Class Descriptions

1. SINGLES – LADIES TO DRIVE Hitch Type. To show stylish, high stepping action. Must stand quietly and back readily. To be judged on quality, performance and style.

2. SINGLES – LADIES TO DRIVE Pleasure Type. Suitable for and to be driven by a lady. To show a quiet and easy way of going. Must show a smooth responsiveness. Must stand quietly and back readily. To be judged on quality, performance and manners.

3. SINGLES – GENTLEMEN TO DRIVE Hitch Type. To show stylish, high stepping action. Must stand quietly and back readily. To be judged on quality, performance and style.

4. SINGLES – GENTLEMEN TO DRIVE Pleasure Type. To show a quiet and easy way of going. Must show a smooth responsiveness. Must stand quietly and back readily. To be judged on quality, performance and manners.

5. SINGLES – PEE WEE TO DRIVE (12 & Under) Must be accompanied by an adult.

6. SINGLES – JUNIORS TO DRIVE (13 – 17 Years Old) Suitable for and to be driven by a junior. To show all around action at a trot and walk. Must show a smooth responsiveness. Must stand quietly and back readily. To be judged on quality, performance and manners.

7. SINGLE OBSTACLES – GAMBLER’S CHOICE To be driven and timed over a course of unnumbered obstacles, each carrying a specific point value. Each driver has the same amount of time to negotiate as many obstacles as possible. Each exhibitor is given 2 minutes, which includes a 30 second warning. Each obstacle is assigned a point value according to its degree of difficulty and each driver tries to amass as high a score as possible within the time allowed. After passing through the starting line, the competitor may drive through the obstacles, in any order, from any direction. Each obstacle may be driven twice but not in succession. If driven a third time no points will be awarded. No obstacle may be re-driven once it has been disturbed. (Exception: obstacles which are designed to be knocked down.) If a horse refuses an obstacle without disturbing it, the driver may elect not to attempt it and may drive to another obstacle without penalty. The obstacle may be attempted later and if correctly driven, the appropriate points will be recorded. No points will be awarded for an incorrectly completed obstacle. If the signal sounds when the competitor is committed to an obstacle, the competitor may complete the obstacle and receive the appropriate points, then proceed through the finish markers for total time to be recorded. Whether or not the competitor was committed to the last obstacle at the signal will be left to the discretion of the judge. Tie-downs are prohibited. Placing will be determined on a high score basis. Time will decide ties. If a tie occurs in both points and time, the winner will be decided by a drive-off. Cantering is permitted.

8. SINGLES OBSTACLES – GAMBLER’S CHOICE – YOUTH EXHIBITION CLASS This is an exhibition class for youth only. All of the rules in Class 7 apply to this class. To take place immediately following Gambler’s Choice eliminations. Junior exhibitors (12 years old and younger) must be accompanied by an adult. Points may be earned in this class to be counted towards the Youth of the Show award.  

9. PAIRS – GENTLEMEN TO DRIVE Hitch Type. To be shown at a trot and walk. To stand quietly. At all times to show an ability to work as a unit with evenness to tugs. Team shall not be asked to fan except at judge’s discretion in case of a work off. To be judged on performance, presence, quality, conformation, matching and manners.

10. PAIRS – JUNIORS TO DRIVE (13 – 17 Years Old.) Suitable for and to be driven by a junior. To show all around actions at a walk and trot. Must show a smooth responsiveness. Must stand quietly and back readily. To be judged on manners, quality and performance

11. PAIRS – LADIES TO DRIVE Hitch Type. The Kelly Nicolici Pairs Ladies to Drive Class. Suitable for and to be driven by a lady. To show all around action at a walk and trot. Must show a smooth responsiveness. Must stand quietly and back readily. To be judged on manners, quality and performance.

12. FARM PAIR TO WAGON The Jack Patison Farm Pair to Wagon Class. To be shown with natural mane and with tail natural or done up. Shown in farm bit and work harness to any type of working farm wagon. (No buxton bits, show harness, scotch top collars or show wagons.) To be shown at a walk and trot. To stand quietly. At all times to show an ability to work as a unit with evenness of tugs. To be judged on performance and handiness, with emphasis on manners.

13. FARM IMPLEMENT To be shown with natural mane and with tail natural or done up. Shown to any type of farm equipment and work harness shown at a walk. To stand quietly. At all times to show an ability to work as a unit with an evenness of tugs. To be judged on performance, with emphasis on manners.

14. TANDEM The Adam Van Exel Tandem Class. To be shown at a walk and trot. Pair should at all times convey an image of alertness and style. Lead horse tugs may be attached to either the shafts of wheel horse’s tugs behind the belly band. At no time shall lead tugs be attached to the hames of the wheel horse. The lead horse should keep the tugs from sagging but should not be so tight as to pull the greater weight of the vehicle (carts or wagons). Tandems shall not be asked to back except at the judge’s discretion in case of a work off. Tandems shall not be asked to fan. To be judged on performance, presence, quality, matching and manners.

15. UNICORN To be shown at a walk and trot. To stand quietly and back readily. At all times to show an ability to work as a unit with all three horses showing an evenness of tugs. Lead horse should show an alert and animated way of going and convey an image of style. Unicorn should not be asked to fan except at judge’s discretion in case of a work off. To be judged on performance, presence, quality, matching and manners.

