1. Classes will be judged in accordance with the 2012 APHA Rule Book.
2. Ten to twelve classes will be judged. Classes to be judged include four to six halter and four to six performance classes.
3. Halter classes will be separated by age group. Depending on the availability of horses, similar age groups may be combined into a single class (i.e. 2 and 3 year mares).
4. Performance classes will be selected from the following: Trail, Western Pleasure, Horsemanship, Western Riding, Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation, Hunter Hack, and Reining.
5. Two sets of halter and two sets of performance reasons will be given. Performance reasons may be chosen from any of the classes listed above. The rules and guidelines of the National Horse Judging Team Coaches Association as they relate to time limits and reasons room etiquette will apply.

Contest procedures

1. All contestants will be identified by team number and group letter only.
2. Timing and conduct of classes will be conducted under the rules and guidelines of the National Horse Judging Team Coaches Association. All horses will be considered sound of mouth, limb, and wind in halter and judged as they go in performance. All tack and attire will be considered legal.
3. Each class will consist of four horses. Handlers/riders will be identified with numbered vests. ***Please note: this contest runs concurrently with the APHA Judges' Examination, and six horses will be presented in each class. Judging contest contestants are to judge only horses numbered 1 through 4 and disregard horses 5 and 6.
4. While the contest is in progress, there will be NO TALKING between contestants or anyone else except as directed by the contest officials. No pagers, cell phones or other forms of communication will be allowed on any contestant. VIOLATION OF THIS RULE WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION. NO EXCEPTIONS.
5. Coaches will not have contact with their contestants at any time during the judging and reason session. VIOLATION OF THIS RULE WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION. NO EXCEPTIONS.
6. Contestants will be given placing cards for each class. Contestants must provide their own writing materials (pen or pencil) and may use clipboards, notebooks, plain paper, official APHA/NRHA score sheets, and the 2010 APHA Rulebook so long as these items are clean and free of marks. Contestants may not use horse judging manuals, texts, or lists of terms. VIOLATION OF THIS RULE WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION. NO EXCEPTIONS.
   

Scoring

1. Fifty points shall constitute a perfect score in placing the animals and fifty points shall constitute a perfect score for oral reasons.
2. On teams with a full contingent, the low score will be discarded in each category (halter, performance, reasons, overall). Otherwise, all scores will count toward the total team score.
3. Placing cards must be completed in full for a score to be tabulated. Cards with no mark, multiple marks, or illegible marks will receive a score of "0."
4. All tabulated results of the contest will be considered official and no change will be made unless an error is made in entering a score or placing by contest officials. Errors made by contestants will not be corrected once the placing card has been delivered to a contest official, including a group leader.

Results

Results will be announced during the awards Breakfast on Tuesday, April 3 at 8 a.m. (Breakfast will be at the APHA Headquarters in Fort Worth, TX.)

Tie Breaker

Ties will be broken as follows:
1. Individual Halter: broken on total overall score.
2. Individual Reasons: broken on overall halter placing score.
3. Individual Performance: broken on the total of the two reason classes placing scores.
4. Team Reasons: broken on the total of the four reasons classes placing scores, less the fourth dropped score (if the team consisted of four contestants).

Individual Entry Form • Team Entry Form

Judging Contest Results 2003-2010/a>