6001. Membership Requirement. Refer Rule(s) 1-5.
6002. Age Requirements. Refer to Rule(s) 5.
A. The minimum age of a youth exhibitor is five (5) years;
B. If a youth is thirteen (13) years of age on December 31, of the preceding year, s/he will show as a thirteen (13) year-old for the next calendar year, even though s/he may become fourteen (14) within the show year;
C. The maximum age is eighteen (18) years. However, if a youth is eighteen (18) years of age on December 31st, of the receding year, s/he will show as an eighteen (18) year-old for the next calendar year, even though s/he may become nineteen (19) within the show year.
6003. Youth Programs. These are the youth programs:
A. Youth eighteen (18) years through five (5) years which may be split into the following age groups:
1) Youth five (5) years through thirteen(13) years,
2) Youth fourteen (14) through eighteen (18) years;
B. Novice Youth eighteen (18) years through five (5) years which may be split
into the following age groups:
1) Novice Youth five (5) years through thirteen (13) years;
2) Novice Youth fourteen (14) through eighteen (18) years
C. Youth Walk Trot eighteen (18) years through five (5) years which should be split into the following age groups whenever possible but which can be combined by the show management when one or both of the classes do not have more than two (2) entries. When combined follow the 5 through 9 rules omitting extended gaits in all classes and the gate in the Trail class.
1) Youth Walk Trot five (5) through nine (9) years;
2) Youth Walk-Trot ten (10) through eighteen (18) years:
E. Events may be offered for each of these youth programs with no restrictions
as to the number in a class.
6004. Combining Divisions. Similar classes in different divisions will be combined however their points allocated to their specific age division. Exception: Color class, refer to Rule(s) 3372-3374 and Novice youth will not be combined.
6005. Birth Certificate. A certified copy of the youth’s birth certificate should be submitted to PHBA.
6006. Marriage. Married contestants or those who have been married, regardless of age, are ineligible for youth competition. Points earned prior to the marriage count towards youth awards.
6007. Recommended Classes. It is recommended that a horse show offer at least three (3) youth classes in any one division for that show to be eligible for approval. At least one (1) class must be youth showmanship at halter.
6008. Ownership. A youth does not have to own the PHBA horse that s/he shows in the youth program classes.
6009. Exhibiting Multiple Horses. A youth may not show more than one (1) horse in any class; however, in individual working events, a youth may show three (3) horses. EXCEPTION: Showmanship, Horsemanship; and were it prohibits such as longe line.
6010. Exhibiting of Same Horse.
A. No horse may be exhibited by more than one (1) youth in any one class;
B. A horse may be shown by different youth in different subdivisions of the same class. Example: a horse shown by a youth in 13 & under western pleasure may be shown by another youth in 14-18 western pleasure.
6011. Stallions. Stallions may not be exhibited in any Youth class. A Youth under 13 years of age may not lead a stallion in any class.
6012. Changing Horses. A judge may not ask the exhibitor to change horses with another exhibitor in any youth event.
6013. Class Specifications. Youth classes will be judged according to the rules of the corresponding open classes, if not specifically described.
6014. Every person competing in the PHBA Youth Program shall be notified that the Youth Program may permit options that might prohibit future Amateur and Novice/Amateur Program eligibility.
6015. At show management’s option, any number of youth performance classes may be offered as Youth 18 & Under and Novice Youth 18 & Under classes. EXCEPTION: jumping and team penning may only be offered as Youth 18 & Under.
6016. Youth classes must be consolidated if insufficient entries warrant.
6017. Youth class of one (1) entry or less must be consolidated.
NOVICE YOUTH PROGRAM
6021. Novice Youth Eligibility. A person is considered eligible to show as a Novice Youth exhibitor when s/he meets the criteria set forth in Rule 6021 A through G. Once an exhibitor has met the foregoing criteria then that exhibitor’s Novice Youth eligibility shall be determined on a class by class basis.
A) The exhibitor cannot have earned a total of fifty (50) youth points or fifty (50) novice youth or more lifetime performance points in any PHBA class in which that exhibitor seeks to show as a novice youth. This fifty point threshold is regardless of division (novice youth or youth (13 and under or 14 to 18 excluding any walk trot division) in a class.
