SUPREME TRAIL CHALLENGE INFORMATION
RULES IN BLUE - Tips @ End
PHILOSOPHY
The Supreme Trail Challenge is part distance riding and part obstacle course. Trails will be long enough to test horse and rider conditioning and stamina, while obstacles will be challenging enough to measure trail ability. The test of a true trail horse and rider team is in the ability to cover a good distance, keeping the horse sound while successfully completing challenges regularly encountered by a working horse/rider trail team.
ENTRIES AND ENTRY FEES
Basic fees: Adult $40.00 Junior $35.00
Discounts available for early entries and multiple family members will be listed on the entry form.
Divisions / classes / timing and distance
- There are three divisions: Training/clinic Level, Level One and Level Two.
Within each division are two classes: Junior (10 through 17 yrs) – Adult (18 yrs and over).
Divisions |
Qualifications |
Obstacles |
Average Speed |
Distance |
Horse Age |
Rider |
Training/Clinic NON -Competition |
4 /registration or tooth inspection |
Little or no trail or distance experience, OR Needs training on distance and obstacles. |
Easiest |
3-4 mph |
15 – 20 miles |
Level One Competition |
4 /registration or tooth inspection |
Should have previous trail experience or attended rides in Training/Clinic division. |
More Challenging |
4-5 mph |
20 -25 miles |
Level Two Competition |
5 /registration or tooth inspection |
This is the equivalent of the open division in CTR. Rider should be a seasoned and experienced competitor. |
Most Challenging and Difficult |
5-7 mph |
25 – 40 miles |
- Only adults may enter the ride on stallions.
- Juniors must wear helmets when mounted.
- In case of extreme weather conditions or other adverse circumstances, ride management has the right to shortened or change the trail as needed to accommodate existing situations.
ARRIVAL – WHAT TO EXPECT
ALL horses participating in the ride, including safety horses, must have a negative coggins test. Yellow copy must be presented upon arrival at ride site.
Stabling - Horses can be stabled in any safe manner. No electric fences/pens may be used as their safety is questionable.
- Stallions must be secured so that they cannot break away (even if they slip a halter) from their tie/stabling location. Management has the option to inspect and make suggestions for safe stallion tying. Stallions not properly secured that get loose in camp MAY be pulled from competition.
- Riders are expected to keep and leave their campsites clean and free of trash. Manure and hay may be scattered unless management requests it be bagged for disposal.
Check-in
- Starts on the afternoon before ride day. Late arrivals must report on ride day morning one hour before the posted/announced time of ride start.
- Soundness, at initial check-in, is a simple pass or fail evaluation. Horses displaying a Grade 3 lameness or above will not be allowed to start. Horses with extremely sore back and girth areas (judges decision to be used here) will not start.
- Each judge will adhere to the defined procedure of using the flat palm of the hand with a little heel pressure for evaluating backs and girths. No gouging, poking, digging into the back will be allowed.
- For soundness observation, horses will be trotted straight out and back approximately 125 ft. If soundness level is hard to determine or questionable, riders may be asked to trot horses in circles, in hand or by lounging, for further observation by judge or judges.
- Horses will first be observed by one judge. Horses determined to be grade 3 lame must be observed by at least one other judge before the decision to pull the entry is made.
Briefing
- Ride briefing for trail discussion will be conducted the evening before the ride. Late arrivals will be given a shortened version of the briefing in the morning before ride start.
- Trail master will go over trail and maps.
- Each level will be given their time window, average distance and speed.
- Question and answer session.
- Training/clinic question and answer session to be held after briefing.
TACK / ATTIRE / EQUIPMENT / SHOEING
- A saddle is required.
- Some kind of bridle with reins must be used. Headgear may vary, hackamores, bitted bridles, side-pulls, are examples of headgear that may be used. IF A RIDER CAN DISPLAY CONTROL, horses may be ridden in a halter w/reins.
- Out of control horses, as determined by judges or ride management, will be excused from the ride.
- There are no restrictions concerning shoes, hoof boots or leg/ foot protection.
THE RIDE - The ride will include multiple on-trail and some in-camp obstacles.
- Obstacles, as much as possible, will be natural, but in some cases may simulate natural trail obstacles. Examples: opening gates (hinged, as well as rope), going through water, leg yielding, crossing fixed bridges, going through ditches, negotiating logs and brush piles, loading the horse into a trailer, backing in a straight line as well as in an L shape, hill climbs and descents, in-hand maneuvering of the horse, going up and down horse-friendly steps as might be found on a rocky trail and stopping promptly when cued by the rider.