16. THREE OR FOUR ABREAST To be shown with natural mane and with tail natural or done up. Shown to any type of working wagon. Harness should be neat, clean in appearance and appropriate to vehicle. No show harness or scotch top collars. Matching should not be taken into account. To be shown at a walk and trot. To stand quietly and back readily. At all times to show an ability to work as a unit with evenness of tugs. To be judged on performance and handiness with emphasis on manners.

17. FOUR UP, HITCH TYPE To be shown at a walk and trot. To stand quietly and back readily. At all times to show an ability to work as a unit with evenness of tugs. Hitches shall not be asked to fan except at the judge’s discretion in case of a work off. To be judged on performance, presence, quality, matching and manners.

18. FOURS – AMATEUR TO DRIVE – REINSMANSHIP Amateur Four Driving class has been set up to encourage new drivers. The definition of an Amateur Four Driver is any driver who has never shown a six horse hitch in competition and never won a four horse competition at any show. The driver competing in the Four Horse Amateur class cannot enter any other four and six horse competitions. Teams may be entered in both. The class will be judged 100% on driving ability. Drivers will be drawn for position. Drivers will be given a specified test. Matching should not be taken into account in judging. Class to be judged on the responsiveness and smoothness of the hitches in completing the course.

19. FOUR UP – DRIVING COMPETITION Drivers will be drawn for position. Drivers will be given a specified test. Matching should not be taken into account in judging. Class to be judged on the responsiveness and smoothness of the hitches in completing the course.

20. SIX UP – OPEN Hitch Type. To be shown at a walk and trot. To stand quietly and back readily. At all times to show an ability to work as a unit with evenness of tugs. Hitches shall not be asked to fan except at the judge’s discretion in case of a work off. To be judged on performance, presence, quality, matching and manners.

21. SIX UP – DRIVING COMPETITION The Robert Chilcott Six Up Driving Competition. Drivers will be drawn for position. Drivers will be given a specified test. Matching should not be taken into account if judging. Class to be judged on the responsiveness and smoothness of the hitches in completing the course.

22. SIX UP, HITCH TYPE – OPEN To be shown at a walk and trot. To stand quietly and back readily. At all times to show an ability to work as a unit with evenness of tugs. Hitches shall not be asked to fan except at the judge’s discretion in case of a work off. To be judged on performance, presence, quality, matching and manners.

23. AMERICANA – OPEN – FARM, AGRICULTURAL OR HISTORICAL To be shown both ways of the arena at a walk and to stand quietly. To be shown to an antique farm, agricultural or historical wagon or carriage representing early America. Drivers and passengers to wear period costume suitable to the vehicle. Hitch (show) wagons prohibited. The winner will be the turnout which, in the opinion of the judge, best represents early farm, agricultural or historical America.

24. AMERICANA – OPEN – COMMERCIAL/MUNICIPAL To be shown both ways of the arena at a walk and to stand quietly. To be shown to an antique type commercial or municipal wagon or carriage representing early America. Drivers and passengers to wear period costume suitable to the vehicle. Hitch (show) wagons prohibited. The winner will be the turnout which, in the opinion of the judge, best represents early commercial or municipal vehicles in America.

27. LOG SKIDDING – OPEN The Art Wollesen Log Skidding Competition. Drivers entered will show in the Elimination class held on Sunday morning at 8 am. The top six winners from the eliminations will be asked to return for a championship class during the Sunday afternoon performance. Rules: 1. Time starts when either horses’ nose crosses starting line and continues until the end of logs crosses finish line. Must continue through finish and not stop before clear. 2. Team may start course on either side of the first pylon and weave in a serpentine pattern to the last pylon, go around the end and weave back down the other side in the same serpentine pattern and out the start/finish marker. 3. Must not disturb any obstacle of the course (pylons or side lines) with team, driver, equipment or logs. 4. Driver may walk beside logs, ride on logs, or any combination of such during course. Scoring: 1. If horse, driver, equipment or log(s) disturbed any part of the course, there will be a 10 second penalty for each occurrence. Definition of disturbing pylons, lines or markers will be determined by the judge. 2. Each time a horse steps on or over side line or end line (if used) a 10 second penalty will be added and shall accumulate for each occurrence. 3. If course is not driven correctly contestant will be eliminated. 4. Driver is allowed to talk, yell, whistle, or slap horses with lines from hands forward with no penalty. Driver may not whip or hit horses with end of lines or any whip, bat or other object. Doing so will cause automatic disqualification. 5. Fewest penalties determines winner; time determine ties.

59. JUNIOR SHOWMANSHIP (13 – 17). Exhibitor will be judged on showmanship (ability to handle and show the horse) along with overall appearance of horse (not conformation) in these classes. A maximum of 30 minutes will be allowed for decorating (both classes to decorate). 

60. PEE WEE SHOWMANSHIP (12 & under). Exhibitor will be judged on showmanship (ability to handle and show the horse) along with overall appearance of horse (not conformation) in these classes. A maximum of 30 minutes will be allowed for decorating (both classes to decorate).