[Blistering Winds]

Read your AQHA show rules up-coming next year!!

Here is a sneak peak that I found. Can access these at www.aqha.com

These have been APPROVED and are official. Will be in the 2005 Rule Book.

Rule 448 F 1: a)any horse that becomes detached from its handler and is no longer under control by the handler will automatically be disqualified and excused. If the initial horse exhibiting poor mannerisms (ie rearing, backing or falling into others, etc) causes other exhibitors to lose their horses, only the initiating horse will be disqualified and excused. The decision of the judge will be final. b) The fall of a horse being judged in halter shall be cause for disqualification. A horse is considered fallen when he or she is on their side with four feet extended in the same direction.

441 d) If a contestant, while inside the show arena or show ring is assisted in any manner by another person the contestant shall automatically be disqualified.

443 g) The tails of the reins must be crossed on the opposite side of the neck when riding with two hands on split reins, except for Working Cow Horse.

Calf Roping be changed to Tie-Down Roping

459 Jumping
Disobediences have been changed to 4 faults on first and second occurances.

Time limit on starting to 45 seconds after audible signal to proceed

Broken equipment will be penalized 4 faults

One second time fault is charged for each second or fraction thereof by which the time allowed is exceeded.

Yes, they had to make a rule for this one....
465 Pleasure Driving
At the direction of the ring steward, such change of direction shall be accomplished by the horses crossing the show ring on the diagonal while walking only.

f) Excessive noisemaking by the exhibitors shall be penalized according to severity

Working Hunter Rule 460 and 474 Hunt seat Eq over fences:
Minimum height is 2 ft 6 inches to Max 2 ft 9 inches

WORLD SHOW
If a youth qualifies more than one horse in an event, the exhibitor should be able to list the other qualified horses as alternatives.

Hunter events allowed to practice in the show arena in the morning of the hunter classes since the hunter classes are the first classes to show on their scheduled days. This would mean setting up the jumps and schooling from 3am to 6am.

Course designer set the fence heights in all over fences and jumping classes based upon the ability of the exhibitors. (not sure how well that will play out)

In order to show a horse in Versatility Ranch Horse competition in which the exhibitor is NOT the current listed owner, that the exhibitor must be pre-approved through an AQHA application to verify that the exhibitor derives at least 70 percent of their total income from employment with the listed owner of the horse.

Cattle injury reports must be accepted.

Well, there are some of many that were approved by the Executive Commmittee and will be in the 2005 rule book for the 2005 show year.

[spyro1]

Interesting BW, thanks, if the same rules were in effect last year at the App World, 4 yearlings and 2 2year olds would have been DQ'd in halter!!! Flat out on their sides. eek! I think that's a great rule.

[Sandra-A1]

Blister...any word on the AQHA Halter Task Force that was formed? I know several people I have talked with were happey to hear about it, but said they would reserve believing any good coming out of it until they saw it...LOL! wink

[Blistering Winds]

Yeah. I guess judges are tired of dealing with unruly horses.

[Idrivetrotters]

I had to laugh at the fallen horse rule, what if your horse fell, but his legs didn't all point the same direction? There is a rule in standardbred racing regarding horses that fall:
It is an automatic scratch if the horse falls, a fall is constituted by a horse lying on the ground.
If a horse goes to his knees, he will be escorted back to the paddock and a vet and a judge will examine to horse to see if they will scratch or let the horse continue.
A loose horse is also a scratch. There is an exception, but it is a one in a million event, pretty much you have to be dragged off the race bike in order not to be scratched.
Also (this had to happen to make it a rule) a driver must be seated in the bike, with lines in at least one hand, and both feet in the stirrups crossing the finish line in order to receive purse money.
Herve Fillion won the Hambo a few years ago by at least 10 lengths and he stood up in the race bike, put the lines in his mouth and his hands out and went across the finish line like that. It was funny at the time, but it was in poor taste. There are also other rules that had to happen but that is another forum

[Blistering Winds]

That fall rule counts for most of the performance classes as well. The hrose can go to his knees and or hips, but as long as his shoulder AND hip aren't on the ground, it isn't a fall. So if the horse recovers without going completely down, many of the riding classes allow for them to continue. But it is hit on manuver scoring.

[Paintlover]

Where can I find info for APHA rules?
M

[cowgurly02]

I think the AQHA must be one of the last organizations to change Calf Roping to "Tie Down Roping". I think it's absolutely ridiculous. The name was changed to appease the Animal Rights groups, but it's still the exact same event, so why bother changing the name??

[AQHA1972]

I wish they would push some of those rules in open shows too.

[Blistering Winds]

www.apha.org for Paint Horse association if I remember right. Most of the associations have their rules online somewhere.

As for open shows, if they follow AQHA rules, then they HAVE TO FOLLOW THEM!! Judges can literally tell the association SORRY< NO SHOW if they aren't following them correctly. If the open shows state which rules they are following, and there is a discrepincy, then you can file a petition with the Open show AND AQHA if the judge is an AQHA judge.