Judging School Handbook - American Morgan Horse Association

GLOSSARYDisqualification: To exclude a competitor or horse,for cause, from participation in a given class, divisionor competition (see Article GR116.1).Performance Championships: To be eligible toshow in a Performance Championship class a horsemust have been properly entered, shown and judgedin one qualifying class in the same division or section.An entry which while performing in a qualifyingclass fails to qualify by reasons of equipmentrepair, shoeing time, illness, (certified by the officialveterinarian) or failure of a class to fill shall be permittedto pay double fee and make a post entry inanother qualifying class in the section or if no subsequentqualifying class is available for such postentry, the horse shall be considered qualified for thePerformance Championship class, provided thehorse has been previously entered in theChampionship or Stake. Refer to Article GR334.Elimination: To exclude a competitor or horse, forcause, from judging consideration in a class. Refer toArticle GR117.Elimination and Withdrawal from Classes &Competition: No exhibitor may withdraw horsesfrom a Recognized competition after it has commenced,or remove them from the competitiongrounds, without the permission of the competitionsecretary. If an exhibitor voluntarily removes a horsefrom the ring without the permission of the judge,the Show Committee will disqualify the exhibitorand all his entries from all future classes at that competitionand all prize and entry fees for the entirecompetition will be forfeited. Any horse leaving thering without the exhibitor’s volition is deprived of anaward in that class. See also division rules for othercauses of elimination.Excused: To have a judge(s) grant permission to, orrequest that a competitor leave the class. A competitorwho is excused is ineligible to receive anaward. Refer to Article GR118.Commencement and Completion of Classes: Inclasses where horses compete collectively, a warningis issued and the ingate must be closed two minutesafter the first horse enters the ring. Judging must notcommence until the gate is closed or at the end ofthe two minute call. An official timer must be20appointed to enforce this rule. (Exception: Dressagedivision). In a class where horses compete individually,a class is considered completed when all horseshave completed the class routine as designated bythe rules. In classes where horses compete collectively,a class is considered completed when the classhas been judged in accordance with the rules andthe judge(s) submit their cards to the ringmaster orannouncer. None of the above applies to the Jumperdivision. Refer to Article GR109.Falls: A rider is considered to have fallen when he isseparated from his horse, that has not fallen, in sucha way as to necessitate remounting or vaulting intothe saddle. A horse is considered to have fallenwhen the shoulder and haunch on the same sidehave touched the ground or an obstacle and theground. Refer to Articles GR121 and GR305.Shown & Judged: To be shown and judged in anyclass in which horses compete together, an animalmust perform at all required gaits both ways of thering in the original workout and must remain in thering until excused by the judge. (If you must back thisclass, do not excuse the competitor until you havebacked all the competitors.) Refer to Article GR140.Soundness: Unless specific division rules state otherwise,all animals except stallions and mares inBreeding classes must be serviceably sound for competitionpurposes i.e., such animal must not showevidence of lameness, broken wind, or complete lossof sight in either eye. Refer to Article GR303.Interruption of Procedure: If a competition is inprogress and must be stopped due to a storm, accident,or other emergency, the Show Committee willdecide whether to recommence. Any interruptedclasses may be recommenced within the session inwhich they were originally scheduled or at a succeedingsession of the competition. (Exceptions:Dressage Combined Training, Reining.) If a class iscontinued during the session of the competition inwhich it was originally scheduled, the judge(s) willdecide 1) to hold the class over in its entirety inwhich case no scores credited in the first session willcount, or 2) to recommence the class where it wasinterrupted. If the class is continued at a succeedingsession of the competition, it will be held over in itsentirety and no scores credited in the first sessionwill count. Refer to Article GR311.