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Divisions

Six Divisions of Eligibility

1) Open - Every person competing in an open division must possess a current ASHA Membership card issued by ASHA. The Open Division is open to any professional or non-professional member, in good standing, with any horse regardless of past winnings. In addition to the normal entry fee, this division may collect and offer jackpot fees which will be paid back to winners according to the payout schedule in the ASHA Rule Book. These jackpot fees may range from a minimum of $10 to a maximum of $20 per class except for special events or championships.

2) Non Pro - Every person competing in a non pro division must possess a current ASHA Non Pro Membership card issued by ASHA. Exhibitors may also show in the Open division without losing their eligibility in the Non Pro division. There will be no jackpot in this division.

The description of Non Pro Eligibility is as follows:

Has not received payment, directly or indirectly for riding, training, assisting in training, showing horse(s) at any time during the past 5 years
Has not received payment directly or indirectly for instructing another person or conducting a seminar in riding, training, driving or showing a horse any time during the past five years
Has not had any expenses (including lodging, transportation, mileage, etc.) paid by someone else other than family members

3) Limited Non Pro - Exhibitors who qualify as a Non Pro Rider may choose to show in this division because of class routine or other personal choice. Exhibitors may also show in the Open or Non-Pro divisions without losing their eligibility in the Limited Non Pro division. There will be no jackpot in this division. Riders in this division will work a modified version of the working cow horse class which will not involve turns down the fence, circling or roping

4) Green Horse - Horses competing in the green horse division must possess an ASHA Horse Competition License. Any rider possessing a current ASHA membership may show a horse in this division. There will be no jackpot in this division. Horses in this division will show in the same patterns as the Open and Non Pro with the exception of the working cow horse class which will be the Modified Working Cow Horse pattern.

A horse is eligible to be shown in this division if the following criteria are met.

Be five years of age and younger as of January 1 of current year.
Has never won a Champion or Reserve Champion All-Around in any ASHA approved division.
If a horse loses their green horse eligibility through competition, they may finish that year as a green horse. In the future, that horse is eligible only for other divisions.
A green horse may be shown by a rider from any division.

5) Novice - is reserved for individuals with limited riding and showing experience who wish to learn more about showing in ASHA at a beginners pace. Everyone new to ASHA competition doesn’t necessary need to start in the Novice division. Their skill may be better suited for one of the other divisions.

Individuals competing in a novice division must possess a current ASHA Non Pro Membership card with eligibility for Novice division noted on the card. There will be no jackpot in this division.

Eligibility for the Novice division is as follows:

Adheres to all non pro eligibility requirements
Has never won a High-Point or Reserve High-Point Championship in any division at any ASHA show or similar association
Has never won an End-of –Year All Around High Point Champion or Reserve All around High Point Champion in any division in ASHA or similar association.
Has had no showing experience in cow horse, cutting or any other cattle-working events and has had less than four years showing experience in other classes prior to participating in ASHA.
If a member loses their novice eligibility through competition, they may finish that year as a novice. In the future, the member is eligible only for Limited Non-Pro, Non-Pro, Open or Green Horse Divisions.
Riders in this division will work Novice and Youth Reining Patterns and a Novice and Youth Working Cow Horse Pattern. The cow horse pattern is a shortened version of cow work which will not involve turns down the fence, circling or roping. Stallions are prohibited in this division.

6) Youth - Exhibitors in the youth division must be youth, aged 8 through18 as of January 1 of the current year. Youth competing in a youth division must possess a current ASHA Youth Membership card issued by ASHA. Riders in this division will work a Novice and Youth Reining Pattern and a Novice and Youth Working Cow Horse Pattern. The cow horse pattern is a shortened version of cow work which will not involve turns down the fence, circling or roping. A youth may not show in both the Youth and Novice Divisions at the same show. Stallions are prohibited in this division. For the August 31 - September 2, 2012 Clinic and Horse Show the Youth Division will be split into two divisions: 1) 13 & Under and 2) 14 to 18.

Classes

American Stock Horse Association Classes were designed to measure the versatility of a Western Stock Horse.

Four Classes

1) Stock Horse Pleasure - measures the ability of the horse to be functional and a pleasure to ride while being used as a means of conveyance from one western stock horse task to another. This horse should be well-broke, relaxed, quiet, soft and cadenced at all gaits.

The horse should be ridden with a relatively loose rein with light contact without requiring undue restraint. Long floppy reins will not add to the score given. Horse should be responsive to the rider and make all required transitions smoothly, timely, and correctly.

What makes this class so unique is that the horses will be shown individually at the walk, trot, and lope in both directions. The walk, trot and lope will be extended in one direction only.

Please note that signs are displayed during the show for each transition.
ASHA Pleasure Pattern

2) Stock Horse Trail - tests the horse's ability to cope with many situations encountered in everyday riding. The horse is ridden through a pattern of obstacles which would be found in the course of everyday work for a stock/ranch horse. The horse is judged on the cleanliness, neatness and promptness with which the obstacles are negotiatied, ability to negotiate obstacles correctly and attitude and mannerisms exhibited by the horse while negotiating the course.

The ASHA prefers that this class be held on natural terrain and this is very different from traditional trail courses available on the West Coast.

