New Member Orientation
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Contents Message from the Board 2 About Reining 3 The Maneuvers 4 What kind of Horse do I need 5 How to Find a Reining Horse 6 How to find a Reining Coach 8 Reining Alberta Professionals 8 How the Judging System works 10 How do I get started showing 11 How to Survive your First Warm Up Pen 14 Reining Alberta Eligibility List 15 NRHA Class List and Eligibility 16 Classic Shows 18 Branch Shows & Clinics 19 Affiliate Finals 20 Youth Clinics 21 Where can I find other NRHA Shows 21 Open Rider Clinic 22 Resources 23
Message from the Board
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hether you are new to reining, or just new to Reining Alberta, the Board of Directors would like to extend a warm welcome to you. Reining is a fast paced and exciting western riding event, and the horsemanship you will see in the reining pen is second to none. It is no wonder reining is the fastest growing equine sport on the planet. Reining Alberta offers many programs to meet the needs of reiners in Alberta, everything from entry level shows, educational clinics, and high level NRHA shows. As an NRHA Affiliate we can be a great source of information and a good starting place if you have questions or are just learning the ropes. This new member orientation package has been prepared to try to answer some of the questions you might have or provide you with resources where you can track down further information. If you have any questions that aren’t answered in this package, or have any follow up questions, please feel free to contact anyone on the Board. Sincerely, Reining Alberta Board of Directors
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About Reining
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eining is a western riding class, judged on the perfection of basic horsemanship. The greater the speed the greater the degree of difficulty. Reining has changed a great deal over the years, but it got its start from the working ranches and cowboys in the American West Coast. Maneuvers were based on the skills and training necessary to make a good cow horse to work on the ranch. Today’s maneuvers: circles, spins, lead changes, stops, and rollbacks demonstrate the skills ranch horses needed to do their jobs. While reining may have gotten its start on the west coast, it was east coast reiners who worked tirelessly to start the Association that would guide the sport of reining into the world spotlight. Reining classes were first included as part of the American Quarter Horse slate of classes in the 1950’s. By the mid 1960’s reiners recognized that in order to move the sport forward they would need a body that could standardize the judging standards, maneuvers, and patterns to be used in the classes. So the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) was born. From its humble beginnings reining began to grow; today the NRHA has over 22,000 members worldwide, pays out more than $13 million in competition purses annually, and sanctions over 800 shows. Reining has also become the only western riding event to become approved as an FEI discipline.
Reining Alberta has a similar story to that of the NRHA. It was founded in 1993 with a small group of like-minded people who saw a need for an Association in Alberta that could promote the sport, provide educational support, and improve the quality of shows for reiners. Today Reining Alberta has over 500 members and we have seen our Classic shows become some of the top shows in Western Canada. In 2014 we will be offering three Classic Shows, our Open Rider Clinic, 15 Branch Shows, 10 Branch Clinics, and a Youth Clinic. The Patterns: All NRHA patterns include seven or eight maneuvers, these can include: a walk-in, trot-in, stop, spin, rollback, circle, backup, hesitation, lead change and rundown. Each contestant starts at a score of 70 when they walk into the show pen, the judges are asked to score each of the maneuvers on a scale of -1 ½ to +1 ½. With 0 being a correct score. A higher score indicates a great degree of difficulty. Patterns can be found on page 123 of the NRHA handbook.
