Cross Country Schooling Benefit

Cross Country schooling 10am-4pm, Saturday April 12 to benefit PHEF!!! $50 per horse and rider. All proceeds go to Pheasant Hill Equine Foundation. See Cross Country Schooling page for requirements and releases.

USEA FUTURE EVENT HORSE SERIES

Friday July 20, 2007

Future Event Horse Schedule:

1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Starting with Yearling Fillies, then
Yearling Colts/Geldings, followed by
2-year-olds, then 3-year olds.

GUIDELINES AND POLICIES FOR QUALIFYING CLASSES
(DRAFT – SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

All Future Event Horse (FEH) Classes are held under the auspices of the USEA and are considered as USEA “Tests”. The USEA establishes the guidelines and the policies for the Future Event Horse Series. In all cases the decision of the judge is final.

Definition of classes:

1. Separate classes will be held for yearlings, two-year-olds and three-year-olds and the goal is to offer these classes by gender.

2. Where sufficient entries permit each class will be divided into colts, geldings and fillies. Where there are combined classes of colts and fillies all will be judged as one class and the highest placed colt and filly will be recognized. i.e. if there is only one filly in the class and she places third overall she will be recognized as the winning filly of that age group.

3. Combining age groups is not allowed. Each age group will be judged independently of the other. i.e. a yearling will not be judged in the two- or three-year old class, and a two-year-old not be judged in a three-year-old class.
4. Horses must be registered with the USEA (fee waived for 2007) and a copy of the full pedigree must be submitted to the USEA.

5. January 1 will dictate the age of the horse. i.e. horses born in 2007 will be considered one-year old on January 1, 2008.

6. To qualify for the final championships, horses must have participated in two qualifying classes.

General FEH Definitions:

7. The breeder is considered the owner of the mare when she was bred.

8. A colt is an ungelded male three-years-old or younger.

9. A filly is a female three-years-old or younger.

10. An FEH gelding is a gelded horse three-years-old or younger.

11. Handler – the person presenting the horse to the judge and leading the horse during the walk and trot phases.

12. Whip assistants – the person designated by the handler and/or owner to follow behind the horse to encourage it to move forward.

Equipment

13. Braiding is optional. (Recommended for the Series Championship)

14. Bridles are required on all horses two-years-old and older in the competition ring.

15. Bridles consist of a snaffle type bit with two reins and headstall with throatlatch. Nosebands are optional.

16. Yearlings may be shown in halters or bridles.

17. Each horse must have a separate handler at all times.

18. Bandages of any kind are prohibited.

19. Handlers should be dressed in semi-formal attire, i.e. khaki pants with polo shirt and good footwear which will allow you to run safely. Jeans or overly casual attire is not allowed. Footwear must be able to protect the foot should a horse step on you.

20. Handlers may carry one standard whip or standard lunge whip with no attachments.

21. Whip assistants may carry one standard whip or standard lunge whip with no attachments.

22. Disruptive noise makers, snapping whips or any other noise-making device are not permitted in the competition ring or the warm-up area.

23. Only one horse at a time is permitted in the competition arena.

24. Unruly horses or one whose actions threaten to endanger the handler, officials or others must be excused.

Method of Presentation

25. The competition arena will be set up with a 20 meter equilateral triangle. A 10 meter triangle will also be marked within the larger triangle.The presentation for conformation will be at the apex of the triangle where the judge will be waiting.

26. Handlers will enter the competition arena at the walk. Horses will be halted at the presentation area and prepared for inspection by the judge who may give additional instructions. The judge will walk around the horse to inspect it from the near side, the off side, the front and rear.

27. Handlers will then be asked to walk the horse up the left hand side of the triangle to the 15 meter mark, across the top of the 15 meter triangle and back down the right hand side to the presentation point.

28. Handlers will then trot the horse back up the left hand side of the triangle to the top (30 meter mark) across the top of the triangle and back down the right hand side to the presentation point. The judge may ask for any of these movements to be repeated.

29. Back at the presentation point, handlers will stand the horse up for a final review and any further instructions from the judge.

30. Horses must always be shown to the right of the handler and must always be turned away to the right so as to avoid a youngster stepping on or pushing the handler off balance.

Notes to Judges

1. The horse’s conformation must allow for it to stand up to a career that will consist of training, competition and performance at the upper levels of the sport of eventing. Therefore, conformation defects which might indicate early unsoundness will lower the scores.

2. Blemishes such as scars and/or splints should not count as it is future performance that is being determined. Event horses are not beauty queens but are athletes.

3. Straight limbs and good feet are key. Weaknesses or faults predisposing a horse to unsoundness or difficulty with training should be penalized.

4. Overweight horses of any age are undesirable and handlers/owners should be advised if the horse is carrying too much weight for its age.

5. Colts and fillies are expected to look and perform appropriately for their age. Attempts to speed up a horse’s development by overfeeding, or any other means, are discouraged.

6. Gaits should be pure and correct. This is more important than a flashy movement. Event horses must show a willingness to move forward and cover the ground. Straightness is desirable. Judges will be looking for horses who swing through the back and who show an uphill tendency.

7. Unsound horses will be disqualified.

8. The USEA Future Event Horse Series is educational and judges are encouraged to offer guidance to owners/breeders when appropriate.