Rules for Conduct of Shows
1. By participating at a show, show organizers, judges and exhibitors and handlers agree that they will unconditionally submit themselves and the persons accompanying them to the "Rules for Conduct of Show" and, as regards veterinary matters and drug misuse, to the relevant FEI Veterinary Regulations. The accompanying persons include e.g. persons representing the show organizer, trainers, handlers as well as assistants of any of those persons. They will accept the jurisdiction of the Disciplinary Committee (DC), the Standing Disciplinary Committee (SDC) and the ECAHO Appeals Committee (EAC).
Show organizers are not permitted to introduce rules which are in conflict with the EAHSC "Rules for Conduct of Shows". These Rules will be interpreted when necessary under the provisions of the laws of Switzerland .
2. Horses must be accompanied at the show by a photocopy of the registration document, including a graphic description, or a horse passport to facilitate verifying the identity of the horse.
The show organizer
3. The show organizer reserves the right to refuse an entry, but must give the reason for refusal in writing.
4. The show organizer will issue a printed show catalogue. The name of every horse has to be printed in the show catalogue, as well as the names of sire, dam, (and maternal grandsire if possible) date of birth, and the names of the breeder, owner and handler.
Should a horse’s name not be mentioned in the catalogue, its participation at the show will be allowed only if the exhibitor cannot not be blamed for the omission; it will be for the DC to decide.
The show catalogue shall furthermore contain:
· The Rules for Conduct of Shows,
· The judging system used, the rules for ties and the rules for championships
· For Shows outside Europe (as defined by the Constitution of ECAHO, Art.3.2 ): total amount of prize money and split-up.
5. No class may be split unless there are more than 16 horses entered. Combination of a class with the next age group of the same sex is permitted only if the number of entries for the class is below three.
6. a) Judges will not consult the show catalogue before or during the show at which they are judging. No announcement indicating the identity, breeding or past performance of exhibits, or the identity of their owners will be made during juding. It is, however, permissible for this information to be given out after the scores have been announced for each exhibit.
b) Show organizers will not release details of competitors or their exhibits to the press (except as detailed below) at any time prior to the catalogue being put on sale at the showground. Catalogues will not be offered for sale more than one day before the commencement of the show. Show organizers who wish to make use of the press (e.g. a magazine or other publication) to print the catalogue may do so, provided that they have a written contract with the publisher which confirms that the part of the magazine containing details of competitors or their exhibits will not be put on sale or posted to magazine subscribers more than one day before the commencement of the show
7. No member of the show organizing team may judge.
8. The show organizer will provide for the judges, DC members, ring masters and any other ECAHO show official, appropriate transport, accommodation and meals during the show. If a judge, DC member or ring master cancels the invitation after the travel arrangements have been made, he will pay all the arising costs out of this booking.
9. No gifts in the form of fees or money are allowed to be paid/given by the organizer, nor accepted by the judges, DC members and ring masters. Material gifts are allowed.
Judges
10. EAHSC listed judges and judges invited to judge at ECAHO affiliated shows agree to judge with integrity and honesty and to carry out their judging duties solely with the objects of ECAHO in mind.
b) Any complaint about a judge will be made in writing and signed by two individuals within 3 days of the event in accordance with the Rules for Disciplinary Committees,
Rule 49 The complaint has to be supported by a fee of € 300,00 or equivalent in local currency. The procedure will be conducted in accordance with the Rules for Disciplinary Committees,
11. a) Judges appointed at a show will not knowingly judge horses concerning which there may be an actual or apparent conflict of interest. No judge appointed at the show may exhibit, ride, drive or handle an entered horse.
b) Exhibitors will declare on the entry form any actual or apparent conflict or interest with any of the judges invited for the show.
c) Organizers will not accept any entries for which any actual or apparent conflict of interest with one of the appointed judges has been indicated, unless a reserve judge is available.
d) The show organizer will ensure a proper rotation of judges.
e) an actual or apparent conflict of interest may occur if a horse is judged that:
· has been bought or sold by the judge either as owner or agent,
· is owned in whole or part by the judge or by a member of the judge's family, or business partner in an Arab horse business venture,
· has been leased by the judge, at any time
· has been bred by the judge or is the property of a breeding organization in which the judge is or was an employee,
· has been regularly trained, examined or treated by the judge in a professional capacity,
· is the subject of an on-going negotiation to buy or lease, or a provisional purchase condition to which the judge is a party.
In case of doubt, the DC’s decision will prevail.
12. In the show ring, all communication between judges and exhibitors prior to the presentation of prizes will be through the ring master.
13. Appointed judges may withhold any award if in their opinion the exhibit does not merit such an award.
Conduct of Halter Classes
14. Handlers will be neatly dressed. They may wear any costume normally worn in their country of origin.
15. Handlers will not wear clothes carrying any form of advertising which discloses the connection of the horse they are handling.