Terminology Open Rider - This usually refers to a Professional rider, someone who accepts payment and makes their living training horses, or coaching riders. Non-Pro - This is a Non-Professional rider, usually someone who owns one or more horses for their private use and pleasure. They do not make their living riding or training horses. This is your average Joe rider who works a regular 9-5 job and rides for fun. Paid Warm Up (Ring Smart) - These are specially scheduled classes usually run at the beginning of the show, or day. During the deisgnated time each rider books a 5 minute session (or multiuple 5 minute sessions if time allows) where they can work on whatever they need to in the show pen. This is a good class for first time reiners to get over their nerves without a judge sitting there; or for more experienced riders to work through show pen problems. Page 3
The Maneuvers As described in the 2013 NRHA Handbook (pg. 159-161) Walk-in The walk-in brings the horse from the gate to the center of the arena to begin its pattern. The horse should appear relaxed and confident. Any action which may create the appearance of intimidation including starting and stopping, or checking is a fault which shall be marked down according to the severity in the first maneuver score. Trot-in Horses must jog the majority of the way to the center. Failure to jog the majority of the way to the center will result in a 0 for failure to complete the pattern as written. Stops Stops are the act of slowing the horse from a lope to a stop position by bringing the hind legs under the horse in a locked position sliding on the hind feet. The horse should enter the stop position by bending the back, bringing the hind legs further under the body while maintaining forward motion and ground contact and cadence with front legs. Throughout the stop, the horse should continue in a straight line while maintaining ground contact with the hind feet. Spins Spins are a series of 360-degree turns, executed over a stationary (inside) hind leg. Propulsion for the spin is supplied by the outside rear leg and front legs, and contact should be made with the ground and front leg. The location of hindquarters should be fixed at the start of the spin and maintained throughout the spins. It is helpful for a judge to watch for the horse to remain in the same location, rather than watching for a stationary inside leg. This allows for easier focus on other elements of the spin (i.e. cadence, attitude, smoothness, finesse, and speed). Rollbacks Rollbacks are the 180 degree reversal of forward motion completed by running to a stop, rolling (turning) the shoulders back to the opposite direction over the hocks and departing in a canter, as one continuous motion. The NRHA Handbook states no Page 4
hesitation; however, a slight pause to regain footing or balance should not be deemed hesitation. The horse should not step ahead or backup prior to rolling back. Circle Circles are maneuvers at the lope, of designated size and speed, which demonstrate control, willingness to guide, and degree of difficulty in speed and speed changes. Circles must at all times be run in the geographical area of the arena specified in the pattern description and must have a common center point. There must be a clearly defined difference in the speed and size of a small, slow circle, and a large, fast circle; also, the speed and size of small, slow right circles should be similar to the small, slow left circles; and the speed and size of the large, fast right circles should be similar to the large, fast left circles. Backups A backup is a maneuver requiring the horse to be moved in a reverse motion in a straight line a required distance; at least 10 feet. Hesitate To hesitate is the act of demonstrating the horse’s ability to pause in a relaxed manner, at a designated time in the pattern. All NRHA patterns require a hesitation at the end of the final maneuver to indicate to the judge(s) the completion of the pattern. Lead Changes Lead changes are the act of changing the leading legs of the front and rear pairs of legs, at a lope, when changing the direction traveled. The lead change must be executed at a lope with no change of gait or speed and be performed in the exact geographical position in the arena specified in the pattern description. The change of front and rear legs must take place within the same stride to avoid penalty. Run Downs and Run-arounds Run downs are run through the middle of the arena, and runs along the side and ends of the arena. Run downs and run-arounds should demonstrate control and gradual increase in the speed to the stop.
What kind of Horse do I need If you are new to reining it often helps to look for an older trained reining horse that you can start to learn on. This is often the quickest way to see results; you are able to focus on yourself and learning the intricacies of the maneuvers right off the bat. Looking for a sound older horse that has completed a few years in the show pen is often a perfect partner for a new reiner. By the time a reining horse has completed a few years of training and showing, they will be pretty comfortable with all the maneuvers and what is being asked of them. At this point training becomes more focused on maintaining what has already been taught and fine tuning the maneuvers. Some of the things you want to look for in a show horse are: you want a horse that is good to haul, used to going to new places and arenas, settles into the show grounds well, and acts similar at home or at the show grounds. While each horse has different strengths and weaknesses, this is the general goal and what we would look for in a horse to start to learn on. For someone who has done a lot of riding but has recently switched to reining from another discipline you might be able to get by on a little greener horse. Breeding and conformation also play a big part in what makes a good reining horse. If you are buying a horse that has already been in the show pen you already have an idea of whether it will make a good reining horse or not. But the younger they are the more important bloodlines become. Good reining bloodlines allow you
to make an educated guess on whether the horse will succeed as a reiner. Experienced horsemen can see the traits of certain bloodlines and guess as to what the offspring will ride like. Some bloodlines are quieter or hotter; others pass on more of the conformation that allows them to be able to perform those big impressive stops and dizzying spins. Books could be written on conformation and the different bloodlines, we don’t have the room to do it justice. As a new reiner the best way to ensure success is to involve a trainer or coach that can help you navigate the search process and find the horse that meets your criteria. Often people are tempted to use a horse they currently own and re-train it to do reining. This can be a great way to try reining out and see if you like it. For some of the Branch beginner reiner classes these horses can be competitive. But the sad truth is that it often doesn’t work as you advance to higher levels. Reining is very precise so a lot of specific training is necessary to fine tune the maneuvers, even on an already trained horse. Training fees add up in a hurry, and often you spend as much trying to re-train a horse as you would buying one that already knows the reining basics. Even if you have the time and ability to re-train the horse yourself this route does take time, which can set back your longer term goals and increase frustration. At the end of the day you can spend a lot of time and money trying to re-train a horse that just isn’t ment to be a reining horse; which is why we recommend starting with horse that already has reining training on it. Page 5
How to Find a Reining Horse
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ithout a doubt the best way to find and purchase a reining horse is through a trusted trainer. They can save you from making costly mistakes or ending up with the wrong horse for your goals and circumstances. A trainer can help you determine what type of horse is right for you and they have excellent connections in the industry (so often know of horses coming for sale before they are advertised anywhere). They have been involved in many sales and can guide you through the process. This can be anything from finding horses to try, accompanying you to try them and asking the owners questions you may not think of in the heat of the moment; right through to a prepurchase exam and coaching after the sale. This is an invaluable resource and often doesn’t cost you anything as a purchaser. The industry standard is for the seller to pay a commission to any trainers or agents involved in the sale (10% is common). You may be expected to pay some travel expenses or other costs associated with the search, so it is always best to check with whoever you are working with to establish who pays what costs. It does vary from trainer to trainer.
