Rule Book

Facebook Post – 2 November 2023
Hello Equestrian Family
We hope that you have enjoyed competing/exhibiting at the shows you have already been to this show season along with catching up with fellow equestrians.
On behalf of our affiliated Shows/Events, their dedicated Convenors and Stewards (volunteers), and our valued Equestrian Judges (also volunteers) we would like to remind you for the 2023.2024 Show season of the following rules and other information…
  • Ages
CDE 11: Age of Riders/Handlers – is as at 1 August 2023. If you were 9 on 31 July, and turned 10 on 1 August, then you compete the show season as a 10-year-old. If you were 10 on 1 August and turned 11 on 2 August, then you compete as a 10-year-old for the season.
Open pony exhibits must be ridden by riders under seventeen (17) years of age. Open pony stallions must be ridden by a rider fourteen (14), or fifteen (15), or sixteen (16) years of age, led handlers must be fourteen (14) years and over. Riders in horse rings (exhibits over 148cm) must be twelve (12) years and over.
CDE 12: Exhibits three (3) years of age and under are not permitted in any ridden or driven (harness) class no matter what the rules of any affiliated Breed Society or Kindred Society may prescribe.
CDE 11: Novice pony exhibits (except Novice Pony Stallions) may be ridden by a rider of any age, in novice pony classes only.
  • Breed Sections
ER 6: Affiliated Breed Societies rules cannot contradict or compromise the classes or events covered by these rules. Affiliated Breeds, further information, schedules and their contact details can be found on our website – https://www.ras.org.nz/affiliated-societies/horse-societies/
GR 1: a) The RAS rules prevail in all RAS classes; however a Breed Society or an affiliated show/event may add additional rules to suit, as long as they do not contradict the RAS rules, with the exception of GR 1 b. b) In ESNZ classes or rings (show jumping, show hunter and dressage), ESNZ rules prevail.
  • Clean Sport
C: Clean Sport Rules – https://www.ras.org.nz/equestrian/clean-sport/
  • Helmets
GR 4: Hats/helmets must conform with one of the current approved safety standards. These standards may be subject to change. All hats/helmets that conform must be identified by the current tag system (YELLOW) implemented by NZPCA, ESNZ and RAS – https://www.ras.org.nz/equestrian/health-and-safety/
  • Height Certificates
CDE 1: Where classes are defined by height, competitors/exhibitors must carry a current RAS Certificate for their horse/pony at all RAS affiliated Shows/Events and must produce it upon request to any authorised Show/Event personnel. Any competitor unable to produce such a certificate means that the exhibit is ineligible to compete and will forfeit any awards.
Remember – as the person responsible, please ensure you action with RAS Head Office a Change of Ownership, Change of Classification, or file a Lease on your Certificate before your first competition, so the certificate is correct and database is updated. Information and forms – https://www.ras.org.nz/equestrian/forms/
  • Horse of the Year
Information, Schedules and relevant forms for the 2024 HOY Show will be uploaded on to the website once they become available. Any form only needs to be completed and signed by the owner, not the Show – https://www.ras.org.nz/equestrian/horse-of-the-year/
  • Judges
Remember Judges are volunteers, along with their ring stewards, and deserve to be treated with respect.
Judges will adjudicate as per the Rules of the RAS Equestrian Rulebook, including the ones outlined in this post for both the showing sections and breed sections at RAS affiliated Shows and Events.
  • Measuring
M: Rules on Measuring are included in this section of the rulebook, and Stands and their contact details can be found on the following website page – https://www.ras.org.nz/equ…/measuring-height-certificates/
  • Novice
CDE 6: A Novice exhibit or rider is one that has yet to win six (6) classes in any division within the competitions provided at any A & P Show/Event. All Wins, whether they be novice or open, at all affiliated RAS Shows/Events including the NZ Horse of the Year (HOY) Show must be recorded on the RAS Certificate and/or Performance Card, until 6 wins are achieved. Once an exhibit has achieved six (6) wins in any RAS section, the exhibit is not eligible to return to ‘Novice’ status even if it changes sections, excluding Lead Rein & First Ridden.
CDE 11: Novice pony exhibits (except Novice Pony Stallions) may be ridden by a rider of any age, in novice pony classes only.
Open pony exhibits must be ridden by riders under seventeen (17) years of age.
  • Rulebook
The RAS Equestrian Rules for RAS affiliated Shows/Events, Competitors, Exhibitors and Judges with full wording of all rules can be downloaded from our website – https://www.ras.org.nz/equestrian/rule-book/
ER 5: Where there are local rules and/or procedures these cannot contradict or compromise the classes or events covered by these rules. This includes any local rules that may have been included and noted in show schedules / catalogues / website / Facebook etc. – RAS rules prevail.
  • Snaffle Bits
Acceptable Snaffle Bits for Lead Rein and First Ridden sections – See Appendix B of the Rulebook.
  • Website
Please visit our website to keep up to date – https://www.ras.org.nz/
Affiliated Shows/Events and their contact details – https://www.ras.org.nz/event/
Rules and Regulations, including the In-Line Resolution Process Policy and Social Medial Policy – https://www.ras.org.nz/…/our-rules-regulations-and…/
Enjoy, and wishing you all the best for the rest of the 2023.2024 show season.
Thank you.

 

Executive Update – 5 October 2023

Reminder – Adults Cannot ride in Open Pony Classes (Including Breed Classes).
There has been some chatter online, and some incorrect information being shared, that adults may ride in the open classes of breed sections. This is not the case and our rules on this have been in place for at least ten years. We believe the current rules were bought in (at least in part) to avoid ponies being expected to carry more weight than appropriate.
If our breed and kindred society members would like this to be revisited, they should put forward a remit to the next conference. Any breed society interested in putting forward a remit is advised to contact the Equestrian Breeds Chair Leigh Taylor in the first instance.

Rulebook Review

The RAS is currently undertaking a review of the Equestrian Rulebook, section at a time. As opportunities to be engaged with this process arise, we will let you know via this website.

RAS Equestrian Rules

Names and Pictures of various Snaffle Bits

These snaffle bits are the accepted bits for use in the Lead Rein & First Ridden Sections:

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