# Jumpers Show



## JDJumper (Aug 27, 2012)

So this year, my barn has decided to put the older girls in charge of organizing events. I was put in the Jumpers show committee, we have never done a Jumpers show at my barn before. My barn is a backyard barn, this a for fun show! Can you please explain what we might need, like judges, timing, faults.. stuff like that? We are keeping are jumped 2'3" and under, since most of our competitors are little kids looking to impress their grandma. Please try and make some sense of the rules to me, i tried to read the national show jumper (whatever it is) handbook/guide but it got confusing since we aren't doing a high ranking or really ranked show. Please keep in mind this is a backyard barn show, strictly for FUN!
Thanks for your help everyone!!


----------



## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

I would try to keep to your local show organizations rulebook, because thoug the kids may not be showing big now, they migt later and a fun show is usually practice for the real thing.

The barn owners can be judges, or one of the older individuals willing to do it. Its a fun show, and its Jumpers, so it shouldnt be that important to have someone certified.

Time faults should follow in accordance to your local show organization. Any sort of timing system can be used, though it would be helpful if you had a way to show the time on some sort of board.

Have a blast! I personally adore hosting and settimg up shows. Always enjoyable!


----------



## JDJumper (Aug 27, 2012)

xJumperx said:


> I would try to keep to your local show organizations rulebook, because thoug the kids may not be showing big now, they migt later and a fun show is usually practice for the real thing.
> 
> The barn owners can be judges, or one of the older individuals willing to do it. Its a fun show, and its Jumpers, so it shouldnt be that important to have someone certified.
> 
> ...


Thanks!! That's really helpful!! But we aren't going to have the barn owner as a judge because she feels she is too biased and isn't comfortable judging it. We are probably going to use her daughter in law. But thanks that information is really helpful!! I'll be doing some more research tonight!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## KWPNowner (Sep 25, 2012)

Your local show organizations most likely run in accordance with USEF (the national governing body) rules. There are actually a number of jumper scoring "tables", meaning ways these classes can be judged. The one most people are familiar with is Table 2.2(a) - that's what you see in Grand Prixs. Most shows don't use 2.2(a) for smaller classes though, so I'll give you the guidelines for a couple different tables that may be better suited to your show. I'll get into those in the bit, first I'll give you the basic rules for jumper classes in general. I'm writing this thinking that you mean just jumpers - the classes that are objectively judged on speed and faults, rather than hunters or equitation, which are the classes that are subjectively scored on the horse or rider's (respectively) performance. There are a couple things you ALWAYS need for jumper classes - a timer of some sort (for a small show, a stopwatch works just fine) with clearly marked 'beginning' and 'end' points before the first jump and after the last (cones would be fine for a schooling show), respectively, at which you can start and stop timing; a judge to record faults over the course as well as the time; and a whistle to indicate to the riders when to start, as well as to signal to them if they are disqualified. The judge will blow the whistle to indicate that s/he is ready for the rider to start. After blowing the whistle the rider has 45 seconds to get to the first jump - if they don't do so in that time frame, the clock starts, regardless of if they have gotten to the first jump. If a rider is disqualified - for going off course, for falling, or for two refusals (the horse is allowed one stop, but on the second they are asked to leave) - the whistle is blown twice to indicate that they are disqualified. If a horse stops at a jump, but knocks the rails over in the process, the time is stopped, indicated by the whistle being blown once. The jump is then re-built and the horse gets to jump it again. The time is started again when the horse jumps the re-built jump. Faults can be earned over the course or on the clock. Faults over the course come from knocking a rail (or rails) down for four faults or stopping at a jump for four faults (if a rider does a circle in front of a jump, that is considered a refusal as well). If the horse knocks the jump down when he stops, as described above, he gets four faults for the jump plus six seconds added to the clock. Time faults come from going over the time allowed for the course. Each second over the time allowed is one time fault. Time allowed is calculated based on the speed the horses should be going, as well as the length of the course. Normally, the first round time allowed is 350 meters per minute - however, at the level show you're describing, you may prefer a slower time allowed. 300 meters per minute would even allow trotting in places. To calculate the time allowed for a course, you measure how long the track around the course is, then divide by the speed you want the horses to go. I'll write a separate post describing the different jumper tables - this is already a book!


