2025 Reined Cow Horse Judging Contest

NRCHA Contest Entry Form

Reined Cow Horse Judging Contest Rules

Each College or University, or Youth organization may enter up to two teams, and individuals may be entered in addition to a team. College teams will consist of no more than five (5) members, Youth teams no more than four (4) members. The 5-member College and 4-member Youth teams will have the lowest overall individual score dropped. However, the individual dropped and other individuals are all eligible for individual awards. The 4-member or less College and 3- member or less Youth teams will not have a dropped score for the team score.

This contest is open to any properly accredited College or University, and Youth team or individuals. There will be two divisions: College and Youth.

All entries are due February 16th. Late entries will be accepted through February 21st with a $25 late fee per person. Entries should be sent to Christy Adams (see below).

Eligibility: Any college undergraduate student representing his or her institution who is currently enrolled as a full-time student in good standing, who has never acted as an official judge for a horse association and who has never served in the capacity of teacher of horse judging in a college or secondary school is eligible to compete in this contest.

For the Youth division, all contestants must be at least 14 years of age, but not have passed their 19th birthday on January 1st for current year (2025). Contestants may not have participated as an official in a post-secondary Horse Judging contest, nor have been enrolled or had formal training in a post-secondary Horse Judging course.

College or Youth contestants that have previously judged in this contest MAY judge again, this contest does not affect Limited Division eligibility.

Contest Rules: While the contest is in progress, there will be no conferring between contestants or between a contestant and anyone else except as directed by the contest superintendent or his/her representatives, conferring about scores with other contestants will result in immediate disqualification from the contest. Any contestant found with a cell phone or any other electronic device that would aid in conferring will be immediately disqualified. Any questions that pertain to contest instructions shall be directed to a contest official.

Classes: Two classes each of Boxing, Box-Drive-Box, and Fence work will be judged for a total of six classes. There will be four horses judged in each class. Every horse will be scored on their Reining and Cow work. Scoring will be performed individually and on Judges score sheets provided. Scoring MUST follow NRCHA Judge’s Guidelines for both the Cow and Reined work. Specific procedures for scoring will be provided and reviewed at the coaches meeting and/or instruction session.

Card Placing: Each contestant shall turn in placing on an official scan-tron at the conclusion of the six classes. Placings are 50 points per class for a total of 300 points. Once a scan-tron has been turned in to a contest official, the scan-tron will not be returned for any reason. Score sheets will be taken up at the end of the contest. Accurate score sheets/run scores will not count towards contestant’s overall score. Score sheets will simply be checked to ensure each contestant is judging by NRCHA Judge’s Guidelines.

Written Test: Each contestant will be required to take a written test covering the 2025 NRCHA Handbook. The test will consist of multiple choice, fill in the blank, and/or true/false questions, for a total of 100 points. The questions will come from the rules judging guidelines of the current 2025 NRCHA Handbook (pp. 70-91; excluding herd work and steer stopping).

Penalty Test: A video penalty test will be conducted ranging in 20-50 penalties for a total of 100 points. Contestants will be provided score sheets to use for the penalty clip testing.

Penalty videos will only include reining and fence work (no boxing, BDBD, herd work, or steer stopping)

Official Judges: Official judges of the class rankings are the Show Officials judging the classes used the contest. Classes will be officiated in accordance with the current rules of the NRCHA.

Questions about the Contest can be directed to Christy Adams (cadams@wtamu.edu)