Horse Judging Rules &
Resources
CONTESTANTS AND ELIGIBILITY
1. Each state is invited to enter one 4-H Horse Judging Team.
2. Teams may be selected by any procedure which a state deems
appropriate.
3. Contestants must be at least 14 years of age, but not have
reached his or her 19th birthday as of January 1 of the year in
which this event is held.
4. All contestants must be members of 4-H in the state they are
representing during the year in which this event is held and
participation eligibility must be certified by the State 4-H
Leader.
5. Certification of participation eligibility should consider the
following: “This contestant has not participated in post-secondary
course work in the subject area of the national 4-H competition,
nor has he or she participated in training for post-secondary
competition in the subject area of the national 4-H competition.”
See details below.
A. Post-secondary undergraduate students may participate in
and/or complete freshman and sophomore level equine management or
communications courses. Students completing a junior, senior or
graduate level equine and/or communications course are ineligible
to participate in the National 4-H Horse Competition.
B. Students are ineligible to participate in a National 4-H
Horse Competition if they are currently enrolled in courses that
provide specific training for the competitive event in which they
are participating. For example, student participation in
collegiate horse judging events, on intercollegiate horse judging
teams and in intercollegiate communication events would eliminate
a 4-Her’s eligibility to participate in the National 4-H Horse
Competition.
6. Contestants (including team alternates) may participate in only
one contest per year at the Roundup. After competing in this
contest, they are ineligible to compete in the same specific
contest again. Contestants must not have competed previously in
this contest in the Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup in
Louisville or the Western National 4-H Horse Classic in Denver.
THE CONTEST
1. A team may have three or four members; when four are entered,
the three highest scores will make up the team totals for team
totals and overall.
2. All contestants will report to the Superintendents at Broadbent
Arena, Kentucky State Fair & Exposition Center, at 8 a.m.,
Saturday, where they will receive full instructions regarding the
contest. Each will be assigned a number, group, and be given
placing cards. All contestants will remain with the assigned group
throughout the contest.
3. Contestants shall not wear any clothing, pins or badges that
will, in any way, reveal their identity or the state they
represent. Hats are prohibited in the judging arena.
4. While the contest is in progress, there shall be no conferring
between the contestants or anyone else except as directed by the
Contest Superintendents or their representative.
5. Four to six halter classes will be judged. The following breeds
may be represented in halter classes: American Saddlebred, Quarter
Horse, Thoroughbred (Hunters), Appaloosa, Arabian, Paint, Pinto,
Morgan, POA, Warmbloods, Hunter ponies and Draft Breeds.
Contestants will give oral reasons on two or three halter classes.
All halter classes will be judged as sound of limb, eye, wind,
mouth and reproductive organs.
6. Four to six performance classes will be judged. The performance
classes will be chosen from Western Pleasure, English Pleasure,
Hunter Under Saddle, Hunter Pleasure, Hunter Hack, Western Riding,
Reining, Plantation English Pleasure Walking Horse, Pleasure
Driving, Stock Seat, Hunt Seat, Saddle Seat Equitation and
Saddlebred Three-Gaited and Country English Pleasure. Oral reasons
will be required on one or two performance classes. Performance
horses will be judged as seen (Unsoundness to be penalized
accordingly). All tack and attire is considered legal.
7. The animals will be designated 1-2-3-4 worn by the
handler/rider.
8. Horses will not be handled by the contestants, but time will be
provided in halter classes for close inspection and to observe the
horses at a walk and trot.
9. Fifteen (15) minutes will be allowed contestants to judge
non-reasons classes and 17 minutes will be given contestants
during reasons classes to make their observations, take notes, and
fill out their placing cards.
10. Two minutes will be allowed to give oral reasons to the judge.
Contestants may use notes when judging, but are not permitted to
use notes while giving oral reasons. The Contestant’s placing card
will be made available to them upon entering the reasons room if
they request it. A total of four sets of Oral Reasons will be
presented.
11. OFFICIAL placings will be given about 5 p.m. at the Kentucky
State Fair & Exposition Center.
12. An Awards Breakfast is scheduled for Sunday Morning at 8 a.m.
in the South Wing Conference Center of the Exposition Center.
CONTEST SUPERINTENDENTS
1. It shall be the duty of the Superintendents to see that all
rules and regulations are carried out.
2. They shall have a committee to assist them.
3. The Superintendents will take no part in rating the
contestants.
4. They shall have charge of all records and shall have all
ratings received, tabulated, and totaled.
5. The Superintendents will be responsible for monitoring all cuts
on official placings.
JUDGES
1. Classes will be placed in accordance with the rules of the
United States Equestrian Federation or the respective breed
association rules, if applicable.
2. The judges shall place the classes while the contestants are
working in the arena. The judges shall enter their placings on the
placing card, indicate the cuts to be made, and file that card
with the Superintendents for final review and approval. Referee
judge(s) may be used at the discretion of the Superintendents.
3. When the contestant has finished their reasons, the reasons
listener will place the reasons score upon the contestant’s
placing card and turn it in for tabulation.
DETERMINATION OF RATINGS
Fifty (50) points shall constitute a perfect mark on placing and
fifty (50) points a perfect mark on reasons.
CUTS
The Eastern National 4-H Horse Judging Contest has adopted the
recommended Cut Scale of the National Horse Judging Team Coaches’
Association, That scale is given below and we encourage all states
to consider its adoption.
Cuts Description
1 Horses are extremely similar; no obvious reason why one
should be placed over the other; or both horses have numerous
faults and none supersedes the others; placing is strictly a
matter of personal preference; placing varies among the official
judges.
2 Horses are very close, but one horse has one or two
qualitative or quantitative advantage; the majority of official
judges would not switch the pair, but half of the contestants
could logically switch the pair.
3 Horses of similar quality, but there is some logical
placing in favor of one horse; either one horse has several
advantages or one has several faults; all official judges would
agree on the placing; no more than one third of contestants would
be expected to switch the pair.
4 Horses are not of similar quality; one horse has
several decided advantages based on many points; all experts would
quickly see the placing; no guesswork or personal preference
required to make placing; no more than 10% of the contestants
would be expected to switch the pair.
5 Large numbers of extreme differences between the
horses; placing is obvious to everyone on first, quick
observation; careful study not required for the placing; pair
consists of an inferior horse vs. a consistent winner; only very
inexperienced, uninformed contestants would switch the pair.
6 Horses not even comparable; differences reflective of a
champion quality horse or performance vs. a horse or performance
that is not of show quality.
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Awards will be announced and presented to the top ten
individuals and teams.
2. A Coaches’ Meeting is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night,
in the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. Judging Contest
registration will start promptly at 6:00 p.m. and will be followed
by the coaches meeting.
3. For further details or information, contact the
Superintendents.
4. Entry Deadline: September 15 of the current year. Entry must be
made on special form (OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM-EASTERN NATIONAL 4-H
HORSE ROUNDUP) and signed by the respective State 4-H Leader or
Extension Horse Specialist and mailed to Jennifer Elwell, Eastern
National 4-H Horse Roundup, 1636 Big Springs Drive,
Shepherdsville, KY 40165. Contestant entry and registration fee
must accompany the entry and checks made payable to North American
International Livestock Exposition. Credit card payment is
available.
5. Headquarters and Lodging-Executive West, Watterson Expressway
at Fairgrounds (830 Phillips Lane), Louisville, Kentucky
40209(502-367-2251). Special rates are available for all
participants in the Roundup.
6. Each state is totally responsible for lodging, meals, and
travel arrangements for its contestants.
CCC 11/09
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