16. Unruly horses may be ordered to withdraw at the discretion of the judge(s) via the ring master.
17. Judges may order, via the ring master, handlers to open horses' mouths or pick up feet for inspection.
18. Exhibits are to be judged standing, walking and trotting. Handlers that do not comply with the ring master's instructions regarding the above may be given a Yellow/Red card by the panel of judges or the ring master.
19. a) Horses will appear in the collecting ring no less than 10 minutes before the start of the class.
b) Exhibits that appear late (missing the walk around the ring) will be excluded from the class.
20. Stallions and colts aged three years and over must be shown wearing bridles and bits that are both secure and comfortable for the horse. All bridles without bits are equally to be both secure and comfortable for the horse.
21. a) Any horse becoming loose in the collecting ring is subject to a penalty at the discretion of the DC.
b) Any horse becoming loose in the show ring will immediately continue to be shown. Should the horse become loose a second time it will be disqualified.
Soundness
22. Exhibits that appear to be lame may be assessed and placed by the judges. Judges may exclude any horse so lame that assessment will inflict pain.
Disguising of Exhibits
23. No alteration of the basic colour of the skin, coat or hooves is permitted. Hoof paints,
colourless varnishes, coat dyes, glitter spray and cosmetic operations including skin grafts are forbidden.
Colourless hoof oils, Vaseline or oil and white chalk used on white legs may be accepted.
24. Artificial methods of dilating the eyes or affecting the natural action of the horse or otherwise influencing its action or behavior by oxygenating the bloodstream or by the use of weights or artificially weighted shoes, or by electrical or chemical treatment of any kind at any time before or during exhibition are forbidden. Burns, cuts or other marks on the body of any exhibit in such places or positions as to indicate that prohibited methods have been used, will be regarded as full and adequate grounds for exclusion of any exhibit from competition, at the discretion of the DC with veterinary advice.
25. a) In halter classes horses may be fully or partly body-clipped, subject to eyelashes being left uncut, hair inside the ears left unshaved and tactile hair left intact around the nose, muzzle and the eyes.
b) No equipment intended to alter the natural appearance of the horse is permitted in the stables, including necksweats, neck collars, tailracks, hobbles or weights. Exhibitors using such equipment on the showground may be suspended by the DC for the period of the show.
Cruelty
26. Excessive whipping or shanking, excessive stimulation by noise or intimidation, use of electric shock devices or infliction of pain by any means is forbidden in all parts of the showground or stable areas, at all times.
a) Whipping and shanking a horse, while it is standing still, anywhere on the showground will be penalized.
b) Horses showing effects of ill treatment will have their handlers penalized. These effects are defined as when the horse is stood up to pose anywhere on the showground. For example:
- it crouches down (squats)
- it runs back three or more paces
- it strikes out with its ears back at the handler
- it mouths at its handler
27. The above offences are punishable by issue of a Yellow/Red card
28. Disobedience on the part of a handler of any DC member, judge, ring master or other officials’ instructions may be punished immediately with a Yellow or Red card.
Issue of Warnings - Yellow/Red cards
29. Verbal warnings: DC members, ringmasters steward or show officials may issue verbal warnings. These are not recorded in the DC report. If such warnings are ignored, further action may be taken against handlers of horses only, as follows:
30. Yellow and red cards may be issued by DCs and all ring stewards in the collecting ring. They are to be a visible and public warning of an offence having been committed and will be issued to horse handlers only. The date and offence will be recorded by the DC and will be made public by announcement at the show and on the ECAHO website.
31. A Yellow Card may be issued if there is a further offence after a verbal warning or it may be issued without such warning.
32. A Red Card may be issued if the handler commits a further handling offense during the show. The offender will then be banned from handling any horses for the rest of the show. In the event of a serious offence involving mistreatment or dangerous behavior, DCs or ring stewards may issue a red card without prior warning. The horse may be shown by another handler at the end of the class.
Misuse of Drugs
33. The administration of any substance not a normal nutrient (including ginger and similar irritants), whether intentionally or unintentionally which may affect the performance, temperament or soundness of an exhibit is forbidden. Such forbidden substances are listed by the presently applicable FEI Veterinary Regulations, an up-to-date copy of which will be maintained by the EAHSC. Unless otherwise stated in the Rules for Conduct of Shows and Rules for Disciplinary Committees, any procedures related with Drug Misuse follow the FEI Veterinary Regulations.
34. DC's may order chemical tests on any exhibit.
a) Any exhibit for which the veterinarian, duly appointed to collect such specimens of blood, urine or other substances, certifies that in his opinion such collection may endanger the exhibit concerned or the persons handling such exhibit will inform the DC’s who will disqualify the horse and forward the case to the SDC. Any horse so disqualified will not receive any prize or title and will not compete further at the show concerned.
b) Horses withdrawn from such test by their owner or person responsible (i.e. who signed the entry form) will not receive any prize or title and will not compete further at the show concerned; the DC to forward the case to the SDC.
