- We post this here only as
- an informational resource.
- We are not formally affiliated with the AMHA in any
- way. Questions about
- any of the rules etc of
- these programs should
- be directed to the AMHA
- and/or the AMHA Open Competition Committee.
- an informational resource.
- 1999 AMERICAN MORGAN HORSE ASSOCIATION
OPEN COMPETITION PROGRAMS
- The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) recognizes Morgans competing in events against all breeds with two special awards programs - the AMHA High Point Award and the Morgan Medallion Award. Open Competition participants automatically are entered in both programs when they submit results.
- The AMHA High-Point Award represents a year-end award for outstanding performance by a Morgan horse in each of the program's 25 divisions. Plaques are awarded to the champion and reserve champion of each division. Certificates are awarded third through sixth place. Overall junior High-Point winners receive championship plaques in four divisions.
- The Morgan Medallion Award is a lifetime award presented to each Morgan meeting medallion requirements. Morgan horses may take as many years as needed to earn Medallion points. Each participant receives an official bronze, silver or gold medallion when they have accumulated the necessary points in their division. Medallions are presented in six areas: Carriage Driving, Combined Training, Competitive Trail, Dressage, Endurance Riding and Show.
- Horses who earn five of the six bronze medallions are presented with the Morgan Sport Horse Award, a trophy presented at the annual AMHA awards banquet. As of 1996, three horses have earned this award.
- Points accumulated in the Open Competition Program must be submitted by November 30 each year. Points for the year will not be accepted after that date.
- GENERAL GUIDELINES
- To be eligible for these awards, horses must be registered with the AMHA. Both the owner and all riders of the horse must be current AMHA members. Both the event (show) and the class entered must be open to all breeds. Morgan shows and classes do not count. Results must be submitted on the appropriate entry forms which follow this article, along with appropriate papers as described for each division. Entry forms may be duplicated by the participants. AMHA will not accept event results from prior years or incomplete entry forms*.
- Results will be audited. If there is significant difference between the number of points reported by the owner and the results reported by the show secretary, the entry will not be accepted and the horse will not be eligible for the program the following year.
- All Open Competition entries must pay a registration fee of $15 per horse per year, or a one-time fee of $40 good for the lifetime of the horse. The registration fee must accompany the first set of results sent for the horse.
- A horse may be entered in the Open Competition at any time during the competition year prior to November 30. Points may be added to the horse's file as they are earned. By entering points early, owners help speed the tabulation process. Show and Carriage results must be mailed within 30 days of the completion of the show or event.
- HIGHPOINT AWARD
- The High-Point Award recognizes horses compiling the most points in each division during the year. Each division offers a championship, reserve championship, and four honorable mentions. Award plaques are given t the overall high score junior exhibitor in four divisions. The championships in each division are recognized at the annual AMHA awards banquet. Awards for those unable to attend are mailed after the convention. The divisions are:
- I. Open shows (awards in seven divisions)
- A. In-Hand
- B. English Pleasure (includes English and Hunter pleasure, road hack, bridle path hack, hunter hack and saddle seat pleasure).
- C. Western Pleasure
- D. Pleasure Driving
- E. Hunter/Jumper (classes must be over fences)
- F. Working Western (includes reining, cutting, etc.)
- G. General (includes all other classes: equitation, park, games, etc.)
- II. Competitive Trail Riding and Driving
- III. Endurance Trail Riding
- IV. Carriage Pleasure Driving Singles, Pairs, and Four-in-Hand/Unicorn
- V. Combined Driving Events for Singles, Pairs/Tandem and Four-in-Hand/Unicorn
- VI. Dressage (awards at each level)
- A. Training Level
- B. First Level
- C. Second Level
- D. Third Level
- E. Fourth Level
- F. Prix St. Georges
- G. Intermediare I
- H. Intermediare II
- I. Grand Prix
- VII. Combined Training
- Junior Exhibitor High-Point ( in four divisions)
- A. Carriage and Show
- B. Competitive and Endurance Trail
- C. Dressage
- D. Combined Training
TABLE A
SHOW & CARRIAGE DRIVING POINT CHART
No. in Class First
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Sixth
7th
8th
Partic.
