Competition rules

Here you can read the competition rules for the Shetland Pony Championships (utility classes). (Click on photo.)

adobe-pdf-icon-vector-logoPrintable version in pdf.

 

General

  1. The main idea of the competitions is to have fun with our horses and with other Shetland pony enthusiasts! Both horses and other competitors should be treated with respect and kindness. Help those who are new or less experienced than yourself!
  2. All participation is at your own risk. All participants have the sole responsibility to make sure the horse and rider/driver/handler are insured.
  3. The competition is open to fully registered Shetland ponies measuring maximum 107 cm, and registered in their country’s main studbook or in a corresponding studbook in another country.
  4. Swedish Championship: All participants regardless of home country compete for placements in the respective class. Only participants where the rider/driver/handler is a permanent resident in Sweden can be a Swedish champion or medallist in the championships. If any of the first three placed participants in each class is an international participant, the medal is moved on to the next placed participant eligible for the medals.
  5. All current information about the competitions will be published on http://jubileum.shetlandsponny.se.
  6. Entered participants and the time schedule will be published in the show catalogue as well as on the competition website at latest 1 week before the competitions.
  7. Information about stabling and housing is available on the competition website.
  8. Horse Owner Affirmation (affirming that neither the horse nor other horses that have been in contact with the horse have shown signs of illness, and that the horse is in full health and trained for the purpose of the competition) must be signed in the utility secretariat before the horse is unloaded at the competition grounds.

Entry

  1. Last day of entry is 19th July 2017. If any class has to be limited due to an unexpectedly large number of participants, a first-come-first-served rule will be applied, based on when the entry is complete (when both the entry form and the entry fee have been deposited with the organizers). The entry fee is 40 SEK per start for members of SSS (80 SEK for non-members). Participants enter by completing the entry form at http://jubileum.shetlandsponny.se. The entry fee is to be paid to the following bank account no 3025 22 70452 (Nordea, account owner Linnea Ornstein). Payment can also be sent through Swish on phone number +46 (0)70-579 68 94 (Linnea Ornstein). Make sure to state the horse’s and the rider’s/driver’s/handler’s name with the payment, regardless of method of payment! In case of international payment, it is possible to make a transfer to: IBAN: SE5030000000030252270452, SWIFT-code: NDEASESS. Entry and entry fee should both be received by the organizers before the end of the entry time for the entry to be valid. Late entries are not accepted.
  2. In team classes, entry can be done at the show grounds. Entry should be completed in the utility secretariat at latest 1 hour before the first start in the class. Entry fee for teams is 50 SEK per team and start, if all participants are members of SSS. If at least 2 participants in the team are members of SSS, the entry fee is 100 SEK per team and start. Otherwise the fee is 200 SEK per team and start.

Show grounds

  1. The show grounds are located at Grevagården, Skövde. The competition is at first hand held outdoors on fiber-sand tracks. If needed, due to weather conditions and the like, the competitions can be moved to an adjacent indoor manege. Warm-up and practice jumps etc. can be done in the indoor manege or in a designated area close to the competition tracks.

Classes

  1. The classes are divided into the following age categories. Each category is judged separately.
  • Minior (M): 5-9 years old: All minior classes with timekeeping is based on an ”ideal time”. The participants may have an adult on the track to assist or in lead-rein.
  • Junior (J): 10-16 years old
  • Senior (S): 17 years and older
  1. The following classes are open to entries, and are open to the stated age categories. Heights are approximate and may be +/- 5 cm. For miniors, ”ideal time” time is applied when “bed A:0” is indicated (class 2, 7, 8, 13, 14, 18).
Class Disciplin etc. Programme/judging/height Age category
Class 1. Obstacle cones, long-reining 60 cm wide, bed A:0 J/S
Class 2. Obstacle cones, riding 60 cm bredd, bed A:0 M/J
Class 3. Obst. cones, long-reining, teams 60 cm bredd, stafett, bed A:0 J/S
Class 4. Dressage, carriage driving See link on website J/S
Class 5. Dressage, long-reining See link on website J/S
Class 6. Obstacle cones, carriage driving +35 cm, bed A:0 J/S
Class 7. Agility, handler Bed A:0 M/J/S
Class 8. Agility, riding Bed A:0 M/J
Class 9. Agility, long-reining Bed A:0 J/S
Class 10. Agility, handler, teams Relay, bed A:0 J/S
Class 11. Agility, long-reining, teams Relay, bed A:0 J/S
Class 12. Dressage riding Special programme M/J
Class 13. Show jumping, riding M: 30 cm. J: 40 cm, bed A:0 M/J
Class 14. Show jumping, handler M: 30 cm. J/S: 40 cm, bed A:0 M/J/S
Class 15. Show jumping, long-reining 40 cm, bed A:0 J/S
Class 16. Show jumping, handler, teams 40 cm, relay, bed A:0 J/S
Class 17. Show jumping, long-reining, teams 40 cm, relay, bed A:0 J/S
Class 18. Mini cross-country, riding M: 30 cm. J: 40 cm, bed A:0 M/J
Class 19. Mini cross-country, handler M: 30 cm. J/S: 40 cm, bed A:0 J/S
Class 20. Mini cross-country, longreining 40 cm, bed A:0 J/S
Class 21. Mini cross-country, handler, teams 40 cm, relay, bed A:0 J/S
Class 22. Mini cross-country, long-reining, teams 40 cm, relay, bed A:0 J/S
Class 23. Trick competition 3 min, scoring J/S

