RULES, REGULATIONS & RING ETIQUETTE Rules, Regulations and Ring Etiquette For Kern County 4-H Point Horse Shows Table of Contents General Rules 3 General Eligibility for Point Shows 4 Show Rules and Regulations 5 Basic Show Etiquette 7 Cruelty or Inhumane Treatment of Horses 7 Loss of Control 8 English Equipment 8 Western Equipment 10 LEGAL BIT 11 ILLEGAL BITS 11 SOME ACCEPTABLE CURB CHAINS 12 ATTIRE 12 SHOWMANSHIP AND HALTER 12 ENGLISH 13 WESTERN 13 4-H JUDGING REQUIREMENTS AND CLASS SPECIFICATION 14 HALTER CLASSES 14 SHOWMANSHIP CLASSES 14 ENGLISH EQUITATION 14 ENGLISH PLEASURE 14 HANDY HUNTER (English Trail) 14 JUMPING 15 CROSSBAR 15 HUNTER HACK 15 WORKING HUNTER 15 SCORING 15 Faults 16 Major Faults 16 1 WORKING HUNTER PATTERN #3 18 WESTERN EQUITATION 18 WESTERN PLEASURE 18 WESTERN TRAIL 19 TIMED EVENTS 19 BARREL RACING 21 POLE BENDING 22 QUADRANGLE STAKE 25 DEFINITIONS 26 SHOW MANAGEMENT 26 KERN COUNTY 4-H HORSE LEADERS 26 WALK/TROT-JOG FIRST YEAR RIDER 26 WALK/TROT- JOG OPEN 26 FIRST YEAR LOPER 27 HANDY HUNTER TRAIL COURSE 28 WESTERN TRAIL COURSE 28 KERN COUNTY 4-H HORSE SHOWS YEAR END AWARDS 28 PERPETUAL AWARDS 29 YEAR END HIGH POINT AWARDS 30 POINTS 31 GUIDELINES FOR MANAGEMENT OF A 4-H SHOW 31 JUDGES 33 HORSE SHOW ENTRIES 34 GROUNDS/ARENA REQUIREMENTS 36 2 General Rules The rules herein and otherwise referenced are provided for the safety, enjoyment, educational and learning experience for the 4-H Horse Project members, their families, friends and guests. It establishes the guideline and expectations for participation and conduct. However, it is impossible to anticipate every scenario and/or event that may occur as a part of participation in this activity. It is therefore the responsibility and given authority of the Horse Leaders Committee Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Registrar or Treasurer (in this order) to make decisions on situations as they arise through the course of the project, that may or may not be specifically addressed within the rules. Judgment on these matters may be made by committee or individually as deemed appropriate by the senior committee member present, as need arises at or away from a horse show or meeting and shall be final. Only shows recognized and approved by the Kern County 4-H Horse Leaders may count for year end points. (Fairs are excluded as they are NOT related to 4-H) Participation the Kern County 4-H Horse Project is open to any registered 4-H member of any Kern County 4-H club. No horse is required to participate in the non-rider division. Riders must have their horse registered as a project horse with the Kern County 4-H Horse Leaders in order to participate. Registered horse project members of 4-H clubs from other counties may participate in horse shows with prior approval of the Kern County 4-H Horse Project Chairman. They must show proof of registration in their respective 4-H Horse Project no later than 14 days PRIOR to the show they choose to participate in. Only one (1) horse and one (1) rider combination will be allowed to collect year end points in the following divisions: Jumping Division, English Division (English Equitation, English Pleasure, Handy Hunter, English Showmanship) and Western Division (Western Horsemanship, Western Pleasure, Trail and Showmanship). An alternate horse or horses may be used in Pattern and Speed classes. If an alternate or backup horse is used, only the horse/rider combination earning the most points will receive year end awards within the Jumping, English and Western Divisions. Points earned must stay with the horse/rider combination while earning these points and cannot be transferred to another horse/rider combination. 3 st The project year is one calendar year and shall start on January 1 ​ and end on st ​ December 31 .​ Year end awards shall be presented in October, November or ​ December at a date to be selected by the awards committee. General Eligibility for Point Shows Each member must show their own project horse, pony or mini-horse. Returning members must have registered his or her owned or leased project animal with the Horse Leaders Registrar on or before the County Horse Leaders meeting in January of the project year. Members who do not turn in their completed horse ​ ​ registration papers by the January deadline will be ineligible to show their horses in the project shows. Late registration will only be accepted if there have been PRIOR arrangements made with the Project Chairman and Registrar and the Horse Leaders are in agreement. Members may add an alternate point horse or horses at any time, but the add-on horse or horses must be registered with the Horse Leaders Registrar not less than 14 days prior to the show. Returning members who fail to have completed registration forms turned in to the Registrar by the ​ ​ deadline will not be allowed to show or