4-H Equestrian Team Competition Purpose: To promote team unity among 4-H horse project members. The goals are to encourage team play, peer acceptance and good horsemanship. Coaches/leaders will: 1. Comply with the rules and guidelines set forth by the “4-H Rules and Regulations for Equine Shows in Iowa.” 2. Remain current in the 4-H volunteer screening and training requirements as required by Iowa State University Extension. 3. Provide situations where each equestrian team member can be exposed to cooperative working experiences that lead to common group goals. 4. Encourage each equestrian team member by providing opportunities to experience good leadership, fair play, horsemanship, honesty, character, pride and good sportsmanship at all times. 5. Always provide, conduct and host competitions with proper instructions, coaching methods, and conditioning rules in order to insure the health, safety and welfare of each participant and equine. Eligibility: 1. Any 4-H member in good standing in their county is eligible to participate. 2. All horses used in competition must meet 4-H Identification requirements for that calendar year. 3. Each team will consist of 4-5 riders from the same county 4-H program. A team of youth in adjacent counties may be considered upon discretion of ISUEO 4-H staff. No attempt to create an “all-star” team will be allowed. There is no limit to the number of teams a county may enter. 4. Junior teams will be made of youth in 5th-8th grade at the time of the competition. Senior teams will be made of youth in 9th-12th grade at the time of competition. Junior members may ride on a senior team, but seniors are not allowed to ride on a junior team. 5. Youth may only participate on one team per competition. 6. Each rider is limited to riding in 5 individual events. They can only ride in each individual or team event one time per competition. Team events are not included in this limit. Each rider must ride in at least 2 events. 7. Each team can enter 2 riders max. in each class/event. If a team doesn’t have any riders for a particular class, no points will be awarded to that team. 8. All tack and attire must comply with “4-H Rules and Regulations for Equine Shows in Iowa.” Teams are encouraged to wear the same color shirt, but not required. 9. All teams must pre-enter in the competition at least one week ahead of the show. There will be a $25 entry fee for the team. On the day of the show, there will also be a $2 entry fee/rider/class. Teams can share these costs with families or find sponsors. Coaches/leaders will turn in class entries upon arrival to the show. 1 10. Horses cannot be shared in the same event during a single competition. Scoring/Placing 1st – 20 pts 6th – 11 pts 11th – 6 pts 2nd – 18 pts 7th – 10 pts 12th – 5 pts 3rd – 16 pts 8th – 9 pts 13th – 7 pts 4th – 14 pts 9th – 8 pts 14th – 3 pts 5th – 12 pts 10th – 7 pts 15th – 2 pts Participation – 1 pt 1. In the case of a tie – points are awarded equally to all athlete/teams with scores tied at that placing. The points for placing below the ties are awarded as usual after the number of tied positions has been subtracted from the placing. 2. Team points, including participation points, are double the individual points. 3. Points are NOT given for disqualifications. Disqualifications will be given for prohibited equipment, including attire violations. A youth may be disqualified for cruelty to horse or persons. Obvious lameness or unsoundness detected in a participating equine. 4. No Times in a timed event will be awarded a participation point. Awards 1. The top 3 individual and team winners in each division (Jr. & Sr.) will be recognized. 2. Upon discretion of the hosting county, the participating coaches/leaders may nominate another team for best sportsmanship. The judge will make the official selection. A top individual sportsman may also be recognized. 2 4-H Equestrian Team Competition Emmet County Fairgrounds, Estherville, IA 51334 September 27, 2014 Lunch stand on grounds. $25 Team entry fee – to be sent to Emmet County Extension, 26 S. 17th Street, Estherville, IA 51334 postmarked by September 20, 2014. $2/class entry fee payable on day of the show. 10:00 a.m. start time. All classes, except In-Hand Obstacle Relay, will follow regulations and judging criteria described in “4-H Rules and Regulations for Equine Shows in Iowa” 4H 511C Revised June 2013. Rules and criteria for In- Hand Obstacle Relay, Two-man Bi-Rangle and Canadian Flags are provided below. 