(iv) Working Show Horse: Open ONLY to Hacks, Cobs, Maxi Cobs and Riding Horses, mare or

gelding four years old and over, exceeding 148cms. This class is NOT open to Hunters, ie those

horses registered and competing as a hunter with BSHA, Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain or

The Showing Register for the current season. (2024)

All affiliated Open Working Show Horse classes are qualifiers for the BSHA Working Show Horse

of the Year Championship and the RIHS Working Show Horse Championship. The two highest

placed horses, in the top five, not already qualified in each Open Working Show Horse class, will

qualify for the Championships; no Horse placed lower than fifth will qualify. Those Shows held

after the 2024 National Championship Show will carry the qualification(s) forward to 2025; see

Rule 9 for further information.

Ladies Hunter: Mare or Gelding four years old or over, to be ridden by a lady side-saddle. Judges

for this class are to be chosen from the Association’s list of ladies recommended to judge ladies

show horse/side-saddle classes. All horses MUST be a registered hunter ONLY with the BSHA or

SHB(GB). This class will only appear at the BSHA National Championship Show. (2024)

Novice Working Hunter: Not to have won a first prize of £25 or more than a total of £150

(including any Championship prize money) in WORKING hunter class. Grade A Show-jumpers and

Advanced Event horses are not eligible to compete in these classes. Any horse which has qualified

as a Grade A Show Jumper or Advanced Event Horse as at 1st January in the current year is not

eligible to compete in Working Hunter classes. (2024)

(B) Conditions of Registration: Horses must be registered annually. Only registered Horses, including

Novices, may be entered in Affiliated classes. Non-Members may purchase up to a maximum of two

‘Day Tickets’ per Exhibitor, per Rider, per Horse, per season. A Day Ticket will allow entry into

Amateur, Home Produced, In-Hand, Novice, Working, Young Rider and Open Affiliated classes only,

but not RIHS or HOYS qualifying classes except for RIHS Amateur and Working Show Horse Qualifiers

(in these two classes, membership must be completed upon and within 14 days of qualification, in

order to keep qualification). Horses registered using the ‘Day Ticket’ DO NOT require a JMB Height

Certificate to compete however must provide a JMB certificate number to the office within 28 days of

qualifying for any RIHS. (2024)

(iv) Measurement: Animals in ridden height restricted classes WILL NOT be required to be in

possession of a JMB height certificate to compete in RIHS or HOYS qualifiers. However, qualifying

animals will need to be measured WITHIN 28 DAYS OF QUALIFICATION OR BEFORE THE FINAL,

WHICHEVER IS SOONER. The valid JMB Full Height Certificate or a valid JMB Annual Height

Certificate must be submitted to BSHA on receipt from the JMB. There are no exceptions to this

rule. Maxi Cobs, Large Riding Horses, Hunters (with the exception of Small Hunters) and Day Ticket

competitors are exempt. Members can contact the office if they wish to discuss the remeasurement

of their horse. (2024)

(H) Tack: Bitless bridles and running gags are not permitted in any classes. The use of the Swale

bit is discouraged in all classes; it is not permitted in any Novice Horse Classes. The bit used

should be appropriate to the requirements of the horse. Bits must be used in their

manufactured condition without any addition or modification to, or on, any part and conform to

the requirements of the Class. The bit must never be used to reprimand the horse. Such use is

always excessive and will render the rider liable to disciplinary action. Solid curb chains are not

permitted in any ridden or in hand classes run under BSHA rules. (2024)

(ix) Judges are expected to ride all exhibits. When a Horse appears before a Judge in two classes

it is necessary to ride it again as the Horse may give a different ride on its second appearance.

This does not apply to Championships. Horses competing in Novice classes must be ridden by the

Judge, before being asked to “strip” for conformation. Any ride Judge are within their rights to

refuse to ride an exhibit due to ill-fitting tack or a badly-behaved exhibit at any time with

consultation of the Co-Judge or any officiating Steward. (2024)

(C) Mears Ladies Show Horse: (This is a qualifier for the BSHA National Championship Show)

Open to mares or geldings, 4 years old and over, exceeding 148cms, registered with the BSHA or

SSA, to carry a side saddle, to be ridden by a lady. If competing as a registered BSHA riding

horse or hack you are not permitted to compete as an affiliated SHB(GB) Ladies Hunter and

vice versa; ie you must choose in which category your horse will compete as in the Ladies

Show Horse/Ladies Side Saddle classes. (2024)

(D) Novice Hack, Cob, Maxi Cob, Riding Horse and Hunter: A Novice is a Hack, Cob, Maxi Cob or

Riding Horse that has not won a first prize of £25 or more, or more than a total of £150 (including any

Championship Prize Money) in any showing classes excluding Working Show Horses, Rising Star

classes and finals, Ladies Show Horse, or In-Hand classes that were Affiliated to the Association, at

home or abroad, prior to 1st January in the current year. Winnings as a 4 year old are exempt, unless

that 4 year old has won an Open Ridden class with a first prize of £25 or more. If the category has

changed from a Hack to a Riding Horse or vice versa, it may not revert back to a Novice. Snaffle bridles

may be worn for Novice classes. Novice animals must be Registered with the Association or Exhibitors

must have purchased a ‘Day Ticket’ in order to compete in Novice classes. Animals which have been

placed in the top five at either the Royal International Horse Show or Horse of the Year Show in any

OPEN ridden class, BSHA or otherwise, with the exception of the Rising Stars and Search for a Star

finals, are ineligible to compete in Novice Hack, Cob, Maxi Cob or Riding Horse classes. (2024)

(E) Novice Working Show Horse: A Novice is a Show Horse that has not won a ridden first prize of

í25 or more, or more than a total of £100 in any Working class, which were Affiliated to the

Association at home or abroad, prior to 1st January in the current year. Winnings as a 4 year old

are exempt unless that 4 year old has won an Open Working class of £25 or more. Snaffle bridles

may be worn for Novice classes. Novice animals must be Registered with the Association or

Exhibitors must have purchased a ‘Day Ticket’ in order to compete in Novice classes. (2024)

(A) RIHS: At qualifying Shows, the first in each section will qualify (with the exception of the

Working Show Horse, where qualification may pass down to fifth place). If the first has already

qualified, the second will qualify. If the first and second have already qualified, then the third will

qualify; no Horse lower than third place may qualify. Horses competing in any Hunter Sections of

The Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain at any Affiliated Shows cannot compete as a Hack or

Riding Horse classes at the same Show. (2024)

At the Royal International Horse Show and qualifying Shows, all Hunters (including workers),

Ladies Hunter and Small Hunter are barred from entry in the Hack and Riding Horse classes at the

same Show and vice versa. This does not apply to SHB (GB) Ridden Sport Horse classes. (2024)

17. COMPLAINTS

Should any Member wish to register an objection or complaint, whether it is against a Judge,

Exhibitor, Show Organiser or otherwise, they must write to the BSHA office within 14 days of the

event. All complaints will be dealt with by the BSHA Board when received by writing or via

email. (2024)