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If you are thinking you would like to take lessons after purchasing the horse (definitely a good idea!) it helps to pick your coach a head of time. That should be the same person who you call to find a horse for you, if you know you are going to be working with that person for the next little while it helps to have a horse they like and feel is a good fit for you. It makes life easier for you, the horse and the coach. If you want to get an idea of what kind of money you will have to spend on a horse, or want an idea of what kind of horses you might be looking at we have listed a few websites below: Reining Alberta Classifieds Northern Horse Classifieds Western Horse Review Classifieds Many breeders also offer horses for sale, if you are looking for a younger prospect (or even older trained horses) they can also be good resources. Many of the Reining Alberta Sire Incentive Stallion owners have strong local breeding programs. You can find the breeder’s websites or contact info on the Reining Alberta page.
“To rein a horse is not only to guide him, but also to control his every movement. The best reined horse should be willingly guided or controlled with little or no apparent resistance and dicatated to completely. Any movement on his own must be considered a lack of control. All deviations from the exact written pattern must be considered a lack of/or temporary loss of control and therefore a fault that must be marked down according to the severity of deviation...credit should be given for smoothness, finesse, attitude, quickness and authority of performing various maneuvers, while using controlled speed which raises the difficulty level and makes him more exciting and pleasing to watch to an audience�.
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How to find a Reining Coach
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inding the right coach for you can be a challenging process. In some areas of the Province there are many to choose from and it is hard to know where to start. In other areas it is difficult to find someone close enough to work with on a regular basis. The best place to start is the Reining Alberta website, there is a complementary listing service we offer for Reining Alberta Professionals. This list shows what city each coach or trainer lives in so that can help you narrow down your search. If you are looking for a trainer you can haul in to get coaching once a week you might want someone who lives a little closer. If you are sending your horse to training first the distance might not be as important to you. It just depends on your circumstances. If the trainers have websites it’s a good idea to check them out and see if their coaching program or philosophy sounds like it would be a good fit for you. Look at their accomplishments and maybe watch a video of them showing. If it is currently show season (usually May-October in Alberta) going to a show can be the best way to see who might be a good fit. You can watch the coaches as they work with their clients in the warm up pen, or giving last minute advice before they show. You can also go by the stalls, see whether the horses look
healthy and well cared for, whether the clients are hanging out having fun together. This is all very personal, what works for one person might not work for someone else. If you are a very social person it might be just as important to you that your future coach has a very social group of clients that do things together when the show ends for the day. Maybe you want a coach to help in the warm up arena to help you prepare, but want to be left alone in the makeup pen when you need to concentrate and get focused just before you show. Most coaches can adapt to your style but it helps you choose if you know those things about yourself first. The show environment is the best way to do that. After going to a show and narrowing it down to a few possible coaches, give them a call and talk about your needs and any questions you might have about their program. This could be coaching fees, your expectations, their expectations, whether they will travel to your location or if you can haul into their facility, and anything else that may be important to you. The most important thing is to have a coach you can communicate with; it has to be someone you are comfortable talking with and asking questions to. Your phone call with them will likely tell you who you will have the easiest time working with as you progress through your reining goals.