3-4 3
2
1
5-9 5
4
3
2
1
10-14 6
5
4
3
2
1
15-19 7
6
5
4
3
2
1
20-24 8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
25-29 9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
30+ 10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
* If classes are awarded through 6th place, 7th place points will be awarded for particiapting. TABLE B
COMPETITIVE TRAIL RIDE POINT CHART
Numbers of Starting Riders (in any section)
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
1rst-100% 90%
80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 2nd-90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 3rd-80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 4rth-70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 5th-60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 6th-50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 7th-40% 30% 20% 10% 8th-30% 20% 10% 9th-20% 10% 10th-10% Horses receive points according to the number of the mile sof the ride, plus additional points for placing 1st-10th depending on the number of riders in the ride. Example: If you placed third on a 40-mile ride and there were more than ten starting riders, you would receive 40 points for the ride and 80 percent of the 40 (32) for a total of 72 points. TABLE C
COMBINED TRAINING POINT SYSTEM
Division First
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Sixth
Completion
Pre-Novice 4
3
2
1
Novice 8
6
5
4
3
2
1
Training 16
12
10
8
6
4
2
Preliminary 32
24
20
16
12
10
8
Intermediate 64
48
40
35
30
25
20
Advanced 128
96
80
75
70
65
60
- DETAILS OF DIVISIONS
- I. Open Shows
- AMHA High-Point Awards will be presented to Morgans who accumulate the most points in each of the seven show divisions. Shows may be rated or unrated (4H and schooling shows are eligible), but shows and classes must be open to all breeds. Points will be awarded according to Table A. Championship classes will count double. Shows using multiple judges will only count for one set of points.
- Overall show championship awards, which are based on accumulation of points, will receive five points for champion and three points for reserve champion if they are specific to a division (example: English Pleasure High-Point or Western Pleasure High-Point, not Junior Exhibitor or Overall High-Point). Year-end high-point awards will not count toward the final score.
- Classes are grouped into seven divisions: in-hand, English Pleasure, western pleasure, pleasure driving, hunter/jumper, working western, and general. Classes that do not fit in a specific division will be included in the general division. If the class is an open pleasure class (open to both english and western), please indicate if you rode english or western so points for this class can be applied in the appropriate division.
- A copy of the prize list or program from each show entered must be submitted with your open competition entry. Please attach each prize list to the entry sheet for that show. Results should be submitted on AMHA Entry Form A*.
- II. Competitive Trail Rides/Drives
- The Competitive Trail section includes any ride or drive sanctioned by the North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC), the Eastern Competitive Trail Ride Association (ECTRA), the Upper Midwest Endurance and Competitive Ride Association (UMECRA), or other competitive trail rides/drives approved by the AMHA Open Competition Committee.
- Points will be awarded in the competitive trail section according to Table B. Competitive Trail entries should use AMHA Entry Form B*.
- III. Endurance Trail Rides
- The rules for this section follow the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) guidelines. All rides following AERC guidelines are eligible for points. AMHA Open Competition forms must be submitted to the AMHA. Points will be awarded according to the AERC point system. Ride flyers not need to be included for sanctioned rides. Endurance ride entries should use AMHA Entry Form B*.
- IV. Carriage Pleasure Driving & V. CDE
- Carriage driving points may be earned in two divisions at any carriage driving event operated under American Driving Society (ADS or American Horse Show Association (AHSA rules. One award is presented for carriage pleasure, and includes classes such as pleasure driving, obstacle driving, dressage driving, timed marathon, pleasure marathon, and concours D'elegance, which are open to all breeds. A second award is presented to morgans at combined driving events, where each phase (dressage, marathon, and timed obstacles) is considered a class, and the final placing is also counted as a class. For shows to be counted in the CDE division, the show prize list must include "CDE event." Shows without this designation will be counted in the Carriage Pleasure division.
- At driving shows, overall championships based on an accumulation of points will receive five points for champion ad three points for reserve champion.
- AMHA High-Point Carriage Awards will be presented in three categories: single turnout, pair/tandem, and four-in-hand/unicorn. A hitch will be treated as a unit in determining high-point awards. Once the members of a hitch are established, substitutions will not be permitted. If a substitution is made, the unit will be considered changed and points will be accumulated as a separate entry. For Medallion Awards, each member of the hitch will receive points individually. If a hitch is separated, each horse will retain the points earned in the hitch. A separate entry fee must be paid for each member of the unit.
- Carriage Pleasure & CDE points will be awarded according to Table A. Carriage entries should use AMHA Entry Form A*.
- V. Dressage
- To be eligible for the yearly high-point dressage awards, five scores from the same level must be submitted. These scores must be from at least four competitions and be from at least four different American Horse Shows Association dressage judges. The Morgan obtaining the highest median percentage from its top five scores will be the winner of the level. To find the median of the five scores, list the scores in order of percentages earned, from highest to lowest. The middle , or third score, is the median average. Therefore, be sure to send the five highest scores the horse earned during the year that meet the above requirements.
