Revised January 2004

1. Show Awards are awarded on a High Average basis for County and State Awards. High Point Award is based on total accumulated points by division. Bareback Equitation Award is based on total accumulated points in Bareback classes.  Western Pleasure Maturity Award and Equitation Award are awarded on a High Average. Lead Line will be awarded as a participation award.  Points can be submitted from approved VSA shows only.

2. Each participant must be a recognized member in good standing of the V.S.A., Inc. in order to be eligible for competition. Each participant must enter as a riding unit (one horse/rider, except for Lead Line) duly registered with V.S.A. and bearing a valid V.S.A. I.D. card showing the name of one horse and rider only. All competitors will be showing under the jurisdiction and regulations of the competition at which he/she is competing. A suggested set of Guidelines is provided for each competitor and registered competition.

3. Each riding unit will be allowed to compete for One County Award and One State Award plus the High Point Award. Each riding unit must compete in a minimum of 2 V.S.A. pointed competitions held in the county in which the riding unit is competing for a county award. For the state award, a riding unit must compete in a minimum of three V.S.A. pointed competitions, one of which must be held outside the county in which the riding unit is registered for county competition.

4. Upon entering a V.S.A. registered competition, each riding unit must register for V.S.A. points by giving his/her V.S.A. I.D. # to the show secretary prior to entering the first V.S.A. point class of the day. Each riding unit must compete in a minimum of three (3) V.S.A. classes in each registered competition in which the riding unit is competing for points. If some classes are combined english and western, points will b earned only if the competitor competes in western tack/attire. Under the new point process, a competitor is encouraged to enter all V.S.A. pointed classes, as only the top three scores of the day will be counted in his /her average for the competition. If for any reason during the course of the competition a riding unit scratches before the pre-entered V.S.A. classes are completed, a valid notification must be submitted by the show secretary to the V.S.A. recording secretary along with the point totals for that competition. If the notification is not received by the recording secretary, or if the reason for the scratched classes is not considered valid by the V.S.A. Directors, then all V.S.A. classes not completed by the riding unit will draw a "0" for the competition. A minimum of three riders, not necessarily V.S.A. competitors, must compete in each V.S.A. pointed class in order for the class to count for V.S.A. points.

5. The County and State Awards will be determined on an accumulated point average per class per competition. A minimum average of 1.0 for the season must be maintained to be eligible for any awards. Points will be earned as follows: 1st = 6 pts, 2nd = 5 pts, 3rd = 4 pts, 4th = 3 pts, 5th = 2 pts, 6th = 1 pt. All other placing will receive a "0" score.

6. The high-point awards will be given to those earning the highest point total in each of the division from the seven possible V.S.A. point classes.

7. A competitor will be allowed to compete on more then one horse in the V.S.A. program, provided that proper I.D. numbers are obtained and used. If a change of mounts does occur, immediately contact the V.S.A. Secretary and obtain a new number. Points may not be accumulated on more than one horse for the same award, Any number of riders may use the same mount, providing each riding unit has properly registered.

8. Each rider is responsible for submitting his/her points to the V.S.A. Recording Secretary by October 1st of the competition year. This is a double- check of the show secretary reports that are submitted after each competition. The rider may at any time contact the Recording Secretary and request their points as recorded to date. All other competitors points will be held in confidence.

9. Any formal complaint should be submitted to the V.S.A. President in writing. Action will be taken within thirty days.

10. Your I.D. number is your identification for the Show Secretaries and the Recording Secretary. It is very important that you use it at all shows, if you are pointing that show, and if you are showing more than one horse, you use the correct number.