Reining Alberta Professionals First Name Ralph Jay Dee Karen Amanda Bonnie Jesse Elaine M Ken Vicki Larry Ryan Daryl Page 8
Last Name Ament Anderson Anderson Antifaev Becker Beckley Besuijen-Wyatt Betts Braun Burella Burnett Cartier
City Whitecourt Wilsall Kelsey Ft McLeod Lethbridge Cranbrook Hythe Bashaw Beechy Cochrane Strathmore Prince Albert
Prov AB MT AB AB AB BC AB AB SK AB AB SK
Phone 780-288-6841 406-288-6841 780-781-0310 403-201-9206 403-381-4183 250-426-5230 780-356-2683 780-967-5555 306-859-4820 403-932-3150 403-939-4017 306-763-2812
a.a.redden@hotmail.com bonnie@becker-reininghorses.com info@beckleyreining.com besuijen@gpnet.ca braun.ranch@sasktel.net ryan@hchorseco.com
Deb Locke Chris Pernell JP Bonnie Celine Lyle Terry Nicole Gabriele Aaron Wayne Niki Cheryl Mike Rod Wendy Kevin Terry Lee Austin Amanda Garth Kim Tyrell Allie Ruth Christa Clay Wendy Natalie Kyle
Duce Duce Ferguson Fleck Forget Gerich Gobet Jackson Jarrett Klassen Klotz Lagaden Latimer Loreth Mitchell Morris Needham Nelson Pole Sapergia Seelhof Self Sheehan Smith Smith Sutton Sweet Turel Webster Weichel Weichel Weston
High River High River Coaldale Calgary Olds Delisle Onoway Cochrane Ponoka Prince George Cochrane Strathmore Fort MacLeod Prince George Olds Newbrook Stony Plain Cochrane Mortlach Stony Plain Cochrane Pritchard Carstairs Fort MacLeod Fort MacLeod Sundre Langley Olds Carseland High River White City Grande Prairie
AB AB AB AB AB SK AB AB AB BC AB AB AB BC AB AB AB AB SK AB AB BC AB AB AB AB BC AB AB AB SK AB
403-652-4783 403-652-4783 403-915-2212 780-887-8748 403-556-7264 306-242-0219 780-771-7731 403-542-6913 780-372-2183 250-981-0284 403-771-5780 403-689-5943 403-553-2174 250-614-3539 780-915-4787 780-576-2047 780-778-1630 403-932-5058 306-690-9170 403-862-4553 587-777-6200 306-804-1723 780-617-2128 403-553-2385 403-553-2385 403-638-2023 403-929-1341 403-507-3352 403-861-2609 403-652-1325 306-596-4495 780-978-7984
chrisferguson71@live.com
bmphorses@hotmail.com celinegobet@hotmail.com lj@lylejackson.com terryjarrett56@yahoo.ca gaby.cdn@telus.net aaron_lagaden@hotmail.com mnloreth@telus.net cmitchell7879@shaw.ca
wnequine@velocitynetworks.ca kdpole@gmail.com tlsapergia@gmail.com austonseelhof@hotmail.com sheehan_stables@hotmail.com
definatecowgirl@hotmail.com sweetline@shaw.ca crequine@airnet.com cwperformancehorses@hotmail.com wendyspinin_slidin@yahoo.com info@whisperingsands.ca westonreiners@gmail.com
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How the Judging System works
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eining’s judging system is one of the best in the world. The NRHA has created an excellent standard for judges to follow when judging classes. This makes it easier for competitors since they always know what the judges are looking for in a particular maneuver. Judges have to retest every 3 years, this ensures that as standards change all the judges are up to date on what the current standards are. If you would like to learn more about what the judges are trained to look for a great resource is the NRHA’s Maneuver Standards “Secrets of the Judges” DVD, or check out a local judges seminar. As explained earlier, your score starts at 70 and points are added or subtracted from there as each maneuver is scored by the judge. The maneuver score is judged as: - 1 ½ Extremely Poor - 1 Very Poor - ½ Poor 0 Correct + ½ Good + 1 Very Good + 1 ½ Extremely Good The score is also affected by penalties, the full list of penalties and their explanations can be found in the NRHA handbook. But common penalties would include: over spin, loping on the wrong lead, failing to change leads where designated, kicking out, and touching the saddle or horse. Disqualifications can also happen, resulting in a score of 0. These are most commonly due to changing from one to two hands while showing, or going off pattern.
