What are the main divisions in hunter jumper competition?

Hunter jumper competition is organized into a complex structure of divisions that sort competitors by horse type, fence height, rider age and status, and competitive purpose — creating a diverse competitive ecosystem in which horses and riders at every level can find appropriate competition. In the hunter discipline, divisions are organized around the horse's type and the rider's status: green hunter divisions for horses new to showing, regular working hunter divisions at various fence heights, hunter under saddle classes that judge movement on the flat without fences, and specific divisions for horses by type including thoroughbred hunters, amateur-owner hunters, and children's hunters. The fence heights in hunter divisions typically range from two feet six inches at the entry level through four feet or higher in the prestigious open hunter divisions. In the jumper discipline, divisions are organized primarily around fence height and the competitive level of the horses and riders involved, ranging from crossrail and eighteen-inch jumper divisions for beginners through one-meter, 1.10-meter, 1.20-meter, and 1.30-meter divisions for developing competitors to the Grand Prix heights of 1.40 meters and above for the most advanced horses and riders. Equitation divisions are organized primarily by rider age and experience, with children's equitation, adult amateur equitation, and open equitation divisions at various fence heights. The USEF and USHJA also maintain specific championship divisions — the Medal classes, the Maclay, the Derby — that serve as qualifying paths for national championship competition. Local schooling shows often have simplified division structures that provide appropriate competition for horses and riders who are not yet ready for the formal recognized show environment.