----------



## KWPNowner (Sep 25, 2012)

I can't seem to get my paragraphs to show up in the previous post - sorry for the WOT! I'll see if I can do better on this post. The jumper table you most often see for little jumpers is Table 2.1, often referred to as a "speed" class. These classes only have one round and the winner is decided based on whoever did the course the quickest, with no faults. Running the classes this way will keep the show moving quickly, but speed classes can get a little scary over small jumps. Additionally, if it's a small show and there is no need to move through the classes especially quickly, you might want to do a two-round format. Table 2.2(a) is a two round format, but it is generally only used for big classes. 2.2(b) may be the best option for your show. In this format, the riders go over a timed first round in which faults, both on the clock and over the course are recorded. All horses who jump clear (meaning, didn't knock anything down and get in under the time allowed) stay in the ring for jump off over a shorter course. The horse finishes the first round, then waits for the whistle to indicate they may start the jump off. The jump off is judged like a speed class - fastest horse with no faults wins. In judging the class overall, the horses that jump clean are tied until the jump off, then you go down the list in order of faults. If three horses made it to the jump off, they will be places 1 - 3. If another horse left all the jumps up, but was a little slow,ending with 2 on the clock, he will be 4th. If two other horses each had one fence down, for 4 faults each, the faster four-faulter will be 5th and the slower will be 6th. Another option is optimum time. In these classes an 'optimum time' is posted (it is four seconds less than the time allowed) and the rider that goes clean with the time closest to the optimum time (either over or under) is the winner. This is a good format over smaller jumps as it doesn't encouraged scary running at the jumps. I'm happy to answer any questions is that wasn't clear or there are more details you'd like to know!


----------



## JDJumper (Aug 27, 2012)

KWPNowner said:


> I can't seem to get my paragraphs to show up in the previous post - sorry for the WOT! I'll see if I can do better on this post. The jumper table you most often see for little jumpers is Table 2.1, often referred to as a "speed" class. These classes only have one round and the winner is decided based on whoever did the course the quickest, with no faults. Running the classes this way will keep the show moving quickly, but speed classes can get a little scary over small jumps. Additionally, if it's a small show and there is no need to move through the classes especially quickly, you might want to do a two-round format. Table 2.2(a) is a two round format, but it is generally only used for big classes. 2.2(b) may be the best option for your show. In this format, the riders go over a timed first round in which faults, both on the clock and over the course are recorded. All horses who jump clear (meaning, didn't knock anything down and get in under the time allowed) stay in the ring for jump off over a shorter course. The horse finishes the first round, then waits for the whistle to indicate they may start the jump off. The jump off is judged like a speed class - fastest horse with no faults wins. In judging the class overall, the horses that jump clean are tied until the jump off, then you go down the list in order of faults. If three horses made it to the jump off, they will be places 1 - 3. If another horse left all the jumps up, but was a little slow,ending with 2 on the clock, he will be 4th. If two other horses each had one fence down, for 4 faults each, the faster four-faulter will be 5th and the slower will be 6th. Another option is optimum time. In these classes an 'optimum time' is posted (it is four seconds less than the time allowed) and the rider that goes clean with the time closest to the optimum time (either over or under) is the winner. This is a good format over smaller jumps as it doesn't encouraged scary running at the jumps. I'm happy to answer any questions is that wasn't clear or there are more details you'd like to know!


Thank you so much!!! I was reading over a few rules packets the last week or so, I think the barn owner, the rest of the committee, and I, have decided to make falls and multiple refusals worth more faults, because we don't really want to do elimination. Since we are a small back-yard barn, it would be harsh for us to do so, especially since most of our competitors are young children, not looking to get into the real show world.


----------