Example of what the judges look for in the Spin Written by: NRHA Judge Lyle Jackson I see many spins that are Good and receive a +1/2 score but then end in a big over spin and get a penalty of 1. The net result is that the score decreases by ½. The lesson is; there is no point in working all winter on perfecting Good or Very Good spin, and not being able to shut it down with the horse in correct alignment. The judge evaluates if the horse is aligned and facing the correct direction, within a shoulder width, by observing the position of the horses legs when he finishes the spin. In those patterns where the spin is stopped facing the judge, it is a matter of looking at the horses diagonal front and back legs, if there is daylight separation it is a ½ point penalty. Learning to start the spin is as important as learning to stop it. The entire spin maneuver is judged. Many spins start in the “Poor” or “Very Poor”category. The rider pulls, the horses shows resistance by elevating the neck and/or nose, opening his mouth or tipping his head to the outside. Once he starts turning, the horse often gets better, with the second and third turns being “Good” or maybe “Very Good”, however the net score must reflect the entire maneuver, so this brings the maneuver score down from “Very Good (+1) to Correct (0). Learn to start and finish the spin accurately, with no resistance. Another common penalty is the “Freeze Up”. It is 2 points, that’s a lot, and it really wrecks your chance to win anything. It happens in Spins and Roll Backs when one of two things happens. First scenario is when the horse stops and the rider asks for the Roll Back and nothing happens; the horse does not initiate the turn.
The judge sees that the rider has asked by the movement of his rein hand to the side, and the lack of Your score sheet will reflect all these maneuver scores response from the horse is the horse essentially saying “No”. Therefore a two point penalty is given. This and penalties and give you a total score. Below is an penalty is one that is often missed by the arm chair example of what a score sheet might look like. Score sheets are made available at the end of the class so you judges in the audience, it is over in the blink of an eye, and the resulting low score is often misunderstood. can review them to see what you did well, and where you need to keep working.
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How do I get started showing
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o by now you are probably wondering why we talk so much about showing. Well, because so many of our members enjoy showing! That’s not to say you have to show, if you don’t have the time or inclination that’s ok. Reining is fun to learn, and hands down the nicest horses to ride. So if that’s as far as you want to take it don’t feel put off. But since many of you will want to show at some point we thought we would try to answer some commonly asked questions. Go to a Show If you haven’t been to a show before go to one and watch. That is by far the best way to get an idea of what it’s all about. It’ll give you an idea of how tough the competition is, how people dress, how different riders prepare their horse to show; and it’ll give you your bearings when it comes time to attend your first show yourself. You can see where the warm up pen is, check out the stabling, see where the trailer parking is, and find the show office. This is also a great way to meet some other reining enthusiasts! Reiners are usually more than happy to help out newer reiners and answer their questions, so don’t be afraid to ask. Memberships and Licences Many new reiners aren’t quite sure what they need to show, so hear is the low down on what you need: NRHA approved shows – You need your NRHA membership. If you are new to reining and have $0 in earnings, you can purchase an Associate Membership. The Associate Membership is valid for entry level classes and only costs $20/yr. If you decide you want the full fledged membership to show in some of the higher classes you can always upgrade to the General Membership. A General Membership costs $95/yr. In addition to your membership, your horse must also be licenced with the NRHA. A NRHA Competition Licence costs $30 for horses lifetime (a one time fee), but if you just purchased the horse you will likely need to complete a Licence Transfer which costs $25. The Competition Licence allows the NRHA to track the horses earnings.