- Rides will be timed events, each with time windows used for starting, arriving at various points on trail and completing. Teams are to start, arrive and finish within established time windows. At the finish line, teams will be penalized ONE POINT PER MINUTE for completing the prescribed course outside time windows either early or late.
- On trail, teams arriving outside time windows will not be penalized; however, riders are strongly encouraged to stay within windows. Doing so, insures teams are maintaining a regulated pace established to keep horses from being overridden. Teams traveling too slowly or too quickly risk arriving at judging check points either before or after judges are present. If judging check points are missed, teams will receive a score of zero (0) for the missed scoring opportunity.
- Markers to indicate distance completed will be used on trail at regular intervals to assist riders in monitoring time and miles traveled.
ON TRAIL
- Riders must stay mounted to progress on trail. Teams MUST follow the prescribed marked course. Failure to do so will result in penalties being assessed by judges based on the severity of the infraction. Judges decisions are final. (Exception: for safety purposes, when trail conditions dictate, a rider may dismount and lead for short distances. Ex: paved roads, bogs, slick rock, trail drop-offs, etc.)
- Simple, “gate and go” condition and soundness checks will be conducted at regular intervals by the judges to insure horses are fit to continue. These checks will be scored and used as part of the overall team score.
- Each rider will dismount upon arrival at a P&R checkpoint.
- After each Pulse and Respiration check on trail, judges will evaluate soundness. This may be an in hand or mounted trot, either, straight out and back, or a “trot by” past the judge.
- Any horse whose pulse or respiration (or both) is 17 or more, in 15 seconds, will be held for 10 minutes and rechecked. If both the pulse and respiration are not below 17 after 10 minutes, for the horse's safety, the team will be pulled.
- Minor dings and scrapes on horses legs will not be noted or scored as part of this soundness evaluation. AS THERE ARE NO BOOT OR LEG PROTECTION RESTRICTIONS, AT THE DISCRETION OF JUDGES, HORSES PRESENTED FOR SOUNDNESS CHECKS WITH SEVERE INTERFERENCE OR OVERREACH WOUNDS MAY HAVE THESE CONSIDERED IN THE OVERALL SOUNDNESS EVALUATION SCORE.
AFTER THE TRAIL IS COMPLETED
- Each team will present for P&R check immediately upon crossing the finish line.
- Each team must complete an in camp obstacle immediately after the final P&R check.
- Final soundness evaluation will be held approximately one hour after the final time window has closed.
SCORING
- Teams will be scored with a positive system. Each team will start with a score of (0).
- Teams will be given the opportunity to earn points as they progress through the ride.
- Total possible points will be based on number of observations/obstacles and P&R&S checks held within each level at each ride.
- The total points per level may vary between rides.
- The team’s final score will be the sum of all of the team’s trail ability/manners observations scores plus P&R&S scores.
- Rider and horse will receive ONE combined score that will be based on horse and rider team performance.
- In lieu of completion points, teams pulled at final check-out for unsoundness of limb, back, loin or girth will receive points equal to the teams’ earned Trail Ability score at ride’s end.
- Teams pulled before final check-out for reasons other than dangerous or unruly behavior, whether voluntarily or by judges, will retain Trail Ability points earned up to the point of pulling or being pulled.
- Teams pulled on trail for unruly, dangerous behavior of either horse or rider, whether voluntarily or by judges, will receive no points and will finish the ride with a score of zero (0).
- The judges will remain on site for at least an hour after the awards ceremony to settle any scoring or placing problems. The judges’ decisions are final once the ride is completed and judges and management have left the ride site.
AWARDS
- 1st – 6th place will be awarded in each class of each competitive division, both Levels One and Two.
- Each team that finishes will get a completion award.
- Training Level teams will be recognized, in both classes, Adult and Junior. The top (6) high scoring teams will be announced at day end awards. This is day recognition only. Clinic teams are not eligible for placement recognition or awards beyond each individual event.
- No prize money will be awarded.
- The title of Supreme Trail Team Champion will be awarded to only one team at each ride. Teams competing in either Level One or Level Two are eligible to receive this award. It will be awarded to the team with the highest overall score from either division.
- The same horse and rider team combo will be eligible for any series or year-end awards.
DRUGS - Performance enhancing drugs are illegal.
- Random drug testing may be conducted.
- The FEI drug policy will be followed.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS, POINTS and STANDARDS
For those who are interested in more detail regarding assignment of points, please read the downloadable Glossary and associated rules.
TIPS - Safety and Courtesy
