Lyons Den Futurity Competition to be held in November 7, 2009

2009 Lyons Den Futurity

To be held the morning of the annual sale.
Only horses physically purchased in the sale or foals by bred mares in the sale.

Lyons Den Farms will hold $100 from the sale of each horse sold to use as added Money in the 2009 Futurity.

$25 will be added to the purchase price of every lot sold for pre-entry in the 2009 Futurity.  An additional $25 will be due the day of the 2009 Futurity.  Pre-entry is appreciated but not required.
$4 ,000 Purse:

Money will be paid 3 places in each division and class.  Points will be awarded through 6 places in each class to determine the overall division winner.

Futurity Rules and Classes

2009 Lyons Den Futurity Classes:

1. Yearling Division
A.  Conformation
B.  Trail in hand
2.  2 Year Old Division
A.  Ranch Pleasure
B.  Reining
C.  Trail
D.  Conformation
3.  3 Year Old Division
A.  Ranch Pleasure
B.  Stock Horse Versatility (Reining and Cowhorse)
C.  Trail
D.  Confirmation

• 2 yr old’s and 3 yr old’s will show together in the Ranch Pleasure, Trail, and Versatility classes.  The class placings will be separate according to the judges’ placing.  The highest placing 2 yr old will be 1st place 2yr old and so forth. 
• A horse must complete in all classes within its division to be named division winner.  In the event that no horse competes in all classes within its division, then the horse that completes and places in the most classes will be named division winner.
• Horses will be awarded points for placing in each class.  The horse with the highest overall point total and competing in the greatest number of classes will win the division.  All horses in the class will be placed through 6 places.  1st place will be awarded 6 points down to 1 point for 6th place

You may compete in all four classes of the division or any single/combination.  The same rider must compete in all class in the division.  The rider will be declared on the entry form.  We encourage the registered owner to compete, but it is not required.  No tie downs, martingales or roping reins are allowed.  Patterns for the rider to follow upon entering the arena will be based on the patterns of LaSH.  In the event your horse goes down, if you and the horse are both ok, you can complete your run.  Each horse/rider team will be judged on a point system in the following four categories:

Class Descriptions:

Conformation

The conformation class will be judged at the end of all contestants’ arena work.  Conformation will be judged by division.  Contestants will begin by leading their horse to and away from the judge.  The standing appearance judging will follow AQHA guidelines for Performance Halter, as per the AQHA rulebook.

Ranch Pleasure
(click on Ranch Pleasure for a printout of the infomation below.)

The Ranch Pleasure class will be judged according the the rules as set forth for LaSH Competition.

This class serves to measure the ability of the horse to be functional and a pleasure to ride while being used as a means of conveyance from one ranch task to another.

The class will be shown individually. Each horse will enter the pleasure course and perform the required gaits at each marker. The class shall be set-up to allow the horses to complete the course once in each direction. Markers will be set to designate gait changes. All transitions should be smooth.

The order of gaits shall be as follows:

1. Walk
2. Trot
3. Extended Trot (may or may not be required)
4. Lope
5. Stop and Reverse
6. Walk
7. Lope
8. Extended Lope (may or may not be required)
9. Trot
10. Stop and Back

Description of Pleasure Gaits - The horse shall have a level head carriage - neither too high nor too low.

Walk - The horse should walk out straight, square, flat footed, relaxed and should move out freely with the horse looking ahead
Trot - This gait should be a square two-beat diagonal trot. The trot should be steady, soft and slow enough for riding long distances. Trots which are rough and hard to sit shall be penalized.
Extended Trot - The extended trot should show a lengthening of stride from the regular trot with the same cadence that will cause an increase in speed. This trot should be level, flat and steady with the appearance that the horse would hold this gait for an extended distance.
Lope - This gait should be a three beat gait that is cadenced, straight, steady and comfortable to ride over long distance.
Stop (from both lope and trot) - The horse should be in the correct stopping position - both hocks engaged and stopping on the hindquarters.
Reverse - The horse should turn briskly and flat with the front feet on the ground and holding an inside rear pivot foot.
Extended Lope - This gait should be an obvious lengthening of stride from the previous lope, be at the same cadence and cause an increase in speed while being under control.

Reining

The Reining class will be judged according the the rules as set forth for LaSH Competition.

The Reining Pattern is as follows: (click on Reining Pattern for a printout.)

1. Enter the arena
2. Trot to center and stop
3. Spin to right (at least one, no more than 3 spins - same number in each direction).
4. Spin to left (at least one, no more than 3 spins - same number in each direction).
5. Lope to left to opposite end of arena.
6. Stop and rollback to right. Lope opposite direction. Pass through center of arena. Continue into right circle.
7. Make a full circle to right. Continue through center of arena (DO NOT STOP). Lope on the end of the arena.
8. Stop and Rollback to left. Lope straight down arena wall to midway of arena.
9. Stop and back 15 feet

(Horses should stay 20 feet off the wall at ALL times.)

Three Year old horses will remain in the arena at the end of the reining pattern and complete the Versatility Cow Work.

Trail

The Trail class will be judged according the the rules as set forth for LaSH Competition.

Trail Class Obstacles
(click on Trail Class Obstacles for a printout of the information below.)

Stock Horse Versatility (Reining and Cowhorse)

The Stock Horse Versatility (Reining and Cowhorse) class will be judged according the the rules as set forth for LaSH Competition.
(Click on the Stock Horse Versatility for a printout of information below.)

There will be a 2 1/2 minute time limit on this class.

Part One: Boxing the Cow
The rider shall face the cattle entry gate. The rider shall signal for their cow to be turned into the arena. Upon entry into the arena, the cow shall be controlled on the entry end of the arena for a sufficient amount of time to demonstrate their horse's ability to "hold" the cow.

Part Two: Release the cow and Drive down the MIDDLE of the arena to the Opposite end of the arena.
After the cow has been controlled on the entrance end of the arena, the rider shall deliberately release the cow and drive it down the middle of the arena to the opposite end. Driving will be down the center of the arena to demonstrate the horse's ability to track, rate, and control the cow.

Part Three: Box the cow at the oppostie end of the arena.
The rider will again control or "hold" the cow at this end of the arena for a sufficient amount of time to demonstrate the horse's ability to "hold" the cow. The rider may stop and raise their hand it they desire to quit the pattern before the 2 1/2 minutes are expired.

If time expires prior to the horse completing the 3 parts of the cow work, the horse will be scored to that point. A horse completing the pattern will be placed higher than a horse not completing the pattern.

Incentive for LaSH Participants:

Lyons Den Farms will award $500 to any Lyons Den bred horse competing in the LaSH 2008 Competition and receiving the honor of High
Point horse in each division (open, cowboy, novice, or youth) and $250 to any Lyons Den bred horse competing in the LaSH 2008
Competition and receiving the Reserve High Point award in each division (open, cowboy, novice, or youth).