Reining Alberta Shows & Classes – Reining Alberta Branch shows are geared towards entry level riders as such they are not NRHA approved shows. To show in these shows all you need is a Reining Alberta membership $45/yr for an adult, $15/yr for youth. Reining Alberta also offers some Reining Alberta classes at our Classic shows, to compete in those classes all you need is the Reining Alberta membership, no NRHA membership or competition licence is required. Breed Shows – If your horse is registered with a breed association, commonly the American Quarter Horse Association or American Paint Horse Association, you can also show at breed shows. These shows are a little less competitive than your NRHA approved shows, so can be another great show series to show in for entry level reiners. All you need is a membership with your breed association, and of course a registered horse. What shows to attend If you are just learning the ropes usually the Branch shows are a great way to start. They are a little less hectic, offer a lot of classes (and therefore practice opportunities), and are a very low cost show. They are a great way to break into showing and get the hang of everything in a little more laid back environment. The Classic shows also offer many entry level classes, and you are more than welcome to come and show at them. Many first year reiners can be very competitive in those classes. We just find many first year reiners find them a little more intimidating. If you are working with a coach talk to them about their show plans for the year. It really helps if you can attend your first show or two with your coach so they can help you out. They can help you with the office forms, find your stabling, help you prepare your horse and offer guidance after your run. So once you have their show schedule, pick an early show that is a little smaller or quieter to start at. To determine your other shows, usually aiming for one a month is sufficient. It’s hard on the horses (and us) to fit in more than one a month. A few weeks in between shows gives you the ability to give them some time off to recover from the last show, and gives you a few weeks to work on anything that needs tweaking before Page 11
the next show. Before choosing shows you will want to set your goals for the year. If you decide you want to try to qualify for the Affiliate Finals you will likely need to show in at least two affiliate qualifying shows. So that would have to be worked into your show schedule for the year. If you want to try to earn a circuit high point prize, you need to check the qualification criteria and make sure you attend enough shows. For the Branch shows that means you must show in at least three shows over the course of the year. So all that needs to be considered when planning what shows to attend. What classes to enter Most people only show in one class a day, two at most. Whether you are at a one day show or week long one that rule seems to hold true. The horses work pretty hard during the 3-5 minutes they are showing so it’s hard on them to do more than that in a single day. For multi-day shows, some people schedule a day off from showing the horse after a particularly hard class; and don’t enter any classes that day. That just comes down to judging how hard you are pushing your horse, and what he needs to stay happy in the show pen year after year. Some horses are ok without it, some need the day off. The NRHA leveling system uses rider or horse earnings to determine what classes a rider can enter. This is done to try to level the playing field and keep riders of similar abilities competing against each other. If you are new to reining and have $0 in earnings you Page 12
are likely be entering the entry level classes (i.e. Green Reiner, Ranch, Rookie) but you can show in higher classes if you want to. There are no restrictions on how high up you can show, you just can’t move down classes once you earn out. For most new riders the first couple shows you are working through your nerves and learning the ropes, so it makes sense to enter lower cost classes and think of them as practice. The entry level classes are very economical, usually somewhere from $30-$40 a class. The Novice Horse classes (if your horse qualifies) can also be a great low cost class to enter and work on your showing skills. As you progress and get more comfortable in the show pen you may choose to enter higher earning classes where the added money and payout is a little higher. If a class is being run concurrently with another class and you are eligible to enter both classes, you have to make a decision as to whether to enter both classes or just one. Our suggestion to help you decide would be: if you are still getting your bearings in the show pen and don’t think you will place in the payouts don’t enter both classes. By entering one class you get your run, but don’t put out the extra money for the second class. Once you think you are close to placing you’ll want to start entering the concurrent class to increase your payout once you start placing or winning. Bottom line, when you still feel like you are “donating” your entries don’t enter all the classes, save your money for a class later in the day or show and continue to practice your skills. At that stage the show pen experience is really what you’re after, not the paycheck.
What to wear when showing The NRHA manual states what the required dress code is. Your basic dress is likely clean pressed jeans, a long sleeved western shirt, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat (or helmet). Chaps are optional at NRHA and Reining Alberta shows, but most people wear them. A well-shaped, quality hat is important. This is one area where it pays to spend a little extra. For women you are seeing more and more clothes from the pleasure world make their way into the reining pen. Slinky and tunic tops have become very popular. To see what is currently in fashion or what might be more “your style” flip through a few performance horse magazines, the NRHA Reiner, Western Horse Review, Quarter Horse News are all good sources. Hobby Horse also has a lot of good information. In addition to what you wear you have to think about your horse. A navaho saddle blanket to match your clothes makes you look sharp in the pen. Clean sports medicine boots or wraps on your horse (usually white or black – but there is no rule that they have to be) finish off the look and make you look like a more serious competitor. There are no points given or taken on your appearance, but looking ready and presentable makes a good first impression with the judges; and usually puts you more at ease feeling like you fit in. What tack do I need for my horse to show in
back to setting a good first impression, and personal preference. A nice show bridle with a little silver looks good, but a plain leather bridle is allowed as well. Most important is a good fitting saddle, one made specifically for reining is best. It will give you a good pocket to sit in and help you stay in the right position throughout the pattern; and it’ll give you a lot of freedom to move your legs to keep your balance. The lower horn will keep it out of your way as you move your hand to queue your horse. You will need some sort of protective leg wear for your horse, wraps or sports medicine boots on the front legs helps protect the horses front legs from stress and any against any strikes from their other hoof as they spin or perform maneuvers. Bell boots will protect the bulb of the hoof from any overreach injuries, especially when performing sliding stops. For the back feet most people use either leather skid boots, or sports medicine type skid boots. Which you use is personal preference. Manufacturers also make knee boots to protect the horses from knocking their knees together when completing the spin. These are often used in training for horses that have a tendency to knock their knees, but are not typically put on when showing. It just looks a little bulky. There is no rule against it, it just typically isn’t used. Nosebands, martingales, draw reins, and other training equipment are not allowed in the show pen. If in doubt check the NRHA Handbook to see if it is allowed.