- Entries should list all five scores on AMHA Entry Form A and have a copy of the cover page from each of the five tests attached. This page must include the name of the competition, horse's name, date of competition, judge's name, and percentage score. Do Not send the actual test, only a copy. AMHA will confirm that each judge is AHSA recognized. Scores from non-recognized judges will not count towards year-end high-point or Medallion Awards. Please be sure the judge's name is readable.
- Owners of horses who are not able to submit scores from at least four different competitions may still submit scores as earned and accumulate them to count towards the horse's Medallion.
- VI. Combined Training
- Combined training points may be earned at any horse trial or event following United States Combined Training Association (USTCA) rules.
- Points will be awarded for combined training event final scores according to AMHA Table C. If more than one section is offered in a particular division and overall division awards are given as well as section awards (such as junior and senior/A and B), bonus points will be awarded as follows: novice, one point; training, two points; preliminary, three points; intermediate, four points; advanced, five points. Only first-place overall awards are given.
- Only the overall combined training score is used to figure points, not scores from the individual sections (dressage, cross-country, stadium). Stadium jumping placings may be recorded in the hunter/jumper category of the Show division.
- Combined training entries should be made on AMHA Entry Form A*. Please list one event per line on the entry form.
- VII. Junior Exhibitor High-Point
- A junior exhibitor championship plaque is awarded based on the points accumulated by each junior exhibitor in these high-point divisions: Show and Carriage, Endurance and Competitive rail, Dressage, Combined Training.
- There is no limit to the number of divisions in which a junior exhibitor may compete. The rider/driver must list his or her age on the entry blank to be eligible. A junior exhibitor is an individual who has not reached his or her 18th birthday as of December 1 of the current competition year. The age of an individual on December 1 will be maintained throughout the following competition year.
- If more than one horse has multiple youth riders, the results must be reported on separate sheets (one sheet per rider.)
- MORGAN MEDALLION AWARD
- Specifically designed Medallions are presented to each Morgan meeting the Medallion requirements. Horses may take as many years as they need to earn the required points or miles. Medallions are presented at the end of the year. A horse may only win one Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medallion in each of the six divisions.
MEDALLION REQUIREMENTS Show or Carriage Driving
Endurance or Competitive Trail
Combined Training
Dressage
Bronze 30 points
500 miles
30 points
Training, First & Second
Silver 120 points
1,500 miles
90 points
Third & Fourth Levels
Gold 300 points
3,000 miles
120 points
FEI Levels
- Carriage Driving
- (a maximum of two points is awarded for a carriage driving competition.)
- *Onepoint is awarded for each carriage driving competition, provided
the horse wins a ribbon (1st-6th place).
- *Two points are awarded for each carriage competition if the horse wins four ribbons, one of which must be a first or second.
-
- Combined Training
- *One point is awarded for the completion of each combined training
competition.
- *Three points are awarded for each competition if the horse wins a ribbon (1st-6th place.)
-
- Dressage
- *For Bronze, the horse must earn eight Training, First, or Second level
scores from at least five shows. At least four scores must be from First
or Second level.
- *For Silver, the horse must earn eight Third and Fourth level scores in at least five shows. At least three scores must be at Fourth level.
- *For Gold, the horse must earn eight Prix St. Georges through Grand Prix level scores in at least five shows. At least two scores must be at the Grand Prix level.
- *The final average score for each medal must be at least 55%.
- *For Silver, the horse must earn eight Third and Fourth level scores in at least five shows. At least three scores must be at Fourth level.
-
- Show
- (a maximum of two points is awarded for a show competition.)
- Show
- *One point is awarded for each show provided the horse wins a ribbon
(1st-6th place), or is in a class of 25 or more.
- *Two points are awarded for each show if the horse wins four ribbons, one of which must be a first or second.
-
- Trail (Competitive or Endurance)
- *Medallion miles are awarded according to the number of miles of a completed ride.
-
- AMHA SPORT HORSE AWARD
- To receive the Morgan Sport horse Award, horses must earn medallions in five of the six medallion divisions. This award represents a lifetime of achievement.
- * For the AMHA Entry Forms A and B please contact AMHA for these forms. To use them you must be enrolled in the program. On more details of how to be included in the Open Competition Programs contact AMHA.
- A big thank you to Christina Friedkin for taking this project on. This page will be updated as new rules and changes come in.