 

  1. Bed A:0 means that the course is completed once, and on time. The participants are placed firstly based on the least number of faults, and secondly based on the fastest time.
  2. Ideal time (minior classes) means that the participants are placed firstly based on the least number of faults, and secondly, based on who is closest to the ideal time. The ideal time is posted at least 15 min before the start of the class.
  3. Refusal/knockdowns, incorrectly completed obstacle or dropped relay stick means 4 faults regardless if it is the fault of the horse or of the rider/driver/handler. Wrong way means elimination in all classes, except dressage where the participant instead get 5p reduction each time, and can start again from the point where the error ocurred. A rider that falls off the horse, or a driver that leaves the carriage during the judging will be eliminated.

Disciplines

  1. Dressage means performing a certain given programme. Each movement is scored and the participant with the highest total score wins. The scores are based on factors such as the correctness of the movement, the horse’s rythm and relaxation, and the contact between the horse and rider/driver.
    Agility means carrying out a course of tricky obstacles. The obstacles can include, but are not limited to, slalom, pallets, rugs, plastic ribbons, tarpaulins, tilting pallets, or tyres/boxes to stand in. The driver/handler should normally follow the horse through or over the obstacle, with some exceptions such as a tilting pallet or a ”pallet tower”.
    Obstacle cones is a course of cones and rails, where the cones should be passed without knocking down the balls that are placed on top of them. Slaloms can occur. A driver should follow the horse between the cones. The width of the obstacle is the width of the carriage +35 cm in carriage driving, and 60 cm in the long-reining and ridden obstacle course.
    Show jumping is a course of jumping obstacles where the participant should clear the obstacles without knocking them down. The rider/driver/handler should follow the horse over the obstacle.
    Mini cross-country is a course of jumping over “natural” obstacles, similar to working hunter pony obstacles. The obstacles can include, but are not limited to, tyres, fences, hay bales or water obstacles. The rider/driver/handler should follow the horse over the obstacle.
  2. Team competitions mean that 4 participants form a team and then carry out the course as a relay. The first team member completes the entire course then passes a relay stick to the next team member who immediately continues to carry out the entire course once again without stopping the time, until all four team members have completed the course. The teams are placed firstly based on the lowest number of faults, and secondly on the fastest total time. The relay stick must follow all the participants through the entire course.
  3. Trick competition is a new discipline. It is performed in such way that each participant gets 3 min to perform an optional number of tricks. The programme can be performed like a kür program, meaning that the participant has practiced the tricks in a certain sequence, or it can be done by just performing a number of tricks one after another. The tricks could be bowing, spinning, rearing or other tricks that the participant has practiced. The participant is judged on the degree of difficulty, the performance of the trick and the contact and communication between the horse and the handler. A judging sheet will be published on the website at least one month before the competitions. It is not the participant with the most tricks performed within the time that wins, rather, it is the quality of the executed tricks and the training of the horse that are the most important. Rewarding the horse after each trick is encouraged. The participant must bring the equipment that they may need for the tricks. The horse can be loose on the track during the performance and other horses should be kept at a safe distance so as not to disturb the participant. More information about this discipline will be posted on the website during the spring.

