that your webmaster can develop as they see fit.

a sub-domain name http://<your chapter’s name>.oprc.us

a password protected secure online database where:

Chapter Members

can manage their own membership record and review their rating levels

request and pay for excess personal liability insurance

have immediate access to all club policies, and National officer info

access National membership directory

Facebook group membership

eligible for ARG membership benefits

have immediate access to all chapter officer info

have immediate access to all rating sheets to further their education level

can generate prefilled membership forms, annual release, medical armband form, print their ratings certificate and membership card

view all chapter membership (not just their current chapter but all chapters they are/were a member of)

access chapter membership directory

Affiliated Individual Members (not a chapter member)

receive a dot on the OPRC map to show other AIM members where they are located

may be rated by an OPRC chapter, must make their own arrangements with the chapter

once rated may participate in any OPRC chapter function with prior coordination through chapter and following all OPRC standards

eligible for ARG membership benefits

access to the D1 rating only, when wishing to rate up, National provide them with one test above their current rating

Facebook group membership

can generate prefilled annual release, medical armband form, print their ratings certificate and membership card

can manage their own membership record and review their rating levels

request and pay for excess personal liability insurance

have immediate access to all club policies, and National officer info

access National membership directory

Chapters

can send email to their members straight from the portal

request public event insurance

use web forms to update their National web presence

update their members' D1 and D2 rating levels

request new membership processing through National

pay memberships via PayPal

insert rally scores for National competition

National Team

can view members waiting to be processed through National

process new members

monitor chapter rating incentive eligibility

process insurance requests

process ratings requests

store and review corporate records

email all current year's members

email all chapter officers

Provides an opportunity for each chapter to submit an application to win the $500 award for their chapter’s use.

At the end of the year, provides monetary incentives to chapters who have updated their current year's ratings through the portal.

Provides monthly drawing for a monetary educational grant to chapters.

Provides a nationally known name brand "OPRC" logo that comes with positive PR in national publications such as Practical Horseman.

Provides a national support network of members located all over North America.

Provides a chance to participate in a very low key National Rally competition during odd years and during even years supplements the cost of a scavenger hunt ride for each chapter.

Provides a Board of Directors

- Works and communicates daily regarding improvements and issues that arise.
- Board meets annually to vote on new programs and services of the OPRC
- Board acts as a sounding board to OPRC members via email and phone

Thank you for your interest. If you have any questions, feel free to Contact Us.

Welcome to OPRC and have fun safely!