CEF Rules

SECTION 3. 

HALTEROPEN or STALLIONS or MARES or GELDINGS or JUNIOR HORSE (four and under) Any class may be further split according to age and/or gender of the horse. To be shown and judged in the manner described in Part III, Section 1, Rule c above.

SECTION 4:

MODEL

STALLIONS or MARES or GELDINGS or JUNIOR HORSE. Classes may be further split)it as to age and/or gander.
a. Entries must be two years of age and over.
b. Horses must wear an English show bridle.
c. Braids and ribbons are mandatory.
d. Saddle Suit attire mandatory.
e. Whips up to 3 feet including snapper permitted.

Horses shall be led into the ring, lined up as directed, then judged. Horses must stand quietly. TO BE JUDGED: on conformation and presentation. Transmissible weakness and visible blemishes shall be considered to be faults and shall be penalized.

SECTION 5:

CHAMPIONSHIPS

Championship classes may be BREEDING or HALTER or MODEL: Show champion and reserve champion shall be at least two years of age and be selected as follows: horses who have placed first or second in a qualifying class MUST show in a Championship class, or give up their placing to the next highest placing horse in the class. There will be no charge for a championship class. Champion and a Reserve Champion will be chosen. To be shown and judged as indicated in the qualifying sections.

SECTION 6:

YOUTH SHOWMANSHIP AT HALTER

a. Show management is encouraged to divide classes by age Groups. This class is designed to furnish the exhibitor an opportunity to demonstrate his/her ability to prepare and show a modal horse. Judging shall be based on exhibitor ability, and no consideration shall be given to the horse except for grooming and fitting.
b. Attire for this class must be appropriate to the manner in which the horse is shown. It must be clean and neat. A suitable headstall with a throatlatch is mandatory.

c. TO BE JUDGED
Appearance of Horse 40 points
Condition (15 points)
Grooming (15 points)
Trimming ( 5 points)
Tack ( 5 points)
Showing Horse in the ring 60 points Leading (15 points)
Showing (i5 points)
Poise, Alertness, Merits (20 points)
Additional Tests *see d* (10 points)

d. ADDITIONAL Tests: (as requested by judge)
1. The SAME question must be asked of each exhibitor. Questions to be asked may include: parts of the horse, grooming, basic horse care, basic safety, history of the TWH, gaits of the TWH.
2. Walk horse to and from the judge.
3. Set the horse up.
4. Back the horse.
5. Reverse the horse, or turn 90 , or 180
6. Pick up horses hoof or hooves.
7. Move to a different spot in line.
8. Movement of the handler as the judge circles the horse.

SAFETY IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE IN THIS CLASS. Any unsafe practices will be severely penalized.
a. CLASS PROCEDURE
All signals to the horse must coma from the lead shank or bridle reins. There should not be any verbal signals. Exhibitor shall enter the ring counterclockwise on the rail. Walk on the horse’s left side, holding the lead shank in the right hand near the halter or bridle being careful not to prevent the horse from nodding his head. The remaining portion of the lead shank or reins shall be held neatly and safely in the left hand. A tightly coiled or rolled lead shank, or one with fingers inserted or laced through the coils, will be considered a fault. Horse should lead readily at the walk. Proceed to the point designated by the judge or ringmaster and lineup. Each exhibitor will be requested to move his or her horse individually. When presented to the judge the horse should stand balanced on all four feet or parked, but NOT attached. The judge may ask exhibitor to reset the horse. The handler should stand facing the horse in front of and off the horse’s shoulder. As the judge moves around the horse, the handler should position himself to avoid obstructing the judge’s view. When the judge is looking at either hindquarter of the horse, the exhibitor stays on the same side as the judge. When the judge looks at either front quarter, the exhibitor crosses to the opposite side of the horse. When moving the horse, the exhibitor should be sure that the judge gets a clear, unobstructed view of the horse’s action. Allow the horse sufficient lead so that ha can move freely in a straight line with his head carried at a height appropriate to his conformation. The exhibitor should be behind the are of the horse, and in front of the shoulder. Lead the horse the required distance, stop and sat the horse up. At the judge’s signal, turn to the right around the horse, turning the horse directly over his hocks with his hind feet staying nearly in place. If asked to back the horse, back him smoothly one step at a time as straight as possible for one body length. Use a press-and-release technique. Keep alert and be aware of the position of the judge at all times. Do not be distracted by persons or things outside the ring. Exhibitor’s actions that may disturb other entries shall be penalized.