Competition schedule

  1. The competitions apply a drop-in system, which means that each participant starts whenever convenient within the time frame of the class. Each participant should let the stewards know by the track entrance that they are ready to start and will then get a place in the line. This is to make it as easy as possible to participate both in the in-hand classes and the utility classes. Signup starts by the track entrance 15 minutes before the start of each class. If no participant is waiting in the line at the moment, the course can be carried out immediately as long as the class is open. Try to spread out your starts during the time frame of the class, to avoid long lines. The competition management reserves the right to arrange the line if so needed for efficiency, and will let affected participants know in good time.
  2. The competitions will take place at two parallel tracks simultaneously. Exact time frames for each class will be announced in the competition catalogue.
Saturday am Track 1 Obstacle cones, ridden & long-reining (classes 1-3)
Track 2 Dressage carriage driving & long reining (classes 4-5)
Saturday pm Track 1 Obstacle cones, carriage driving (class 6)
Track 2 Agility (classes 7-11)
Saturday am Track 1 Dressage riding (class 12)
Track 2 Show jumping (classes 13-17)
Sunday pm Track 1 Mini cross-country (classes 18-22)
Track 2 Trick competition (class 23)

 

  1. The competition schedule is preliminary and may be changed if needed. If so, this will be announced in the show catalogue.
  2. The rider/driver/handler can walk the course on foot before starting. An obstacle sketch will be posted by the entrance and the track will be open at latest 15 min before the start of the class. Miniors and juniors can bring an adult to walk the course.

Rules

  1. Number of starts: Each horse can do a maximum of 10 starts per day, of which maximum 2 starts can be in dressage carriage driving, dressage long-reining and dressage riding per day. Make sure to listen to the horse, if the horse shows signs of exhaustion, it should be given time to rest, and participation should be adapted accordingly.
  2. A horse or a rider/driver/handler can start more than once in the same class, but not as the same participant (meaning they cannot start together several times in the same class).
  3. The horse’s age: To enter agility, long-reining, handler or trick classes, the horse must be at least 3 years of age (born 2014 or earlier). To enter ridden or carriage driving classes, the horse must be at least 4 years of age (born 2013 or earlier).
  4. The participants should be trained for the purpose of the competition. The rider/driver/handler should be able to control the horse to be allowed to start. This is especially important if the horse is a stallion. A participant that behaves in such a manner that the organizers consider constitutes a security risk will be turned away from the show grounds and eliminated from the competition.
  5. A stallion should be handled with special consideration to other participants. In handler classes, stallions can only compete with a handler who is at least 16 years old.
  6. A mare with foal at foot can participate provided that the foal is at least 1 month old. The foal is not allowed on the track. A mare who is put in foal can only compete until the end of the fourth pregnancy month.
  7. Measurement: Maximum height for a horse to be eligible to compete is 107 cm. If needed, the competition management can request that a horse is measured. The measuring stewards of the in-hand show will then measure the horse, and that measurement will be applied.

Tack

  1. All tack should be intact and well-fitted. Broken, poor or ill-fitting tack will lead to elimination upon decision by the competition management.
  2. Clothing: The rider/driver/handler should wear neat clothing and suitable shoes/boots. In the classes where the participants are scored, the clothes may affect the general impression of the participant.
  3. Helmet: Anyone who enters the track together with a horse must wear a helmet, including helpers/leaders.
  4. Bits: Regardless of class, the horse should always wear a bridle. Sharper bits than regular snaffle bits are not allowed, with the exception of carriage driving classes where the Swedish horse association’s (SvRF) carriage driving competition rules (TR V) for Lätt Klass is applied (contact the competition management on linneaornstein@yahoo.com if you wish to ask about this further). Bitless alternatives are allowed in all classes, providing that it is not sharper than a snaffle bit and that the rider/driver/handler can control the horse. A stallion should always wear a bit while on the show grounds.
  5. Whips/crops: In dressage riding, no whip or crop is allowed. In all other classes riding whip or driving whip is allowed, but not mandatory (except carriage driving, see below). In the case of excessive or improper use of a whip, the participant will be told to stop and may be eliminated.
  6. Carriage driving: A harness with traces and breeching (or trace carrier if the carriage has breaks) should always be used. The carriage should have a swingle tree, carriage width is optional. In junior classes, a groom of at least 18 years old is mandatory. In senior classes groom is optional, but if no groom is on the carriage there should always be an adult beside the track to quickly help if needed. A driving whip is mandatory. The carriage width should be measured in good time before the start, so that the distance between obstacle cones can be adapted in time. The competition is open to singles and pairs, but they will start in the same class.
  7. Ridden classes: Ridden participants should be proportional. The competition management will decide what is proportional, and an unproportional participant can be eliminated. The rider should wear a safety vest. Spurs are not allowed. If a leader is used (minior classes), a lead-rein should be fastened to the noseband or to the left ring of the bit. The leader should not steer the horse but is there only as support. The leader should pass outside the obstacles when possible, in show jumping and mini cross-country the leader follows the participant over the obstacle.
  8. Long-reining classes: The horse should wear a harness-saddle or harness. The rein should run through the top rings on the saddle. The reins should be long enough for the driver to keep a safe distance to the horse’s hind legs.
  9. Handler classes: The horse should have a lead running through the left bit ring, under the chin and fastened in the right bit ring, or regular riding reins that are opened in the middle. A coupling and lead rein may be used, provided it does not pose a security threat.
  10. Trick competition: The horse should wear a bridle (see regarding bits above), but during the performance the horse can be let loose on the track. Other equipment is optional.
  11. In case of hesitation, the competition management is the sole decision-maker regarding whether a participant is allowed to start or needs to correct the tack. Ask the competition management in case of doubt.