35. DC's may order tests of exhibit's eyes for mydriatic drugs.
36. Judges may request DC's to test any horse.
Drug misuse procedures
37. Procedures for investigation are laid down in "Rules for Disciplinary Committees". (RDC-24).
38. Where the authorized laboratory finds a positive reaction it will inform the show organizer and the EAHSC, which will take action in accordance with the "Rules for Disciplinary Committees".
39. All drug-related offences will be dealt with by the Standing Disciplinary Committee (SDC) as defined under the "Rules for Disciplinary Committees".
40. a) In the event that an exhibit is tested positive as a result of a chemical test instituted under the present rules, the exhibitor (person who signed the entry form) will be held fully responsible for the horse unless such person can provide full and proper evidence implicating some other person.
b) A positive test shall be considered full and proper evidence of an offence having been committed under Rule 38 above. The responsible person or persons may be suspended.
Veterinary Matters
41. Horses with apparent clinical signs of a disease may not participate in the show at the discretion of the DC Veterinarian. If the DC Veterinarian diagnoses apparent clinical signs of a contagious disease, the horse must be immediately put into quarantine and may not participate in the show.
42. Vaccination regulations for shows will require 12 months intervals normally, or shorter such shorter intervals to be shown on the entry form.
43. An exhibitor or his representative may ask the show veterinarian to treat a participating horse, subject to following the procedure detailed in the EAHSC Authorization of “Emergency Treatment“ form, signed by the veterinarian and by the exhibitor.
Complaints
44. A show organizer, appointed judge, ring master, exhibitor or owner of a horse entered at the show may lodge a complaint alleging infringement of these rules. Such complaint is to be made in writing before the end of the show. A deposit of € 300, or equivalent in local currency will be lodged with the DC and may be retained if the complaint is considered frivolous at the DC's discretion. Such forfeiture belongs to ECAHO.
Rules for Ties in Qualifying Places
45. In the event of a tie in the qualifying places of a class the higher place will be given to the horse with the most points for type. If there is still a tie, the higher place will be given to the horse with the most points for movement. Failing a decision on either of these, one judge chosen by ballot will name his preference. This method will also be used to resolve ties below the qualifying places. Show schedule will contain a clear indication of the method to be in case of tie.
Rules for Championships
46. Championships will be judged as follows:
a) The horses placed first in their class line up ordered according to age. The horses placed second in their class line up behind them in the same order.
b) The first placed horses will be judged individually, standing and trotting.
c) The judges will not discuss the horses.
d) The Champion is selected from amongst the horses placed first in their class by individual written votes from each judge. The best placed horse will be champion In the event of a tie, the horse that received the highest number of points in its class will be declared Champion. In the event of a further tie, the "Rules for Ties in Qualifying Places" will apply. The reserve Champion will be selected in the same way as the champion, from all the other horses that have qualified for the championships. The votes of the judges in the Championships will be announced and will be published at the show office immediately after the judging has finished.
47. After the Champion and Reserve Champion have been chosen, a third horse will be selected. This third horse will become Reserve Champion in the event of a disqualification of the Champion or Reserve Champion. If the third placed exhibit is not apparent from the voting papers, the judges will be asked to nominate one. In the event that both the Champion and the Reserve Champions are disqualified, no further substitution will be made, apart from the third placed exhibit moving up to be Champion. This third horse will not be announced.
48. If a horse placed first in its class is not able to take part in the Championship, the horse placed second in the class will move forward and be judged with the other horses placed first. Should a horse placed first be sent out of the ring by the judges for any reason, it will be deemed to have taken part in the championship and, therefore, the second placed horse will not be judged with the other first placed horses. Substitutions for absent first-placed or second-placed horses by third-placed or lower-ranked horses will not be permitted.
49. All horses that qualify for their respective Championships must take part in the Championship. Wilful failure to compete will disqualify the horse from the show, with its record of score and class placing being deleted and the horse being disqualified from showing for the period of one year as from the date of the show. In the event of a disqualification, horses placed behind the disqualified horse will move up a place in the class but not be entitled to enter the Championship.
Requirements after the Show
50. The show organizer will communicate the results of the show immediately after the show to the EAHSC (p/o ECAHO Executive Secretary) in one of the following ways:
- Using the ECAHO Show Software (available for download from
www.ECAHO.org, “Online Office”), by sending the file called “horses.mdb” by e-mail to the Executive Secretary.
- Using their own software by sending the results as Word.doc or Excel.xls file by email to Executive Secretary.
- Using any other system, the results should be sent by fax to the Executive Secretary. In any case, a printout of the show results as well as the show catalogue and show the schedule have to be sent to the Executive Secretary by normal mail within one month after show.
51. Failure to comply with Rule 50 above may lead to a penalty for the amount of the affiliation fee of the show concerned.
52. The DC will write a report on the show. It will be sent to the EAHSC (p/o ECAHO Executive Secretary) as soon as possible, but not later than one week after the show. It should contain a general description of events of the show, as well as detailed reports on any complaints having been made. It may also contain criticism on any element regarding the show as well as suggestions for improvement.
