THE ULTIMATE TEST!
Equine Affaire’s hugely popular Versatile Horse & Rider Competition, sponsored by Chewy, will return this fall with horse and rider combinations tackling a judged race through an obstacle course created to test communication between horse and rider as well as each competitor’s horsemanship skills and athletic prowess. As the horse and rider teams navigate the course and work through each obstacle they will be judged on several horsemanship criteria as well as overall performance. Contestants will compete for $5,500 in cash as well as other prizes.
Join Us and Find Out! The Versatile Horse & Rider Competition will take place on Friday, November 8, 2024, in the Coliseum at Eastern States Exposition.
THE COURSE The course for the VHRC will be constructed within the coliseum arena and will feature numerous trail obstacles and riding challenges such as: jumping over obstacles, backing up through a pattern, pole bending or roll backs, various gymkhana games, working gates, riding over or through “spooky objects”, gait/lead changes, flexing, working on the diagonal, etc.
$5,500 IN PRIZE MONEY AT STAKE Cash and other prizes will be awarded to the top ten riders.
FIRST PLACE: $2,500.00 cash prize, Champion rosette and title of “Equine Affaire Versatile Horse & Rider Home Edition Champion” SECOND PLACE: $1,500.00 cash prize, reserve champion rosette THIRD PLACE: $1000.00 cash prize, rosette FOURTH PLACE: $500.00 cash prize, rosette FIFTH THROUGH TENTH PLACES: Rosette
OBJECTIVES AND JUDGING
The Versatile Horse & Rider Competition is a timed race during which the performance of each horse and rider team is judged on each obstacle for quality of horsemanship. For each obstacle, the judge awards performance points on a scale of 0-5 based on the horse’s attitude, the rider’s horsemanship, efficiency, and the team’s overall performance. Horses and riders are required to complete the course within a given time, and each obstacle within 30 seconds. Overall horsemanship points are awarded with the weight of one obstacle, and time is converted to points with the weight of one obstacle. Horsemanship points, time points, and points from each obstacle are totaled. The horse and rider team with the highest overall point score wins.
HOW TO ENTER Application materials are available below. Please complete an entry packet containing the following by September 6, 2024:
NOTE: Riders must be at least 18 years old to apply