participate in the next horse show. New members in their first year of 4-H, will be allowed to register their project horse up to one week before the first point show in which they participate with the approval of the 4-H Horse Leaders. New registering Horse Members have until that member’s first 4-H show to turn information into the Registrar and Show Secretary. However, if any information is missing or incorrect, that Rider will not be allowed to participate in the show that day. A horse ay be registered to more than one (1) immediate family member per each class. Points will accumulate for each horse and rider team separately. The classes entered/exhibited by the shared horse shall not exceed 14 classes per show. If a horse exhibits overexertion or excessive lameness, the 4-H Horse Leader or Judge reserves the right to scratch the horse from any or all pending classes. The County Horse Registration papers will be kept on file for one year. 4 Completed forms consist of the following and can be found online at http://cekern.ucdavis.edu/Youth_Development/ 1. Kern County Horse Registration Form (#2J-101 – two sided) 2. COPY of Breed Registration in the participant’s name or Bill of Sale and signed transfer report for registered breed horse. For Leased horses: signed Lease Agreement (#2J-102). For Family owned (longer than three years) horses, signed statement of ownership or Bill of Sale. 3. Kern County 4-H Horse Show Contract (#2J-103) 4. Medical Treatment Consent Form (4H 1109) 5. Member Code of Conduct 6. Parent Code of Conduct These forms MUST be on file with the Horse Leaders at their January meeting. Although recent 4-H registration allows for several of these forms to be signed and on file with the County electronically, paper copies are required to be on hand at the horse shows, especially as applied to the Treatment Consent Form, and Codes of Conduct. Registering members MUST provide completed paper copies of these forms with their registration packet to be considered complete. NO 4-H MEMBER MAY PARTICIPATE I A HORSE SHOW WITHOUT THESE FORMS ON FILE WITH THE REGISTRAR – There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule! ​ ​ Previously stated new member and renewing member registration deadlines do apply. Show Rules and Regulations NO DOGS ARE ALLOWED ON THE GROUNDS OF ANY 4-H HORSE SHOW!! In order to ensure a safe environment for 4-H members, participants and visitors, no dogs shall be allowed at any Kern County 4-H Horse Project event. This includes dogs in trailers or motor vehicles. The only exception are service dogs and arena owner’s personal dogs. Participating members are therefore responsible to ensure that their respective family members, friend, guests, trainers, etc. DO NOT BRING dogs (other than certified service dogs) to any Kern County 4-H Horse Project event. At the discretion of the show management and 5 the Horse Leaders, a show will be stopped until a violation of the rule is remedied - the dog is to be removed from the show grounds. A violation of this rule can and may be considered a violation of the Code of Conduct rule at the discretion of show management and Project Chairperson. Penalty may be expulsion from the program. California Department of Food and Agriculture Equine Medication Monitoring Program Guidelines regarding Drugs with alter the appearance or way of going of the animal will apply. The administration of a single nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug in accordance with the recommendations on the manufacturer’s label shall be considered acceptable. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs are phenylbutazone (“Bute”), flunixin (“Banamine”), naproxen, meclofenamic acid (“Arquel”) and ketoprofen (“Ketofen”). However, the administration of two or more nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory substances within 72 hours prior to show date constitutes the administration of prohibited substance and requires withdrawal from competition. Artificial ornaments (i.e. fake tails) are acceptable. Unsportsmanlike conduct by exhibitors or other persons in attendance is not acceptable. Such behavior will jeopardize the exhibitor’s eligibility to participate in future shows, as deemed appropriate by the Kern County 4-H Horse Project Chairman/Leaders. No one except the Show Manager (i.e. parents, family members, trainers) shall approach the judge to discuss anything regarding the show until after all the judged events are finished, and only with the judge’s permission. Violations will result in a loss of points for the rider for the day. When asked to enter the arena, you must do so in a timely manner, or you will be disqualified. All protests must be submitted in writing to the 4-H Horse Leaders accompanied by a $25.00 non-refundable deposit, cash only, within forty-eight (48) hours after ​ the event.