The National Horse Show Commission (NHSC) Board of Directors voted unanimously to enforce the following proposed rule changes as experimental rule changes. These experimental rule changes will go into effect April 15, 2004, and will continue until Dec. 31, 2004.
Lite-Shod, Trail Pleasure or Country Pleasure Shoes:
A maximum weight limit of two pounds is set for the lite-shod, trail pleasure or country pleasure shoe.
The weight of the shoe will be checked if a shoe should be thrown at any time the horse is in the ring. Upon such occurrence the shoe will be retrieved by the judge or ringmaster and weighed by the judge in the center ring. Should the weight of the shoe be found to be over the two pound limit, the violation shall be penalized as an illegal shoeing violation.
New Class “Limited Performance” - a performance division class which will be limited to a maximum size shoe of one and a half inches by half and inch with a one inch turnback, with bands optional. A maximum one inch pad measured at the heel and an action device of a maximum of six ounces. Braced tails and rock back pads are prohibited.
The NHSC will continue seeking public comment during the six-month comment period and ask that all those interested please send comments in writing no later than August 3, 2004, at the following address: NHSC P.O. Box 167 Shelbyville, TN 37162.
The final decision to these rules or versions of these rules for future years will be determined at the NHSC’s last monthly meeting in 2004.
In addition to the above, the National Horse Show Commission (NHSC) Board of Directors has issued the following rule clarifications and changes.
Rule V, Article A, Section 9 - Stallions shall be barred from youth exhibitor classes with the exception being walking pony classes.
The rule pertains to any class which states a youth is to exhibit. This includes juvenile riding classes as well as youth halter classes. The walking pony class remains the only exception to this rule.
Rule VI, Article A,Section 5 (c) - Stallions shall be barred from any class the conditions of which specify that a lady is to exhibit. Exception: ladies amateur or ladies open specialty, in which stallions are permitted.
This rule has been omitted from the NHSC rule book. A lady may show a stallion in any class that specifies ladies unless the class specifies the gender of the horse being mare or gelding.
Rule VI, Article D, Section 4 (b) - Entries in amateur country pleasure classes are not required to furnish horse registration numbers.
The intent of this rule is that only Tennessee Walking Horses may show in this class and they can either be registered or nonregistered.
A show can offer a local pleasure class or an all-breed pleasure class if they so desire.