General Rules and Class Guidelines

[Dorian Park]

*Updated as of June 21st 2017*
*note, any gaps that appear are whited out text, that is not relevant at the moment

Forum Guidelines

• Signatures

Please keep signatures to a minimum size, preferably no more than 150px in height. This keeps the forum looking much more neat and tidy and keeps the threads easy to read. Remember that if you are using someone else's images you need to have permission to do so.

• Manners

ABMHA is a fun and friendly club and rudeness will not be tolerated by our members. Everyone knows how to be nice, so just behave. ;D


General Rules

• Maximum of five horses per person, per class.
  
• One horse per photo unless otherwise stated.
  
• One photo per horse, per class.
  
• Photos cannot be larger than 400px x 400px - no exceptions!
  
• No digital editing of photos. Only exceptions are cropping, brightness/contrast and colour balance. No borders; text is allowed if discrete.
  
• Photo description MUST contain: Horse's name, color, breed, gender and your abbreviation. If you have a brand before the name which is related to your user/account name or a stud prefix, then that can be used instead. Abbreviations may be used as a prefix (before the horse's name).
  
• All classes consider realism, clarity and creativeness as part of the judging process, as well as any particular notes regarding the type of class.
  
• Horses will be disqualified by the judge if rules (not advice) are not followed.
  
• Horses without title information will be disqualified.
  
• All active showers must also take part in judging. We ask that everyone judge a minimum one section each month.
  

Ring Guidelines


Show Rings

• Original Finish Plastic - open to original finish Breyers, Stones, Copperfox, and the like, all sizes (Breyer Ponies (similiar to Grand Champions, and Mini Whinnies are the exception).
  
• CM/AR/Chinas - open to any Customized, Artist Resin models and chinas, all sizes (except Customized Grand Champions and Breyer Ponies which show in the Grand Champions ring).
  
• Toy - all original finish or customized GCs or Breyer Ponies, Mini Whinnies, Schleichs and similar .
  

Class Guidelines

Halter Classes

• Halters are optional; bridles may be used provided there is a handler visible.
  
• Any other tack (except competition numbers) worn is an offence and horses will be disqualified.
  
• Conformation is one of the key items considered, as well as the following:
  

Gender Classes

• For the purpose of ABMHA showing, foals are not considered adults until they reach three years of age. Therefore, yearlings, weanlings, etc, should all be shown in the Foal class.
  
• Horses aged three years and older should be placed into their respective gender class.
  
• Stallions are judged on typical stallion qualities - a cresty neck, a haughty or regal look, and energy are just some of the things that will be considered.
  
• In a mare, the judge will be looking for features like a feminine expression, a sweet nature and other typical mare features.
  
• Geldings are not so strict as the above genders, as they can vary depending on their breed and the age at which they were gelded. However, calmness and workability will be factored into the judging process.
  
• Foals should match the breed chosen for them (as should all horses), and preferably exhibit curiousity, or other typical foal habits.
  

Type Classes

• please select the type class that best fits your horses breed. Note ponies do not have their own class and should go in whatever type fits them best.
  SHOWERS:
  1. Be realistic - no purebred drafters in the pony class, please put all Spanish Gaited in the Gaited class, etc.
  2. Be consistent - if, for example, you are going to call your NSH "Gaited", then you cannot enter 5 NSHs in Gaited, another 5 in Light, another 5 in Other Pure, another 5 in Partbred. Decide where you want them to go.
  3. Be thoughtful - if you have an unusual breed, or a breed that may go into one of several classes, think about including a link for the judge so that they can see *why* you entered the horse there. It is not the judge's job to spend their time researching your horse's breed, so try to help them out. If your horse can go into one of several classes, give some thought as to which one they are best suited for, given the competition they will likely have.
  
  JUDGES:
  Unless a horse is obviously in the wrong class, please do not DQ an entry because you would prefer to see it in another class, just place it lower. If your preference would be to see "Mr. Ed" the NSH as a Partbred instead of Gaited or Other, then Mr. Ed may not place as high in the Gaited or Other Pure class. You may still include comments about why the horse didn't place as well, or PM them to a shower.
  