(Example: 22 points in youth western pleasure plus 28 points in palomino bred youth western pleasure would render the exhibitor ineligible to show Novice Youth in novice youth western pleasure)
1) Halter, color, longe line, hunter in hand, parade and walk trot points are not used in calculating Novice Youth eligibility. However points earned in youth halter, color and longe line classes may be used in calculating novice youth year end high point awards and in calculating the novice youth top ten exhibitor lists provided that the exhibitor has earned at least 50 performance points in a class designated as novice youth. Points earned in color halter and longe line may be used in calculating high point awards at APA shows.
B. An exhibitor is ineligible to show in or receive points as a novice youth in a class in which the exhibitor has won a World Champion title in a PHBA performance class in any division except walk trot.
C. An exhibitor is ineligible to show in or receive points as a novice youth in a class in which the exhibitor has won a World Champion title in any other equine organization’s performance class in any division except walk trot.
D. An exhibitor cannot have earned more than 25 points in any other equine organization’s performance class, regardless of levels, classifications of points or divisions, to be considered a Novice youth in that same PHBA class.
E. An exhibitor cannot have earned more than $5000 in cash awards resulting from a performance class in PHBA or other equine organization.
F. An exhibitor may not have received monetary compensation for training an equine activity and be eligible for a Novice Youth designation.
G. This Rule is effective as of January 1, 2023. All points previously earned by any exhibitor in any performance class prior to January 1, 2023 shall count towards his/her Novice Youth eligibility.
6022. Every person seeking this designation must do so on a yearly basis in writing by asking in writing that PHBA issue him/her a Novice Youth Letter. The exhibitor, in his/her written request must specify to the PHBA office, the classes for which the Novice Youth designation is sought. It shall be the primary responsibility of the member to only apply for the Novice Youth designation for a given class where the Member meets the criteria set forth herein. If the member seeks the Novice Youth designation for any given class and knowingly does not qualify for such designation under Rule 6021, that Member may be disciplined in accordance with PHBA Rules and shall be stripped of any awards, titles or points the Member wrongfully received. Upon application for the Novice Youth designation, the PHBA office shall issue a written Novice Youth Letter to the Member containing the list of classes that the applying member is eligible to show as a Novice Youth. It is the exhibitor’s responsibility to carry and to present this letter at the time any Novice Youth class entries are made. Any exhibitor who is a novice in ALL novice classes offered does not need to obtain a Novice Youth Letter but that members membership card must reflect the novice youth status. Receipt of a Novice Youth Letter does not obligate a member to show in the novice youth division.
6023. Youth who are eligible for this Novice Youth Letter and apply for the Novice Youth Letter shall, along with the written application for the Novice Youth Letter pay a $25.00 fee to PHBA.
6024. The Novice Youth Letter must be presented at each and every PHBA (or affiliate) show, including the World Show along with the member’s current membership card whenever the exhibitor wishes to exhibit in a Novice Youth class. Without the Novice Youth Letter verifying the exhibitors’ eligibility to show in Novice Youth classes, the show secretary has the right to decline the entry unless that status can be otherwise verified by the show management.
6025. Novice Youths are eligible to exhibit in any youth class regardless of division, including open division classes and still be eligible to show in Novice Youth classes provided that all points in all divisions in that class do not exceed 50 youth points or 50 novice youth points except as provided in Rule 6026. (Example: 22 points in youth western pleasure plus 28 points in palomino bred youth western pleasure would render the exhibitor ineligible to show Novice Youth in novice youth western pleasure only). Exhibiting in the Youth Walk Trot program shall not have any effect on a member’s eligibility for a Novice Youth Letter however an exhibitor may not show in both Novice Youth classes and Youth Walk Trot classes at the same show per the Youth Walk Trot Rules.
6026. Once a Novice Youth has earned 50 youth points or 50 novice youth points in a given Novice Youth class, that exhibitor is no longer eligible to show in that class in subsequent years as a Novice Youth. However, if a Novice Youth designation is received in a show year that Novice Youth Exhibitor may show that entire year as a Novice Youth in that class as delineated in the Novice Youth Letter regardless of the number of Novice Youth points earned in that year in that class.
Application for Novice Youth Credentials