Good clean tack, in working condition is a good start. You do not need to have a lot of silver on your saddle to show, though many people do. It all goes
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How to Survive your First Warm Up Pen
move a little to the inside of the circle to keep this area clear for those still working.
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During the circling portion many people work on lead changes or do some counter cantering. That is all ok, just make sure whichever lead you are in you are moving with the traffic.
Most warm ups are split into two different types of riding, circling and stopping. Designated times for each are normally posted. It’s often something like circling on the 00’s and stopping at the 30’s. All this means is from the beginning of the hour to 30 min’s past the hour, all riders in the arena should be circling their horses. From 30 minutes past to the end of the hour, all riders should be stopping.
When the stopping session starts people stopping have the right of way. So if you were working on circling it is your responsibility to stay out of the way of people stopping. If you aren’t ready to work on stopping yet go to one of the ends of the arena and wait on the fence for the stopping to end. The corners of the arena are usually a safe place to stay out of the way. You can walk, jog, or lope back and forth if you want to keep your horse moving. But keep with the flow stopping; don’t cut in front of people working on their rundowns.
he warm up pen can be a little daunting if you aren’t used to it. To the outside world it looks a lot like chaos, but there is some reason to it.
During the circling portion the arena is broken into two circles, one end will be for circling on the left lead, the other for circling on the right lead. Most shows will have a diagram or rule in the entry package to tell you which end is for which direction. But typically you circle towards the judge, as you would when showing, if in doubt go whichever direction everyone else is going! During the circling portion you will commonly see people working on spins in the center of the circle. This is so they stay out of the way of people loping the circle. If you want to work on something, spins or trotting or walking your horse to warm it up, move to the inside of the circle to keep the circle clear for those loping. If you have to stop your horse try to move to the inside of the circle. The middle of the arena is a very busy place and can be dangerous to stop in, just
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When you are ready to work on your rundowns and stops you and your coach will already have an idea of what you need to work on. So you just have to start at the fence at one end of the arena, line up across from where you want to end up. At some of the busier warm up times you might have to wait for someone to leave the other end of the arena starting their rundown before a spot opens up for you. Just be patient and go when there is room. If after your stop you need to back up or spin your horse just be aware of who is around you.
Reining Alberta Eligibility List Class Open Limited Open Non Pro Limited Non Pro Ranch Reiner Green Reiner Youth 13 & Under Youth 14-18 Beginner Youth 13 & Under
Beginner Youth 14-18 Short Stirrup Non Pro Prime Time Beginner Horse
Elligibility Open to any valid Reining Alberta card holder. Open to any valid Reining Alberta card holder who has earned less than $10,000 in lifetime earnings. Open to any valid Reining Alberta Non Pro card holder. Open to any valid Reining Alberta Non Pro card holder who has earned less than $4,500 in lifetime earnings. Open to any valid Reining Alberta Non Pro card holder who has earned less than $250 in lifetime earnings. Rider may show one or two handed in any legal bit. Open to any valid Reining Alberta Non Pro card holder with $0 in lifetime earnings. Rider may show one or two handed in any legal bit. Open to any valid Reining Alberta Non Pro card holder who is age 13 or under on January 1st of the current year. Open to any valid Reining Alberta Non Pro card holder who are aged 14-18 on January 1st of the current year. Open to any valid Reining Alberta Non Pro card holder who is age 13 or under on January 1st of the current year; and who has $0 in lifetime earnings. Rider may show one or two handed in any legal bit. Horse ownership rules do not apply. Open to any valid Reining Alberta Non Pro card holder who are aged 14-18 on January 1st of the current year; and who has $0 in lifetime earnings. Rider may show one or two handed in any legal bit. Horse ownership rules do not apply. Open to any valid Reining Alberta Non Pro card holder who is aged 10 or under as of January 1st of the current year. Rider may show one or two handed in any legal bit. Non Pro horse ownership rules do not apply. Open to any valid Reining Alberta Non Pro card holder aged 45 years or older as of January 1st of the current year. Open to horses that have earned less than $200 in lifetime earnings as of January 1st of the current year. Rider must be a valid Reining Alberta card holder. Rider may show one or two handed in any legal bit.
