The WHTA Riders' Cup is an incentive program designed to bring more horses to the horse show and more Walking Horse enthusiasts to the audience! The program is administered by Walking Horse Report in conjunction with the Walking Horse Trainers’ Association. All rules and regulations are designed by the WHTA.
This program sponsored by the WHTA and administered by the Walking Horse Report is good for horse shows because:
1. It involves more trainers - it pays out to 25 places in the performance division and 15 places in the pleasure division rather than 10, it gives points for showing regardless of placing - and is sponsored and guaranteed by the Walking Horse Trainers’ Association.
2. It involves benefits to the horse show manager - a full page ad will run in every week of the Walking Horse Report detailing the current standings and listing the upcoming Riders Cup shows, their dates and the contact information for the show. More information will also be available online including up to date statistics/standings at www.walkinghorsereport.com.
3. It has lower fees for the horse show - by acquiring outside sponsors, we have lowered the fees. A horse show must pay to affiliate ; only $100 for the show, NOT PER CLASS. Riders Cup points can be earned in ALL OPEN PERFORMANCE AND PLEASURE CLASSES. The Performance divisions are currently broken down into 13 categories and the pleasure divisions are broken down into 7 categories. Shows can choose to participate in all divisions or pick and choose the divisions where they think Riders Cup can increase participation.
4. It involves more benefits to horse owners - Riders Cup leading horses and their owners will be recognized at year end at the WHTA Annual Meeting and Banquet. Additional entry fees have been lowered to $10.
5. It’s simpler to participate - horse shows just submit an application to WHTA and send $100 to the WHTA office 30 days prior to your show (or earlier for more promotion), include Riders Cup classes into the class schedule, and submit the additional entry fees and the results/entry sheets (including prize money) from Riders Cup Classes within one week after the show.
6. The Riders’ Cup program is open to all HIOs, all states, and all associations.
7. All Trainers that are members in good standing with the WHTA are eligible to participate at no charge.
8. Any horse show organization that sponsors a Riders Cup division will have all of their shows move up once point classification; up to 2 shows annually.
9. Any show that affiliates with Riders Cup will receive the following point classification:
1. One Judge = Single Point
2. Multiple Judge = Double Point
3. Celebration = Triple Point
4. National Trainers’ Show = 5x Point
10. Trainers will receive 50 points for participating in a class without receiving a ribbon. Other point totals include 200 for 1st, 190 for 2nd, 180 for 3rd, 170 for 4th, 160 for 5th, 150 for 6th, 140 for 7th, 130 for 8th, 120 for 9th and 110 for 10th.
11. Division sponsorship is $2,500 per division and divisional sponsors will have their logo online at www.walkinghorsereport.com, in the Walking Horse Report print edition each week with the standings and announced as part of the class in that division at every Riders’ Cup show in the industry including The Celebration.
New In 2016:
Added Pleasure Divisions – In 2016 the Riders Cup program will offer three more categories; Model, Four & Under Lite Shod and Western Park Pleasure. All trainers that show and are good standing with the WHTA are automatically members of both the performance and pleasure divisions. All monies for performance and pleasure will be kept SEPARATE. Horse shows that offer both performance and pleasure classes will have all $100 of their affiliation fee go to the performance division just as in year’s past. If the show is all pleasure its $100 will go into the pleasure division.
If your horse show joins the program…
Trainers want to come show their open horses at your show to earn points (even if they don’t get a ribbon), to earn additional money and they will bring their amateur horses as well when they decide to come to your show!
You’ll have a larger audience, because everyone wants to see the top trainers showing their top open horses, going head to head, jockeying for position in the points standing.
And you’ll get FREE promotion for your horse show - being included in the weekly Riders Cup Report in the Walking Horse Report list of upcoming Riders Cup shows and promoted on the internet.
Thanks for your support of the Walking Horse Trainers Association Riders Cup!
For more information about the program, contact the WHTA Office at 931-684-5866. If you notice that your horse has points under two different names (for example, Private Charter and The Private Charter), you may notify us at the following email and we will make the correction upon verification of the horse’s name. To email us these corrections or other information about the highpoint program, send your email to [email protected]. We would appreciate your comments and suggestions regarding our program.