3) Stock Horse Reining - this class measures the ability of the western stock horse to perform many basic handling maneuvers. The ASHA has five recognized regular patterns, plus two Novice and Youth patterns. The patterns are broken down into either 7 or 8 maneuvers to be scored 10 points each. The maneuvers include: Stops, Spins, Rollbacks, Circles, Backups, Hesitation, Lead Changes, Run Downs and Run-Arounds.

The patterns and scoring (no disqualification) for this class make it very non traditional for showing Reining. ASHA Reining Patterns

4) Stock Horse Working Cowhorse - a model western stock horse must also be a cow horse, and this class has been designed to demonstrate and measure the horse's ability to do cow work. There are three levels of Cowhorse classes offered by ASHA, based on the six divisions. There will be a time limit for each horse and this is also dertermined by the division being performed.

For Youth and Novice Divisions a simple pattern will be performed and then the rider is given one minute to box the cow at one end of the arena. Green Horse and Limited Non Pro Divisions are given two minutes to Box the cow on one end, take the cow down one wall, and then box the cow at the other end of the arena. Open and Non Pro riders will have three minutes to complete the full Working Cowhorse cattle work. This consists of three parts: Boxing the cow, Fence Work, and Circling the cow or the optional Roping the cow, an exciting addition that showcases a Working Stock Horse.
ASHA Novice & Youth Working Cowhorse Pattern
ASHA Limited Non Pro & Green Horse Working Cowhorse Pattern
ASHA Non Pro & Open Working Cowhorse Pattern

Scoring

ASHA Scoring System is designed to be positive and straight forward, always encouraging growth and improvement. These rules give a horse credit for what they accomplish, rather than a disqualification with no score. Horse and Riders progress is tested through competition and the positive feedback from the score sheets and scoring system.

ASHA Score Sheets

All four classes have a score sheet that can be referred back to to access ones progress.

Awards

What Awards are offered by Western States Stock Horse?

1) Points - shall be awarded to qualifying horses entered in ASHA approved competitions and events according to ASHA rules. Each class must be placed through the total horses actually judged in that class and points awarded to each horse that placed. Points will be awarded with the horse placing first receiving one point for every horse they placed above plus 1. Example: If 28 horses are in a class, the first place horse gets 28 points, the second place horse gets 27, etc.

2) Show Prizes will be awarded at WSSH Events for each Division.

3) Jackpots with Class and All-Around Paybacks

What Awards does American Stock Horse Association offer?

1) ASHA Regional Honor Roll Awards - the Association will provide a Regional Honor Roll Versatility Award annually based upon the highest number of points earned by an individual horse/rider combination in the all-around in each division at ASHA approved competitions. Also, ASHA will provide a Regional Honor Roll Award annually based upon the highest number of points earned by an individual horse/rider combination in each of the versatility classes in each division.

2) ASHA Merit Award Program - the Association recognizes outstanding versatile western stock/ranch horses that have proven to be consistent over a period of time. Horse/rider team is automatically awarded ASHA Merit Points by competing in either the Open or Non-Pro Divisions of an approved ASHA competition. Superior Stock Horse Versatility Award may be awarded to a horse/rider team that has earned at least 100 ASHA Merit Points. Supreme Stock Horse Versatility Award may be awarded to a horse/rider team that has earned at least 200 ASHA Merit Points.

For More Information on ASHA Awards

Handbook

For more information on the ASHA Divisions, Classes, Score Sheets, and Awards please refer to the
2013 American Stock Horse Handbook

Shows

2013 Show Flyer

May 2013 Show

Divisions

Six Divisions of Eligibility

The description of Non Pro Eligibility is as follows:

Has not received payment, directly or indirectly for riding, training, assisting in training, showing horse(s) at any time during the past 5 years

Has not received payment directly or indirectly for instructing another person or conducting a seminar in riding, training, driving or showing a horse any time during the past five years

Has not had any expenses (including lodging, transportation, mileage, etc.) paid by someone else other than family members

A horse is eligible to be shown in this division if the following criteria are met.

Be five years of age and younger as of January 1 of current year.

Has never won a Champion or Reserve Champion All-Around in any ASHA approved division.

If a horse loses their green horse eligibility through competition, they may finish that year as a green horse. In the future, that horse is eligible only for other divisions.

A green horse may be shown by a rider from any division.

Eligibility for the Novice division is as follows:

Adheres to all non pro eligibility requirements

Has never won a High-Point or Reserve High-Point Championship in any division at any ASHA show or similar association

Has never won an End-of –Year All Around High Point Champion or Reserve All around High Point Champion in any division in ASHA or similar association.

Has had no showing experience in cow horse, cutting or any other cattle-working events and has had less than four years showing experience in other classes prior to participating in ASHA.

If a member loses their novice eligibility through competition, they may finish that year as a novice. In the future, the member is eligible only for Limited Non-Pro, Non-Pro, Open or Green Horse Divisions.

Riders in this division will work Novice and Youth Reining Patterns and a Novice and Youth Working Cow Horse Pattern. The cow horse pattern is a shortened version of cow work which will not involve turns down the fence, circling or roping. Stallions are prohibited in this division.