western competitions..

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ldlp111

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can anyone explain what you d for these classes?

1. Open Showmanship

2. Novice Rider Trail

3. Open Trail

4. Novice Rider Pleasure

5. Open Pleasure

6. Novice Rider Horsemanship

7. Open Horsemanship

8. Novice Rider Western Riding

9. Open Western Riding

10. Novice Horse Reining

11. Novice Rider Reining

12. Open Reining

13. Novice Rider Versatility

14. Open Versatility



thanks :)
 
Errm, what country? If it's the UK, I'm only guessing they use the same format at the US? I'm not exactly 100% sure of each and every one, but maybe I can give you a rough idea, anyway.


ldlp111 said:
can anyone explain what you d for these classes?

1. Open Showmanship--- I believe this is inhand, and you are showing yourself and your handling skills. It's not a conformation class, but basically tack and turnout and using correct handling technique.

2. Novice Rider Trail ----- trail is basically like handy horse. It's riding your horse over obstacles (a bridge, picking up a jacket and putting it on, and then removing it, rein back through some poles etc). Novice rider, probably means to never have won or no more than three wins.

3. Open Trail--- as above, but no restrictions on how many wins

4. Novice Rider Pleasure--- see above re Novice - and Pleasure is a performance class. Manners, obedience and correct way of going tends to be 60% and conformation 40% or thereabouts. Walk/Jog/Lope and maybe a rein back.

5. Open Pleasure---- see above, but unrestricted

6. Novice Rider Horsemanship-----erm..passs

7. Open Horsemanship

8. Novice Rider Western Riding---western riding might have a few more elements, and I THINK it's not so much judged on tack and turnout but more on performance. Not sure

9. Open Western Riding

10. Novice Horse Reining----reining eg doing sliding stops, roll backs etc. Much higher level of training-- for the novice horse

11. Novice Rider Reining --- as above but novice rider (think dressage terms)

12. Open Reining

13. Novice Rider Versatility--- in western shows not sure what this means. In breed specific shows, it tends to be a cumulative thing that you get points on, for example - in Morgan horses, to achieve a high point versatility award you'd have to show your horse in western pleasure, or maybe a trail class - and an english pleasure class or hunter, and maybe a driving class. For the novice rider...

14. Open Versatility



thanks :)
Click to expand...

Anyway, the link that someone gave above, which I didn't look at, is possible a better clue - but the above is just from my own experience, FWIW. :D
 
Thanks thats great:)

I've actually found somewhere near me that does western days :D wonder whether riding club would be interested.

I'd love to have a go at barrel racing :D Not sure my horse would cope though :eek::rolleyes:
 
Basically, what PuccinPony said. However in Showmanship classes, there is a pattern of exercises designed to demonstrate the horse's obedience to in hand commands and your ability to show the horse off to its best advantage.

In the horsemanship classes, you are judged by your riding ability and form. The horse's performance doesn't count so much. So, for example, if horse picked up the wrong lead and you were able to correct it swiftly and without much fuss, you might still place in a horsemanship class. The horsemanship classes I have seen were very similar to a Western Pleasure class except I believe you were required to back your horse.

I'm not familiar with Western Riding classes. I would think they would be very similar to Horsemanship classes. I think they are more of a west coast thing.

Versatility classes are designed to show the horse's ability to perform in different functions. So it would include things like reining and perhaps some cow work like the reined cow horse events or team sorting or penning events.
 
hiya, i'm assuming you got the class list from WES in the UK.
Most of the above is correct, however western riding is a class which is mainly ridden at a lope with flying lead changes. a dedicated pattern from the rule book is ridden. when its done its absolutely beautiful.
the novice rider classes are for those riders just starting out and the open classes are usually for the pros and seasoned riders who know what they are doing.
hope this helps.
if you can go to a show and see how its done, either a WES or AQHA show. websites which give showdates info, www.wes-uk.com and www.aqha.uk.com
 
Nicely put rosie55!
The horses are trained to move off of very light aids, so when you are watching a class the aids for asking the horse something should be invisable.
This is why the horses are ridden on a long rein too as this demostrates the obedience and total control of the rider once the horse is 'broke' which means fully trained.
 
Hi there

All of the class criteria are in the WES rule book - http://www.wes-uk.com/attachments/article/33/wes_rules_2008.pdf .

This includes the obstacles you'd encounter in a trail class, the patterns for Western Riding, reining etc and the types of manoeuvres you'd be likely to be scored on in showmanship, horsemanship etc. Versatility is also a set pattern class which takes elements of trail, Western pleasure, Western riding and reining and puts them all together in one pattern to be judged under the same criteria.
 
With regard to the different categories - if you've not competed before, you will be eligible for all Novice Rider classes, regardless of discipline. Points are awarded for each discipline, so if you are for example very good at trail you will qualify out of Novice Rider trail eligibility early on but that won't prevent you continuing to compete in Novice Rider Western pleasure, for example, until you reach the points limit for that category in that particular discipline.

Novice Riders can also compete in Novice Horse classes assuming the horse hasn't accumulated 60 points in WES competition with any rider. Novice horses can be shown by any category of rider, including Open (this includes professionals). Those with Novice Rider eligibility must be aware that they can compete in Intermediate Amateur classes too, but if they compete in Amateur and Open classes they will forfeit Novice Rider status.

Points earned by horse or rider outside of WES (eg AQHA) do not count towards your eligibility for a specific rider or horse category - unless you earn money from horse training in which case you are automatically classed as an Open rider.

You won't find barrel racing at WES shows I don't think - but WHA and the Sovereign Quarter Horses unaffiliated challenge shows do a barrels class, I think.
 
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