Rider Divisions

Rider division levels and awards are dictated by NSHO’s organizational by-laws. For more information, download our bylaws document.

 
 
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OPen

Eligible: Open for any competitors.  

Awards:

  • No individual show High Point awards are to be given in this division.

  • Year-end high point and Event Honor Roll Awards are awarded to the horse (owner) only.

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Non-Pro

Eligible: Has not shown, judged, trained or assisted in training a horse for remuneration, monetary or otherwise.

Awards:

    • All High Point and Event Honor Roll Awards are calculated on the horse/rider combination.

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Youth - two divisions; 14+ and 13-

Eligible: Must be 18 years of age or younger as of January 1st of the current year.  Riders may ride in each class one or two handed using any legal bit. Youth are required to wear a helmet.

Awards:

    • All High Point and Event Honor Roll Awards are calculated on the horse/rider combination.

 
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Novice

Eligible: Has not shown, judged, trained or assisted in training a horse for remuneration, monetary or otherwise. Riders may ride in each class one or two handed using any legal bit.  A person who is eligible for the novice division at the start of the year maintains that eligibility for that entire season. Eligibility for the novice division is as of the first date of each year that a competitor competes with NSHO.  

Novice competitors are defined as having zero (0) breed association points in any non-timed, judged performance events.

The breed associations included in this rule are as follows:

    • AQHA

    • APHA

    • ApHC

    • PtHA

    • AHA

Novice competitors must have zero ($0) lifetime earnings in any of the following associations to be eligible to ride in the novice division.

    • NRHA

    • NRCHA

    • NCHA

Awards:

    • All High Point and Event Honor Roll Awards are calculated on the horse/rider combination.