1. Sr. Showmanship 2. Jr. Showmanship 3. Sr. In-Hand Obstacle Relay (Timed TEAM event) 4. Jr. In-Hand Obstacle Relay (Timed TEAM event) 5. Sr. Western Pleasure 6. Jr. Western Pleasure 7. Sr. Western Horsemanship 8. Jr. Western Horsemanship 9. Sr. English Pleasure 10. Jr. English Pleasure 11. Sr. English Equitation 12. Jr. English Equitation 13. Sr. Trail 14. Jr. Trail 15. Sr. Egg & Spoon 16. Jr. Egg & Spoon 17. Sr. Barrels 18. Jr. Barrels 19. Sr. Two man Bi-Rangle 20. Jr. two man Bi-Rangle 21. Sr. Poles 22. Jr. Poles 23. Sr. Canadian Flags 24. Jr. Canadian Flags 3 In-Hand Obstacle Relay (IHOR) 1. Required Equipment a. Halter and lead rope or leather lead 2. Prohibited Equipment a. Bridles of any type b. Whips, crops or bats c. Spurs d. Chaps/Chinks 3. Optional Equipment a. Headgear i. Western had ii. English helmet iii. Regulation helmet iv. No hat of any type b. Gloves c. Nose or chin chains (for the equine) d. Leg Wraps e. Ribbons, glitter and sparkle on horses 4. This is a 4-person Team Event 5. Youth must be either all English or all Western for uniformity. 6. All equine are eligible for this event. Four different horses must be used by each team. 7. Each youth may earn up to 10 points each for navigating the mandatory obstacles. a. Judging will be based on the performance of the handler and equine as the negotiate each obstacle. 8. Gaits between obstacles are optional unless specified by the pattern. 9. Hand aids, without touching the equine, are allowed. a. Youth may only touch equine when directed by the judge or specified in the pattern. b. Youth who do touch their equine should not expect a zero, but will be scored accordingly. 10. Each team member may earn up to an additional 10 points for the team by completing the bonus obstacle. a. The four mandatory obstacles must be attempted before a contestant may attempt the bonus obstacle. 11. Event Procedure a. All team members shall be positioned behind the 30’ start/finish line in the arena. b. Time starts when the first handler breaks the plane of the starting line. c. The next contestant cannot break the plane of the start line until the contestant on course (handler) has crossed the start/finish line. i. A scratch has occurred when two handlers are determined to be on the course at the same time. 4 1. A team in violations will be given a 10-point penalty for each occurrence. d. Time shall end when the fourth equine’s rear end crossed the start/finish line. 12. Each Team is allowed 5 minutes to complete the course. a. Any teams exceeding the 5 minute allotment shall be assessed a 10 point penalty for each minute or fraction of a minute in violation. i. Ex. 5:01 minutes – 6 minutes = -10 point penalty ii. Ex. 6:01 minutes – 7 minutes = -20 point penalty b. Time will be reported to .01 only. Thousandths place, if generated, will be dropped with no rounding. c. Time will be signaled to stop after 7 minutes on the course. i. A thirty second warning will be given. ii. When time is called, the youth on course will not continue. iii. Teams will receive all scores to that point, and will accrue appropriate time penalties. 13. Points will be added up for all mandatory and bonus obstacles for each contestant and added together with the other team members to determine total team score. 14. Penalty points will be deducted from the teams’ total to determine the final team score. 15. In the event of a point tie, time will be used as the tie breaker. 16. Only a youth currently on the course may re-set an obstacle during a team’s go. a. Arena crew will re-set the course between teams, but not between athletes on the same team. 17. Expectations: a. This is a horsemanship class! Equine and youth should be properly groomed as in a Showmanship class. b. Maneuvers should be crisp and practiced. Equine should show no resistance to handler during any maneuver and should appear as if not on a lead rope. c. Equine should move quickly, but maintain the superior ground manners that one would expect in a showmanship class. d. Handlers will receive scratch penalties for each time there are two handlers on course at the same time. This includes crossing the line accidently while switching sides of the horse behind the line. Scratch penalties will also be incurred if a horse on course inadvertently crosses the start/finish line while still competing. e. Exhibitors and equines must enter and exit the course on the inside of the start finish poles. If handler and/or equine crosses outside of the poles, the team will receive a No Time and only be eligible for participation points.