  Look to see if the shower has done some research to provide you with information to help you see *why* they have placed Mr. Ed there - it may make more sense to you then.
  
  
• If you are not sure what breed type your horse is, post a photo and the horse's info in the Names and Breeds board and someone will help you.
  
• This class is judged on how well the horse fits the breed type standard for the breed selected. The model should resemble the breed chosen for it - the judge wants to see thought put in to the breed choice.
  
• If the breed chosen is a rare breed, a reference should be included. A link to a breed registry or other reputable site is accepted.
  

Color classes

• Any horses with broken colouring must go in that class, not the base colour class.
  
• Spotted pattern refers to Appaloosa spotting patterns, regardless of breed.
  
• Pinto pattern refers to broken colour (except spotting patterns), regardless of breed.
  
• Dilute refers to horses with the dilute or silver gene active in their coat colour. This includes but is not limited to, palomino, cremello, buckskin, dun, champagne, silver bay.
  

Liberty Class

• Liberty is judged on the horse's flair and energy. Therefore, standing models are not recommended.
  

Headstudy Class

• This class is to show off your model's photogenic qualities of the head, throat latch and neck. The desired photo should show a close up of the horse's head and neck and "not" extend into the horse's shoulder. The top of withers should not be visable, nor the topline of the back or any part of the horse's chest. Only the first 50% of shoulder can be in the picture (Imagine an "x" in the center of the shoulder of the horse and do not include the back portion of the "x". The eye should be clearly visionable with no shadow cast upon it or the horse's face.
  

Performance Classes

• A comment stating what is being performed is compulsory.
  
• Suitable props should be used where needed (eg, a jump in showjumping, hunter over fences and cross country; fence and marker in dressage; trail prop in English or Western trail, etc).
  
• Dolls are optional; your entry will not be marked down if there is no doll present.
  
• Please use proper tack where necessary, and make sure it is suited to the task (no Western saddles in English performance, please!). Plastic tack is fine; just make sure it fits properly.
  

See below for a very basic run-through and description of performance classes

English Performance
Events can include but are not limited to: English pleasure, English trail (arena or natural), dressage, showjumping, cross country, hunter (under saddle or over fences), hacking, bareback classes, leadline equitation or any games performed in English tack.
They require an English bridle, relevent to the class (snaffle, double, pelham, etc).


Western Performance
Events can include but are not limited to: Western pleasure, Western trail (arena or natural), roping, reining, cutting, bareback classes, leadline equitation, team events, camp drafting (if in a Western saddle), equitation, or any games performed in Western tack.
They require a Western bridle or hackamore, and saddle if relevent to the class. Bridles/hackamores must be relevent to the breed and age of the model.


Other Performance
Events can include but are not limited to: Saddleseat & Gaited events, endurance, sidesaddle, costume classes, racing, camp drafting (if in an Australian stock saddle), coon jumping or harness events.

Showmanship/Handler Class
This class requires a handler/doll to be in the photo.
In English Hanlder, a halter or bridle may be worn. Judges may mark up an entry for tack relevant to the breed. Only Western breeds (stock breeds and POAs) may be used in Western showmanship, and only halters may be used.
This class is judged on the handler's ability to exhibit the horse.



Entering Your Horses


Where
We hold our shows in our Goole Drive account, each make and division has a folder with albums for each class. PM CrowsNestFarm or Abbey to be added to the account. There are a maximum of 5 horse per shower per class. If more than that are entered the first 5 in the album will be judged and the others DQ'd or deleted.

How
Once each photo is uploaded please give the following information in the title area of the photo: Horse Name - color - breed- gender - your showing initials.
this can be done in one of two ways:

CNF Sheza Hot Tamale roan QH mare
-or-
Sheza Hot Tamale roan QH mare - CNF

other information such as make (usually only applicable in the OM or CM divisions), size etc are allowed following the compulsory information.
In performance classes please be sure to include a brief description of what the horse is doing, for example:

CNF Sheza Hot Tamale roan QH mare - jogging over ground rails in western trail