Competitive and Endurance Program

RMHA Competitive and Endurance Riding Program

Purpose

The RMHA is committed to recognizing RMHA members who participate in US and International competitive and endurance events such as NATRC, AERC, OAATS, FEI. The RMHA Competitive and Endurance Distance Program will award the superior RMH equine athletes enrolled in this program with certificates for the breed high point winner at events, Youth and Adult yearly mileage awards (horse and rider), and mileage milestones (horse and rider), recognition on the RMHA website and in the RMHA magazine.  The RMHA will collaborate with NATRC, AERC, OAATS, FEI, and other recognized competitive/endurance riding organizations on mile tabulation. 

Eligibility Requirements:

• Horse owner/rider must be a current RMHA member in good standing.  In order for miles to qualify for this program, if the rider is not the owner, the rider must also be a RMHA member in good standing.
• The horse must be a registered and certified Rocky Mountain Horse
• Ride participation must be documented
• Program enrollment will follow the horse and is transferable if the horse is sold, providing both the new owner and rider are RMHA members in good standing. 
• A $45 program registration fee per horse for the life of the horse.
• As this recognition program is rolled out in 2009, the program registration fee is waived.  However, the enrollment form must be received by October 1, 2009, for participation in 2009 awards.

Documentation of Rides

• Event must be registered with a recognized Endurance / Competitive trail riding organization
• It is the rider’s sole responsibility to provide official results of ride participation.  In order to simplify mileage tracking, the owner must submit a copy of the horse’s judge card or a print out of the ride completion list to RMHA HQ.  Documentation should be submitted to RMHA within 10 days of completion of the ride, but must be submitted no later than December 20 of the current ride year or miles will not be accepted or recorded for that ride year.  The horse must finish the entire ride and fulfill all completion requirements of the ride; i.e. time, vet parameters, etc.  For multi-day competitions, the horse will receive mileage credit for officially completed days only. A partially completed ride on any day will not count towards this Endurance /Competitive program.   
• For the year 2009, riders can count all mileage for the year, even if the mileage is completed prior to program enrollment if ride documentation and program enrollment form is submitted to RMHA HQ, providing the enrollment form was submitted to RMHA Headquarters no later than Oct. 1, 2009, and mileage documentation is submitted no later than Dec. 20, 2009. 
• Beginning in 2010, program enrollment and payment of registration fee is required before any ride mileage will count.

Awards

• Year End Award for the most competitive or endurance events a horse was ridden in single year.
• Year End Award for High Mileage Overall Competitive Trail Ride, Horse.
• Year End Award for High Mileage Competitive Trail:  Rider of the Year, Adult and Youth.  Miles may have been accumulated on more than one horse providing each horse is registered for this program.
• Year End Award for High Mileage Overall Endurance Trail Ride, Horse.
• Year End Award for High Mileage Endurance: Rider of the Year, Adult and Youth
• Equine and Rider Milestone awards:  These are lifetime awards presented to each Rocky Mountain Horse and rider.  This allows participants to log horse and rider mileage towards a milestone over as many years as needed.  The miles are accumulative and over many ride seasons as long as the participant maintains RMHA membership each year.  There are three milestone levels:  bronze for completion of 1,000 miles; silver for completion of 2,000 miles, gold for completion of 3,000 miles
• If the RMHA is notified at least 3 weeks in advance of a ride, an event high point certificate for the Rocky Mountain Horse with the highest RMH ranking will be sent after ride documentation (including ranking of all Rocky Mountain Horses registered for the ride) is provided to RMHA HQ.
  
  
                                                                                                        11/01/09