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NRHA Class List and Eligibility
F
or a current NRHA eligibility list please check out the members only section of the NRHA website
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Classic Shows
R
eining Alberta offers three Classic shows through the show season. These are our premier events often attracting riders from across the country and the northern United States.
They have typically been three day shows, with classes for all abilities and levels. They are a great chance to see some fantastic reining and catch up with friends from across the Province. Our 2014 Show dates are: Spring Classic – June 5-8th Summer Classic – July 3-6th Fall Classic – September 4-7th The Spring and Summer Classic are Affiliate Qualifying shows for those hoping to qualify for the Western Canadian Affiliate Finals or Affiliate Finals. Page 18
Branch Shows & Clinics
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eining Alberta currently has three branch’s to service the Province; the North Branch which covers an area north of Red Deer to Edmonton, the Peace Branch which covers the Northern part of the province, and the South Branch which covers the area south of Red Deer to the US border. The branch shows are geared towards entry level reiners and youth riders. These are low cost shows, that are perfect for gaining experience in a low stress, fun environment. Each branch offers a little different events and shows to better meet the needs of its members. But they all offer shows with many levels of classes, schooling and practice runs, and low cost educational clinics. To see what events and shows your branch is hosting in 2014 please check out their website.
Peace Branch
North Branch
South Branch Page 19
Affiliate Finals
T
he NRHA created an Affiliate system where each area can create a regional club (Affiliate) that acts as the main organizer in the area for that regions NRHA shows and events. Reining Alberta is the Affiliate for Alberta. While the Affiliates do a great deal of work as part of the Affiliate designation, part of that system which always raises questions is the Affiliate Finals. So we’d like to take a moment to explain how they work.
Reining Alberta sanctioned four Affiliate Qualifiers in 2013. Which means competitors had four opportunities to try to qualify to compete at the Western Canadian Affiliate Finals (hosted by the Central Canada Reining Horse Association in 2013). Reiners compete at one of the qualifiers in their regular NRHA classes to qualify for that show. There is no special entry fee associated, you just need to specify on your Reining Alberta membership that you wish to designate Reining Alberta as your affiliate. Based on the qualifiers the top 10 riders in each class qualify to compete at the Western Canadian Affiliate Finals. Based on the results of the Western Canadian Page 20
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Youth Clinics
Affiliate Finals, the top three riders get the opportunity to travel to Oklahoma City to compete at the Affiliate Finals.
T
The Affiliate Finals in OKC are the last show of the year, brining the top Affiliate riders in North America together to face off and compete for top rankings and bragging rights for their Affiliate.
The first clinic in 2014 will be at Top Notch Performance Horses, with Austin Seelhof as clinician, and will run April 12-13th.
hroughout the year Reining Alberta also hosts youth specific clinics. These are very economical clinics where our youth riders can learn new skills, have fun, and get to know each other better.
This is an incredibly fun finale for the show season, and qualifying for either final is a huge accomplishment!
Where can I find other NRHA Shows
W
e are very fortunate in Alberta there are a lot of NRHA shows being run across the province, if you want to find out what NRHA shows are scheduled in your area you can look it up on the NRHA website. Page 21
Open Rider Clinic
E
very year Reining Alberta hosts an Open Rider clinic. This is an educational clinic our Open (Professional) riders have the opportunity to participate in. We usually bring up a clinician from the United States, most have been million dollar riders and NRHA Futurity winners. This is a fantastic opportunity for our Open Riders to get a chance to work with some of the best trainers in the world and get advice from one professional to another. For our members this is a great chance to come and observe the clinic, picking up a lot of tips, and some different drills or methods to try themselves. In 2014 we are bringing up Casey Deary, the Clinic will run February 15-16th at the Ponoka Ag Society.
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Resources Governing Bodies: National Reining Horse Association Reining Alberta Reining Canada Alberta Equestrian Federation Equine Canada American Quarter Horse Association American Paint Horse Association Coaches: Reining Alberta Professionals Horse Sales Websites: Reining Alberta Classifieds NorthernHorseClassifieds Western Horse Review Classifieds Reiners World Reiner Stop Earnings & Eligibility: NRHA (members only section) Equistat General: NRHA Handbook World Class Reining, by Shawn Flarida, Craig Schmersal and Kathy Swan Rookie Reiner: How to Survive and Thrive in the Show Pen, by: Heather Cook NRHA Reiner NRHA Inside Reining
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ENJOY THE RIDE!