BABIES COMING OUT PARTY

WHAT IS IT?   A class for 2 year old reining prospects that features a cowboy pleasure class followed by a reining pattern simplified to a 2 year old reining prospect level. This will be an accommodated, penalty free class with no lead changes. It’s a chance to bring out those good 2 year old reining prospects that we hear so much about. It’s set up as stage to “show off” a nice group of prospects, as opposed to a pressured competition. It’s a fun way for folks to bring those good horses we’re proud of out in public for other reiners to appreciate. Pleasure portion counts for 30% of the total score, with an abbreviated partial reining pattern earning the other 70% of the score, should add up to about 100% constructive entertainment!  

WHY?  The object is to introduce reining prospects to horse show experiences in a relaxed, low pressure atmosphere. This class is beneficial to reiners for many reasons.

            1) It provides an opportunity for breeders, owners, trainers, buyers, and sellers to get together and exhibit their products.  There are numerous benefits to this class for reiners, both equine and human. It’s an inexpensive, low risk chance to promote a breeding or training program. Exhibitors will be asked to complete a brief biography form on their horse when they enter the class. As horses enter the ring one at a time for the pleasure portion of the class, their breeder, owner, sire & dam, and trainer will be announced as they start in the gate and down the rail so spectator will know what the specifics are on each horse. This class gives breeders a chance to get their product out in front of the public and be acknowledged for what they produce without an expensive advertising budget. It’s a great place to get buyers and sellers together while demonstrating those good 2 year olds reiners we hear so much about this time of year.

2) Fun! It provides a spectator event where everyone gets a chance to get together and see the “next off the line”, to check out next year’s reining hopes & dreams. A Calcutta will be run during the lunch break so spectators get the opportunity to get involved and claim a prospect for the length of the class. There are lots of opportunities for anyone to participate in this class by spectating, bidding, showing, breeding, or training. It’s a class designed to encourage and include “do it yourselfers”. The nature of 2 year old horses adds an element of unpredictability…..there’s sure to be a few unforeseen moments as these young horses get out in public for the first time-should make for some interesting reactions.

REINING PATTERN

-All reining maneuvers are included in pattern EXCEPT LEAD CHANGES. There will be NO LEAD CHANGES and NO PENALTIES. This class is to be casual, relaxed, and low pressure. Scoring will be based on horses being willingly guided and obedient.  Credit will be given based on run content.  Judges will be looking for horses that are willingly guided and controlled, showing little resistance, exhibiting good basic form, obedience, attitude, finesse, quickness, and authority.  At no point in the pattern shall speed exceed medium. Any speed above medium will be considered undesirable and will result in maneuver score deduction by the judges. Riders will be allowed to pet their horse for praise at any time in the arena that they are at a standstill or a walk.  Judges will be tolerant of a few walk or jog steps on any canter departure or rollback exit-these are not finished horses and won’t be expected to perform as finished. A missed canter departure will be forgiven by the judges IF the exhibitor can assume the correct lead quietly, WITHOUT making a major issue out of the correction. However, horses are expected to be in the same lead on both ends at all times….if they are loping out of lead (as opposed to being in the wrong lead) they will receive a maneuver deduction each time they are out of lead.

Horses must be shown 2 handed. Any legal NRHA bit may be used that an informed reining horseman would generally consider mild. Any evidence of fresh red blood appearing to have been caused by bit or spur will be grounds for disqualification.

Cowboy pleasure portion of class follows immediately after a break with the arena open for horses only-

Pleasure class begins immediately after break. After brief pleasure class, with score to be 5 points possible per gait, each direction for a total of 30 possible points, at conclusion of pleasure class- all horses but the first 4 head in the reining draw dismiss to the warm up pen.

Reining portion of class-The first 4 horses in the draw will remain in the arena following the pleasure class-horses will retire to the vicinity of the 4 arena corners……1^st horse in the draw will be called to center by the announcer. As the first horse completes its pattern and goes for equipment check, the 2^nd horse will be asked to head for the center of the arena and allowed to “hang out” until signaled by the announcer to begin pattern.

The horse that has just completed pattern will proceed to an empty arena corner. Any horse not currently on pattern will be allowed to school quietly and lightly (of course schooling is to be in good taste at all times) as long as they stay in the vicinity of their chosen corner. Any horse that the rider is experiencing difficulty in controlling will be dismissed by the judges for safety reasons.

Riders will be expected to stop and settle their horse between each pattern maneuver. Judges will be expecting to see a definite hesitation after each maneuver before continuing the pattern.  

Credit will be given for obedience, willingness, a calm attitude, smoothness, finesse, athleticism, and correctness of maneuvers. Horses working on a slack rein will gain credit, as well as horses that go to the ground and stop in one move without picking up back feet once committed to the stop. As always in reining, speed is appreciated in the turn around, but horses must first be correct and consistent in their footwork before speed will be considered an asset.

 Judges will value correctness of maneuvers and obedience as the top priorities above all other things for these young horses as they perform for the first time in the arena.

PATTERN

1) Walk to center and stop or hesitate.

2) Beginning on the right lead, run 1 small slow circle to the right, then 1 large circle at medium speed to the right (riders choice) followed by 1 small slow circle right. Stop and hesitate completely.

3) Spin to the right-2 to 4 times (rider’s choice)……..stop and hesitate completely.

4) Beginning on the left lead, run 1 small slow circle to the left, 1 large circle at medium speed, followed by one small slow circle. Stop and hesitate completely.     

5) Spin 2 to 4 times to the left, (rider’s choice), stop and hesitate.

6) Beginning on the right lead, start a large circle at medium speed-(for a 2 yr old) and stop past the middle marker. Complete hesitation. Roll back to the left.

 7) Lope quietly in a straight line down the side and around the top of the arena. Run at medium speed down the side of the arena past center marker and stop. After a complete hesitation, roll back to the right.

8) Lope quietly in a straight line back up and around the top of the arena. Accelerate gradually to medium speed down the side of the arena, stop past center, and back 10 ft. Hesitate completely-then proceed to the judge for the bit check.

After the bit check riders may again retire to the corner of the arena that they came from to stand or move about quietly until dismissed.

Scores will be totaled by CORHA staff. We’ve got some cool prizes donated…..bring your 2 year olds and join the fun!