RHAA RULE BOOK & CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
RHAA Rule Book
This rule book was produced at the beginning of the RHAA show season. Changes, additions and/or corrections can take place during the year.
RHAA CLASSES
JUNIOR YOUTH CLASS
This class is designated for children 12 years old & younger. There are no money limits that pertain to this class. Junior youth members who begin the show season in this age division may complete the year in this division regardless of turning older during the course of the year. No monies won in this class will count toward lifetime earnings used to determine eligibility in other RHAA offered classes. Any contestant that enters this class fraudulently, faces disciplinary action that can include suspension of membership. Rules to enter this class are: A) the contestant must be a RHAA youth member, a regular RHAA member or a day permit holder. Youth members are permitted to show any horse in the youth, regardless of ownership. Youth memberships are not valid in regular RHAA offered classes.
SENIOR YOUTH CLASS
This class is designated for children 13 years old to 18 years old. There are no money limits that pertain to this class. Senior youth members who begin the show season in this age division may complete the year in this division regardless of turning a year older during the course of the year. No monies won in this class will count toward lifetime earnings used to determine eligibility in other RHAA offered classes. Any contestant who enters this class fraudulently, faces disciplinary action that can include suspension of membership. Rules to enter this class are: A) the contestant must be a RHAA youth member, a regular RHAA member or a day permit holder. Youth members are permitted to show any horse in the youth, regardless of ownership. Youth memberships are not valid in regular RHAA offered classes.
NOVICE BOX DRIVE BOX DRIVE CLASS
This class is for RHAA members who began the show season with less than $500 in RHAA earnings (Wrangler, Cowboy, Ranch Hand, Junior & Senior earnings) and who have won less than $1,000 in any other association. A person who starts the year in the Novice Box Drive Box Drive class may finish the year in the class regardless of how much money the contestant wins during that year. No monies won in this class will count toward lifetime earnings used to determine eligibility in the Wrangler, Cowboy and Ranch Hand classes. Contestants who have shown down the fence in any other association are ineligible. This rule does not apply to youth competitors who have shown in RHAA Senior Youth classes. Professional horse trainers are ineligible for the Box Drive Box Drive class. Professional horse trainers with Open earnings in the NRCHA, NCHA, ACHA or NRHA or Open points in AQHA or APHA in the working cow horse, cutting or reining classes are ineligible to compete in this class subject to review by the board. It is the responsibility of the contestant to keep up with their eligibility for the Novice BDBD class. Any RHAA member that enters this class fraudulently, faces disciplinary action that can include suspension of membership. The RHAA office will make every effort to ensure that updated information is available to all members. The RHAA Board of Directors reserves the right to reclassify any contestant that they feel is violating the intention of the Novice BDBD class. Rules to enter this class are: A) the rider must be a RHAA member who owns the horse being shown, immediate relative to horse owner or is a full-time employee to the horse owner. There is no time limit on ownership for this class. The rein rule applies unless showing a junior-aged horse.
BOX DRIVE BOX DRIVE CLASS
This class is for RHAA members who have monied out of the Novice BDBD class. There is no earnings limit that pertains to this class. No monies won in this class will count toward lifetime earnings used to determine eligibility in the Wrangler, Cowboy and Ranch Hand classes. Contestants with RHAA Lifetime earnings in the Cowboy, Ranch Hand, Junior & Senior are not allowed to enter this class. Professional horse trainers are ineligible for the BDBD class. Contestants who have shown down the fence in any other association are ineligible. This rule does not apply to youth competitors who have shown in RHAA Senior Youth classes. Professional horse trainers with Open earnings in the NRCHA, NCHA, ACHA or NRHA or Open points in AQHA or APHA in the working cow horse, cutting or reining classes are ineligible to compete in this class subject to review by the board. It is the responsibility of the contestant to keep up with their eligibility for the Box Drive Box Drive class. Any RHAA member that enters this class fraudulently, faces disciplinary action that can include suspension of membership. The RHAA office will make every effort to ensure that updated information is available to all members. The RHAA Board of Directors reserves the right to reclassify any contestant that they feel is violating the intention of the BDBD class. Rules to enter this class are: A) the rider must be a RHAA member who owns the horse being shown, immediate relative to horse owner or is a full-time employee to the horse owner. The rein rule applies unless showing a junior-aged horse.