PART IV: PERFORMANCE CLASSES

SECTION 1: GENERAL

a. For every class the prize list must indicate the type of shoes allowed.
b. Suitability of the horse and its movement for the job at hand is essential. Natural, easy, ground covering ability, and movement is desired in Light Shod classes. A natural, but more animated movement is desired in Heavy Shod classes. No matter how shod, judges must severely panelize any horse with laboring motion at any gait whether or not such motion is due to training, long toes, shoes, or the use of training devices.
c. Because the desired movement is different in Light Shod and Heavy Shod classes, it is recommended that a horse shown in a Heavy Shod class (even though Light Shod) continue to show in Heavy Shod Classes for the remainder of the show, and that a horse shown in a Light Shod class continue to show in Light Shod Classes for the remainder of the show. However, this ruling is left to the discretion of the show committee.
d. Horses shall be shown at all three gaits both ways of the ring unless otherwise described in the class description (e.g. Two Gait classes). Judges shall ask for the Flatfoot Walk, Running Walk, Flatfoot. Walk, Canter, and the Flatfoot Walk. The order of these gaits may be changed as long as the Flatfoot Walk is used as a transition gait. Horses must reverse to the inside while continuing to move. The size of the circle used on the reverse will be appropriate to the speed of the gait. All horses asked for a workout must work both ways of the ring at each gait specified. In the line-up horses may be asked to back individually or in a group.
e. Any classes with 18 exhibitors must be split. A class with fewer then 18 competitors may be split if the judge feels there is a present danger. When a class is split, some competitors from each section will return for the final workout for ribbons. There is no set percentage of horses which must return.
f. Stripping of horses is mandatory in Championship Classes Under Saddle. Stripping of horses in these classes will be accomplished by one attendant assisting the rider.
g. Stallions may not be shown by Youth.
h. MAIDEN HORSES or MAIDEN RIDERS are those who have not won a first place ribbon up to the close of entries in the particular performance section they are showing.
NOVICE HORSES or NOVICE RIDERS are those who have not won three firsts up to the close of entries in the particular performance section they are showing.
OPEN CLASS one which is open to all horses of any age, irrespective of the ribbons previously won and in which there is no qualification for the rider or driver.

i. Ribbons won within a section (e.g. Western Pleasure) shall not count in determining either MAIDEN or NOVICE HORSE or RIDER if the horse or person transfers to a new section (e.g. English Pleasure)

j. YOUTH: a competitor who has not reached their 18 birthday as of January 1 of the currant year. The age of any youth is their age as of January 1 of the current year. Whenever possible, show committees should divide youth classes into sections determined by age. Any classes offered for adults may also be offered for youth. If there are not enough youth to justify youth classes, the show committee may allow the youth the option of competing in adult classes. Stallions may NOT be shown by youth. Youth over 15 may carry a whip up to 41 inches.

k. A JUNIOR HORSE is a horse aged five and under. All horses become a year older on January 1 no matter what the actual anniversary of their birth.

l. If a farrier is available, time outs for a cast shoe will be timed by the Ring Master and will last for a total of 7 minutes. Timing will start when the farrier lifts the foot off the ground. If a farrier is not available, the horse will be excused from the ring.

m. TO BE JUDGED. 60% manners and way of going (over all performance of the gaits), 30% conformation and suitability, 10%. appointments. Horses shown in performance classes should demonstrate true pleasure horse qualities and give the distinct impression of being a pleasure to ride and display a pleasurable attitude. To this end all gaits must be performed with willingness and obvious ease, cadence, balance, and smoothness. Form must not be sacrificed for speed.

n. Shows may hold classes which do not conform to any of the following recommended classes that are considered beneficial to a specific area, but: these classes are to be plainly marked NON C.E.F. POINT.