INTRO TO WORKING EQUITATION 2006

In response to requests for a lower level of WE competition, this year PAALH is pleased to offer an Intro to Working Equitation award. This award is geared towards those riders who want to compete in Working Equitation but whose horses are not yet ready for the Novice Level of competition, which requires horses to be at least 5 years old, and capable of performing movements like countercanter, canter changes, canter-halt, canter volte or rollback, medium paces, etc. This is the first time the Intro to WE has been offered, and like the Novice Level, it will be offered as a judged demonstration class to give everyone an opportunity to get a feel for the competition without undue stress.

To encourage riders to prepare their horses appropriately for the Novice Level, this year the Intro Level will require participants to compete in all of three different classes. These classes are as follows:

1) Any Training or First Level dressage test offered at the show; and
2) A reining class; and
3) A trail class.

Intro to Working Equitation participants must declare their intent to compete for this award prior to the start of their first qualifying class and must notify show management at that time which classes they wish to have counted towards this award. Participants will only ride the patterns once per class, and if they choose, their scores will be applied both to the normal class placings as well as to the Intro to WE placings. The Intro to WE component will in no way affect the outcome of the regular classes (dressage/reining/trail). The Intro to WE placings will be established via a point system similar to that used in the Novice Working Equitation (see WE Rules & Regulations).

Intro to WE participants must abide by the regulations that apply to each of the three classes with respect to rules, tack and attire. If participants wish to compete in tack and attire that is not normally permitted in the classes involved, they may follow the tack and attire regulations that apply to the Novice Working Equitation competition, however they will only be eligible for the Intro to WE award placings, and not placings in those classes where the tack/attire does not conform to the normal class regulations. For example, a competitor participating with western tack in a dressage class would only be eligible for WE placings, not regular dressage class placings.

It is the competitors' responsibility to educate themselves in the rules and regulations pertaining to all these classes, and to notify show management in advance of their intent to participate.

There will be an additional entry fee for the Intro to WE competition over and above the normal class fees for those participants wishing to be eligible for placings in both the relevant regular classes and the Intro to WE. For those competitors who are competing in WE regulation attire/tack in classes where such attire/tack is not permitted, or who do not wish to be eligible for placings in the relevant regular classes, only the normal class fees will apply.

If you have ANY QUESTIONS regarding the Working Equitation competition, please email me at rafalet2ride@yahoo.ca

Click on links below to view PAALH 2006 Working Equitation information

• PAALH Working Equitation Home Page

• WE Regulations & Judging Guidelines 2006

• WE Obedience/Dressage 2006

• WE Course Map 2006

• WE Ease of Handling 2006

• WE Speed 2006

Rafalet Equine Consulting Home Page

Last updated June 26, 2006

© 2006 K. Woollatt. All rights reserved.