WRANGLER CLASS
This class is for RHAA members who have won no more than $2,500 at RHAA sanctioned events. A person who starts the year in the Wrangler class may finish the year in the Wrangler class regardless of how much money the contestant wins during the course of the year. No monies won in the Wrangler class will count toward lifetime earnings used to determine eligibility in the Box Drive Box Drive, Cowboy and Ranch Hand classes. Wrangler winnings will not be included to determine the year end high money award. Professional horse trainers with any earnings in the NRCHA, NCHA, ACHA or NRHA or Open points in AQHA or APHA in the working cow horse, cutting or reining classes within the previous ten years are ineligible to compete in this class subject to review by the board. Riders who have won more than $5,000 in any other association going down the fence are ineligible to enter the Wrangler class. It is the responsibility of the contestant to keep up with their eligibility for the Wrangler class. Any RHAA member who enters the Wrangler class fraudulently, faces disciplinary action that can include suspension of membership. The RHAA office will make every effort to ensure that updated information is available to all members. The RHAA board of directors reserves the right to reclassify any contestant that they feel is violating the intention of the Wrangler class. Rules to enter this class are: A) the rider must be a RHAA member who owns the horse being shown, an immediate relative to horse owner or is a full-time employee to the horse owner. There is no time limit on ownership for this class. The rein rule applies unless showing a junior-aged horse.
COWBOY CLASS
This class is for RHAA members with less than $5,000 in RHAA lifetime earnings. A person who starts the year in the Cowboy class may finish the year in the Cowboy class regardless of how much money the contestant wins during the course of the year. Professional horse trainers with Open earnings in the NRCHA, NCHA, ACHA or NRHA or Open points in AQHA or APHA in the working cow horse, cutting or reining classes within the previous ten years are ineligible to compete in this class subject to review by the board. It is the responsibility of the contestant to keep up with their eligibility for the Cowboy class. Any RHAA member who enters the Cowboy class fraudulently faces disciplinary action that can include suspension of membership. The RHAA office will make every effort to ensure that updated information is available to all members. The RHAA board of directors reserves the right to reclassify any contestant who they feel is violating the intention of the Cowboy class. Rules to enter this class are: A) the rider must be a RHAA member who owns the horse being shown; B) an immediate relative to horse owner or; C) is a full-time employee to the horse owner. There is no time limit on ownership for this class. The rein rule applies unless showing a junior-aged horse.
RANCH HAND CLASS
This class is for RHAA members with less than $10,000 in RHAA lifetime earnings. A person who starts the year in the Ranch Hand class may finish the year in the Ranch Hand class regardless of how much money the contestant wins during the course of the year. Professional horse trainers with Open earnings in the NRCHA, NCHA, ACHA or NRHA or Open points in AQHA or APHA in the working cow horse, cutting or reining classes within the previous ten years are ineligible to compete in this class subject to review by the board. The RHAA reserves the right to move any member out of the Ranch Hand class who violates the intent of this class. Rules to enter this class are: A) the rider must be a RHAA member who owns the horse being shown; B) an immediate relative to horse owner or; C) is a full-time employee to the horse owner; D) the horse owner is required to own the horse being shown for at least six months prior to the competition as indicated by the “Date Acquired” recorded on the registration papers. The rein rule applies unless showing a junior-aged horse.
JUNIOR CLASS
The Junior class is designated for horses five years old & younger as of the beginning of a show season. A Junior horse that turns six during the duration of a show year may complete the season in the Junior class. The burden of proof of age on a junior horse is the responsibility of the RHAA member through presentation of the registration papers. It is up to the hosting location show secretary to view these documents before allowing any contestant to enter. Horses in the Junior class are permitted to be shown two handed & may either be ridden with a ring snaffle or hackamore without penalty. Junior age horses are permitted to enter both, the Junior & the Senior divisions, granted they follow the rein regulations for both classes. Rules to enter this class are: A) the rider must be a RHAA member who owns the horse being shown; B) an immediate relative to horse owner or; C) is a full-time employee to the horse owner; D) the horse owner is required to own the horse being shown for at least six months prior to the competition as indicated by the “Date Acquired” recorded on the registration papers; E) the horse must meet the age requirements of the class.
SENIOR CLASS
The Senior class is designated primarily for aged horses, 6 years old & older – However, junior aged horses may also show in this class. All horses in this class are to be exhibited one handed in the bridle – including junior aged horses. Junior aged horses are required to adhere to the Senior class requirements when entering this class – provided it is not a combined class. In the event the Junior & Senior classes are combined, a Junior horse may be shown two handed in a two-handed bridle, such as a ring snaffle or a hackamore. Rules to enter this class are: 1) the rider must be a RHAA member who either: owns the horse being shown, an immediate relative to horse owner or is a full time employee to the horse owner; 2) the horse must have a valid competition license; 3) the horse owner is required to own the horse being shown for at least 6 months prior to the competition as indicated by the date transfer recorded on the competition license.