Placements and prizes

  1. Placements: The number of placements in a class depends on the number of participants. For every 3 participants, another placement is added. 1-3 participants = 1 placements, 4-6 participants = 2 placements, 7-9 participants = 3 placements, 10-12 participants = 4 placements, etc.
  2. Prize ribbons: Placed participants in the classes receive prize ribbons according to placement. 1st place is awarded a blue/yellow ribbon, 2nd blue ribbon, 3rd yellow ribbon, 4th red ribbon, 5th green ribbon, 6th and all remaining placements receive a white ribbon. All other participants will receive a special participation ribbon. Honour prizes may be awarded as well.
  3. Prize ceremony will be held at latest 30 min after the end of each class, at a time and place given by the competition management at the end of the class.
  4. Swedish Championship (SM) medallists will be awarded medals. A medal ceremony will be held where the results of the in-hand show are announced, in connection with the final of each show day or similar.
  5. Other championships: Several championships will be awarded. Other honour prizes may also be awarded, such as Best Ridden, Best Driven, Agility Champion, etc. Which prizes will be awarded and the criteria for each prize will be announced on the website and in the show catalogue.
    1. All-round Champion: The horse’s 5 best utility results will be added to the result from the in-hand show. The results should be from at least 3 different disciplines. If the horse has participated in the in-hand show both days, the horse’s best results of the two will count.
    2. Utility Champion: The horse’s 7 best utility results from at least 3 different disciplines will be counted.
    3. Champion Team: The team’s 3 best utility results are counted. At least 3 of the 4 participants in the team should be the same in all disciplines that are counted.
    4. Other championships/honour prizes: Will be announced in the catalogue.

With different disciplines, these refer to the following: Obstacle cones (class 1-3, 6), Dressage carriage driving/long reining (class 4-5), Agility (class 7-11), Dressage riding (class 12), Show jumping (class 13-17), Mini cross-country (class 18-22), Trick competition (class 23).

If Best Show Jumper, Best Handler Horse or similar is awarded, Mini cross-country is counted with show jumping, and trick competition is counted with handler classes.

  1. Scoring for the championships and other titles is conducted in the following way:
Placements utility classes
1st 10 p 6th 4 p
2nd 8 p 7th 3 p
3rd 7 p 8th 2 p
4th 6 p 9th and thereafter 1 p
5th 5 p For the score to count, there should be at least 3 participants in the class.
 
Placements in-hand show
≥43p 10 p 1st in class (>1 in class) 1 p extra
41-42p 9 p Champion 3 p extra
40p 8 p BIS, res-BIS 5 p extra
38-39p 6 p Extra points can only be awarded once per horse. Example: BIS + champion = 5p, 1st + champion = 3p
35-37p 4 p
<35p 1 p

 

BRUCH

  1. Because the level of the classes cannot be compared to the level of the regular national championships, the results from the Swedish Shetland Pony Championships cannot qualify for BRUCH (utility title within SSS).

Judges and competition management

  1. The names of the judges and members of the competition management will be published in the show catalogue.
  2. A judge or a member of the competition management cannot judge or participate in a decision concerning a class that they themselves participate in. A judge or a member of the competition management may also not judge or participate in a decision concerning a class or a participant with a horse they own or have owned in the past five years. This also applies for a family member, or a horse or a rider/driver/handler that a judge or a member of the competition management have trained in the past five years. In any event, a judge or a member of the competition management must be objective to the utmost of their ability when judging or making a decision.

Questions

  1. In case of a conflict between the Swedish and the English competition rules, the Swedish document is applied.
  2. If you have questions about the competitions please contact the main organizer Linnea Ornstein at +46 (0)70-579 68 94, or linneaornstein@yahoo.com.