If you want to compete in an official competition for the first time, you need a startbewijs (the KNHS competition start permit). Applying isn't difficult, but the steps follow a fixed order: first apply for membership, then register your horse, then apply for the startbewijs.
What a Startbewijs Actually Is
A startbewijs is your personal official approval as a competition rider with the KNHS (the Dutch equestrian federation; in full, the Koninklijke Nederlandse Hippische Sportfederatie). Without a startbewijs, you cannot compete in an official KNHS competition.
Three terms are often confused with each other:
- Membership — you're a member of the KNHS, usually through an affiliated club. This is the foundation; without membership you can't apply for a startbewijs.
- Startbewijs — linked to you as a rider, per discipline. You choose whether you want to ride dressage, show jumping, eventing, driving, or another discipline.
- Startpas — belongs to your horse, not to you. More on that below.
For recreational riding, trail rides, or lessons at the riding school, you don't need any of this. The startbewijs is purely for those who take part in competitions.
What You Need Before You Apply
Before the application can go through, three things need to be in order:
- KNHS membership. Most riders join through a nearby club — a riding club, pony club, or riding school. Some riders opt for a personal membership without a club. Which form applies to you depends on where you ride.
- A registered horse or pony. Your horse must be known to the KNHS and have a valid registration. If this is news to you, ask at your stable or your instructor whether the horse is already registered — often it is.
- A choice of discipline and level. If you're just starting out, you'll usually compete in the lowest class: class B or the entry level of your discipline. Which class you actually start in is covered in the guide Dutch Competition Classes Explained.
In addition, many competitions require a vaccination for the horse (influenza). The exact schedule and deadlines are set out in the KNHS regulations; check this well ahead of your first start, since an expired vaccination record means you won't be allowed to compete.
Applying Step by Step
The application runs through the KNHS itself. The interface and the exact buttons change from time to time, so these are the steps in broad outline:
- Become a member, or check your membership. If you're not yet a member, arrange that first through a club or as a personal member. Membership is the condition for all the following steps.
- Create an account on MijnKNHS. This is the online environment where you manage your details, membership, and competition matters.
- Check whether your horse is registered. If it isn't listed, the registration needs to be sorted out first. If in doubt, ask your stable or the KNHS for help.
- Apply for the startbewijs per discipline. You indicate which discipline(s) you want to compete in. If you later want to ride a second discipline, you apply for a separate startbewijs for that.
- Pay the fees. Membership and the startbewijs are usually billed annually. Keep in mind that a startbewijs runs per calendar year or season.
- Wait for processing. The application is usually processed within a few working days. So don't apply for your startbewijs the night before your first competition.
For the exact, current procedure and the right links, knhs.nl is always the source. The steps above are meant to help you find your way, not to replace the KNHS website.
Roughly What It Costs
The amounts change every year and depend on your age, your type of membership, and the number of disciplines. Budget roughly the following per year:
| Item | Estimate per year |
|---|---|
| KNHS membership | roughly €60 |
| Club dues | varies widely, often €50–€150 |
| Startbewijs (per discipline) | roughly €30 |
| Extra discipline | another startbewijs fee |
On top of that come the costs of the competitions themselves: entry fees, travel, and transport. An overview of what an active competition year costs is in Horse Riding Costs in the Netherlands. The KNHS publishes the exact rates for the current year on its own website.
Your Horse's Startpas
Alongside your own startbewijs, every horse has its own startpas (the horse's own competition record), linked to the combination of horse, rider, and discipline (you and your horse together are called a "combination"). That distinction matters: the KNHS credits winstpunten (promotion points) to you and your horse together. If you later ride a different horse, that new combination starts from zero.
What that means in practice:
- If you ride two horses, each combination has its own startpas and its own points tally.
- If you buy a horse that has already competed, the startpas carries over the existing class. So the horse doesn't start over in class B.
- If you accumulate enough winstpunten, you're required to move up to the next class.
How to build up points without promoting too quickly is covered in Building Points Efficiently.
Common Mistakes
A few things beginners often misjudge:
- Applying too late. Expect a processing time of several working days. Start at least one to two weeks before your first planned competition.
- Confusing membership and the startbewijs. Being a member isn't the same as having a startbewijs. You need both.
- Forgetting to check the vaccination. An expired influenza vaccination simply means no start, however well prepared you are otherwise.
- Assuming an FNRS rider certificate is the same thing. The rider certificates (F to A) from FNRS-recognized riding schools are useful qualifications for recreational riding and trail rides, but they are not a substitute for a KNHS startbewijs at official competitions. (FNRS is the Federatie van Nederlandse Ruitersportcentra, the trade association for Dutch riding schools; its rider certificates are recreational qualifications and are not valid at KNHS competitions.)
In Short
Join the KNHS first, make sure your horse is registered and its vaccinations are in order, and then apply for your startbewijs for the discipline you want to ride through MijnKNHS. Do this well in advance — a processing time of several working days is normal. The exact rates and the current procedure are always available at knhs.nl. Once that's arranged, check What to Bring to the Competition and Dutch Competition Classes Explained to prepare for your first competition.
Belgium works differently: there, you apply for a startkaart (start card) through your club at Paardensport Vlaanderen — see the guide on the start card and permit in Belgium.