///////// NRCHA SNAFFLE BIT FUTURITY
GUIDE TO THE ACTION What are the judges looking for in the next Snaffle Bit Futurity® Champion? Here is a breakdown of the three events.
I
t’s show time! Nowhere in the world of equestrian sport will you find more spine-tingling action than in the reined cow horse arena. These finely tuned equine athletes will dazzle you with their athleticism, cow sense, courage and finesse. The 3-year-old horses in the National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity® are judged in herd work, rein work and cow work. Contestants in the ancillary horse show classes – hackamore, two-rein and bridle – are judged in rein work and cow work only.
HERD WORK
In this event, one horse and rider enters a group of cattle, separates a single animal, and then prevents it from returning to the herd. The horse should step into the herd willingly and quietly, sorting out one cow without disturbing the rest. There is a two-and-a-half minute time limit for each run, and two or three cattle are worked during that time. Judges are impressed by horses that display exceptional courage while holding a difficult cow, work on a loose rein with a bright, alert expres-
sion, maintain proper position on the cow and spend the majority of the two-and-a-half minutes holding a cow out front. Judges also will deduct for losing a cow, failure to control the cow, insufficient working time, low degree of difficulty, or lack of eye appeal.
REIN WORK
PRIMO MORALES
The rein work is the only phase of cow horse competition that does not involve a cow. Sometimes described as the equestrian equivalent of figure skating, horse and rider perform a pattern with specific maneuvers: fast and slow circles, lead changes, spins, sliding stops and backing up. In the reined work, judges look for a horse that is willingly guided, with little or no apparent resistance. Points are deducted for disobedience or deviation from the pattern, while credit is earned if the maneuvers are performed with extra speed and finesse in a manner that is pleasing to watch.
COW WORK
Ricky Piggott captured the Level 1 Limited Open title in 2020 partly due to a high herd work score of 281.5.
38 NRCHA SNAFFLE BIT FUTURITY | SHOW PROGRAM 2021
The cow work, also called the fence work, is the final, adrenaline-fueled stage of reined cow horse competition. Fortunes can rise and fall in a split second during this fast paced event, and the outcome of the Snaffle Bit Futurity is not certain until the fence work is complete. The key to a good score is maintaining control of the cow at all times.
