Showing FAQs

Weekend shows on a weekday? Aged events for young horses? The terminology cutters use can be pretty confusing for a newcomer.  This page does a good job of explaining the difference.

Basically, there are two different types of competition: weekend shows and limited-age events, aka “aged events.”

The limited-age events are for horses of a specific age. In general, futurities are for 3-year-olds, derbies are for 4-year-olds, and classics or maturities are for 5 and 6-year-old horses. Aged events often (but not always) have more added money, as well as higher nomination and entry fees. Typically, contestants go through one or more qualifying rounds before the finals.

“Weekend” shows, on the other hand, have no restrictions on the age of the horse. Indeed, there is nothing to stop a successful aged event horse from heading down the road to take part in the local weekend event.

And no, the so-called weekend shows don’t necessarily have to take place on a weekend, although Friday-Saturday-Sunday competition is by far the most common.

Many weekend shows have begun adding aged event classes to their schedules. But as a rule, weekend shows offer some or all of the "Championship" classes. They typically have a more relaxed atmosphere than the aged events, where the amount of money on the line can test a rider’s nerves. That’s not to say the competition is easier at weekend shows. Seasoned, hard-knocking horses that cut their teeth in the aged events are the rule of the day on the weekends.

Most Weekend / Championship classes are first based on your rider status (Open / Non Pro / Amateur / Youth) and then the total money you've won in the sport.

Weekend events have classes based on horse earnings, rider earnings, and a combination of both.

If you are new to the sport, you'll most likely want to start with lower $$ limit classes.

The $2,000 Limit Rider class at a weekend show is designed for people who have lifetime NCHA earnings of $2,000 or less and is also the only class in which adults can show another member’s horse.

If you are an Amateur, have received that designation from the office and are showing your own horse, many weekend shows offer a $1,000 Amateur class and a Year End points class is the $15,000 Amateur class.

You can find your eligibility on the NCHA website at this link.

Eligibility is good for one full point year.  You can continue to show in the class(es) in which you start the show year regardless of how much you win during the year. 

Eligibility determination is based on earnings and types of earnings.  Limited Age Event eligibility is different from Weekend / Championship class eligibility - so make sure and check your classes!

NCHA's point year begins on December 28.

For Weekend / Championship classes, it ends 2 Sundays before Thanksgiving.

For Limited Age Events, it ends on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

First - Congratulations!

Second - You may continue showing in the same classes until the end of the point year.  Any class with a monetary limit is the same. (See Standing Rule 6.i in the  Official Handbook of Rules and Regulations )

The end of the point year is 2 Sundays before Thanksgiving for Weekend classes and the Sunday before Thanksgiving for Limited Age classes.

The new point year always begins on December 28.

The best way to get more familiar with the sport is to spend time with a local trainer who is an invaluable source of information. These professionals can show and teach you every facet of the sport. They can be your personal coach and doorway into the industry. 

The NCHA provides a free digital trainers directory located on the NCHA website at this link.

You can use this directory to local a trainers in your local area.

We encourage you to attend local cuttings, meet the trainer's in your area, talk to other competitors, and find the trainer that is the best fit for you!

Are you thinking of buying a horse and have your mind almost made up - but really want to get in a real show pen once or twice prior to pulling the trigger?

NCHA offers you the ability to get a special permit that allows you to do just that at a weekend show.

When considering a permit, keep the following things in mind:

1. Each permit applies only to one (1) horse.
2. Each permit may be used up to five (5) times.
3. Permits will list show name and class eligibility - so you'll need to know where you plan to try your horse.
4. Permits are NOT good for Limited Age Events.
5. Permits are only good for showing in the Open or Novice Horse classes - NOT the Novice Horse Non Pro classes.
6. IF you are a Non-Pro or Amateur, you must pay your own entry fees!  You cannot violate Standing Rule 51.a.1.

Call the NCHA Show Department and get your permit - and then buy your horse!

The owner of any horse being ridden in an NCHA-approved show must be a current member.

If the horse is owned by a corporation, business or partnership... that entity must have its own membership and it must be current / active.

In the event that an owner is not a current member, any points or money won will NOT to be counted towards awards and lifetime earnings - and the secretary of the show where that horse was ridden may be fined.

There are several NCHA classes in which the horse’s rider does not need to be the owner of the horse:

1. Open
2. $25,000 Novice Horse
3. $5,000 Novice Horse
4. $2,000 Limited Rider
5. Youth (Junior Youth / Senior Youth)

Non-Pro / Amateur riders may compete in the $2,000 Limited Rider on any horse, regardless of ownership, without jeopardizing their Non-Professional / Amateur status.

Amateur riders may compete in the $1,000 Amateur on any horse, regardless of ownership, without jeopardizing their Amateur status.

In all other Non-Pro and Amateur classes, you must own the horse you ride.

You bet!

NCHA tracks all earnings regardless of the class in which you earn them.

Money won in a $50,000 Amateur weekend class counts just the same as money won in a $15,000 Amateur class or a $5,000 Novice Horse Non Pro class.

Your lifetime earnings (updated throughout the year) and eligibility for the current year can be found on Rider Earnings Lookup page.

The answer to that question is "it depends".

NCHA approved shows are required to use at least 1 certified NCHA judge.

Often, medium size local shows will have 2 or 3.

When a show's added money reaches a certain amount, the number of required judges increases.

NCHA produced events all use a 5 judge system.  In this system, the high and low scores are tossed out, leaving the middle three scores to be tallied.  Additionally, a NCHA assigns a monitor to make rulings on major penalty discrepancies and to evaluate the judges’ performance during each go-round.  

Four NCHA monitors will spend 270 days verifying scores at approved shows each year. When you consider that an average show day lasts for 9 hours, that accounts for 2,430 hours that will be spent making sure riders are scored fairly.