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Rules for Breed Shows
I - Purpose: this text relates to the
rules and conditions for Lipizzaner breed shows. It deals with legal aspects,
the desirable practical arrangements and the mode of operation of the panel of
judges, a standard scoring sheet, bonus money, protest procedures, animal
health requirements.
II – Publicity.
Lipizzaner breed shows, as with other horse breeds, are subject to the
obligation of publication by the National Stud (Haras Nationaux). The breed correspondent must therefore be notified
who in turn contacts the appropriate official within the National Stud
organisation.
III – Practical arrangements – It is desirable both for the purposes of organizing the
competition and the comfort of the judges that proper arrangements be made. A
judge’s box should be set aside for the members of the panel. To enable them to
consult, this box should be separated from the general public and afford
shelter from bad weather.
Availability of a table and chairs
would facilitate the work, in particular note-taking by the panel secretary.
An arena that can be used in all
weather should be made available for presentation of the horses (minimum 60x20
m - by way of exception, 40x20 m).
IV – Make-up of the panel of judges
The national approval committee (judges’
panel) comprises:
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2 representatives of breeders appointed by the Board of Directors of the Association Française du Lipizzan, one
who shall be the presiding judge.
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1 representative of the National Stud, appointed by the Director General, who shall
be the panel secretary.
The committee
may seek the advice of one or several foreign experts.
It can validly proceed if it is
composed of:
A
presiding judge (breeders’ representative)
A
National Stud representative
The committee shall ask the Veterinary
Services of the Département to assign
a veterinarian whose presence is desirable although not mandatory.
V – Judging regulations
5-1 Role of panel of judges
The presiding judge ensures smooth
operation of the jury in accordance with ethical and regulatory requirements as
defined in the applicable rules and regulations. He/she shall maintain a
cooperative spirit that fosters exchanges between the members of the panel such
that deliberations remain open, enriching and collaborative.
Members of the panel shall willingly
and considerately enter into the temporary community of judges whose decisions
shall be a joint expression. They therefore express their opinions without
restraint but always in a kindly manner when passing judgment on the horses
presented to them. Following deliberations and the joint summing up, they shall
be careful not to make statements, even on a private and apparently
confidential basis, that could impair the decisions publicly announced.
5-2 Judging
After introducing each member so that
they get to know one another, the presiding judge describes the work method
used to achieve a jointly devised score and commentary on each horse once it
has been presented.
The qualities of the horses presented
shall be judged on the basis of the breed standard defined in the AFL Breeding
Regulations (Appendix 3).
Once the horses have been presented and
given scores, judges shall confer privately so that together they can prepare
announcement of the results. As a rule, the presiding judge announces the
results and the jointly formulated comments and assessments of the panel on the
horses under scrutiny, followed by any appropriate expression of thanks as
dictated by the particular circumstances: members of the judges’ panel,
organizers, person or entity hosting the event.
VI – Grounds for
elimination/disqualification of horses
6-1 Registration papers:
registration papers and the vaccination card shall be checked. Failure to
comply with national regulations are grounds for elimination.
6-2 Sanitary status:
The panel shall evaluate the sanitary status of the horses presented to them.
Failure to meet the standard that can be expected in these circumstances,
whether due to ill health, unfitness or just poor grooming, entails elimination
of the horse.
6-3 Doping: any horse that is
tested positive for doping shall be eliminated..
6-4 Rider’s attire:
unkempt appearance of the rider shall be considered as discourteous to the
panel and to the horses presented. It shall be grounds for eliminating both the
rider and the horse.
VII – Standard scoring sheet
To facilitate scoring and the work of
the panel, each member should be given scoring sheets as provided by the
Lipizzaner committee. This makes for better understanding between panel members
and helps to achieve the composite scores. An example of this sheet is appended
to these rules and can be copied as needed.
VIII – Protests procedure
Horse owners or riders who wish to
lodge a protest can do so by following the procedure below:
Any protest shall be expressed in
writing and sent to AFL within 8 days following the competition by registered
mail with acknowledgment of receipt, accompanied by a cheque for the amount of
50 € to the AFL that is forfeited if the protest is not upheld.
Protests expressed orally are not
admissible.
Protests shall be examined by the AFL
Bureau which shall hear any relevant statements and testimony. It rules on the
admissibility and follow-up of the protest. Its decision is final.
IX – Bonus Money
Winners in breed classes shall be given
ribbons commensurate with the marks achieved by their horses together with
bonuses as provided for depending on the competition.
X - Eligibility to compete
Any stallion intended for breeding must
be accredited by the Lipizzaner Committee. Because Lipizzaners are late to
mature, only entires aged at least 5 years may be presented to the Committee
(in exceptional cases, 4-year olds may be presented, providing the owner
furnishes a justified request) .
Mares and foals may also be presented
to the Commitee to obtain a quality label.
Entering in show: this shall be done on
the usual forms issued by the Association
Française du Lipizzan and must be sent to the Association’s secretariat 20
days prior to the show.
The entry fee for each horse must be
enclosed individually with the entry form (cheque made out to A.F.L.)
XI - Show classes
a) Applicants
for stallion licences
The horses shall be shown in hand and
ridden.
Conformation and structural correctness
are judged during the presentation in hand, at a walk in a straight line, at a
trot on a triangle.
Judging begins with the horse at a halt
standing 4-5 metres from the judges, squarely on its forelegs with the hind leg
on the judges’ side slightly behind the vertical line, holding its head
normally high, and with its back stretched. Then the horse goes forward at a
walk in a straight line and back again, led by the handler from the left and
with the help of an assistant on the same side, and a whip or lunge whip. The
judges shall judge for structural correctness and Lipizzaner breed
characteristics.
If an “Avrincourt” arena is available,
the horse shall be presented at liberty at a canter and trot.
Individual presentation under saddle.
PATTERN:
Riders perform
their own sequence from a list of compulsory elements (snaffle bridle and
optional spurs - rising trot allowed).
Time allocation 4 minutes. The organizer shall set aside 3
additional minutes for judges to comment
The horse is brought to a halt on the long side for rider to salute
at the beginning and the end of the pattern.
20-m
circle at a trot, on one rein and then the other.
Diagonal
at a trot, lengthened over a few steps..
Extended
walk on the diagonal.
Canter
from trot on both leads.
20-metre
circle at a canter, on one rein and the other.
Canter/trot
transitions
Whole class
On both sides, sequence from rising
trot on large circle on both reins, changing over the diagonal, followed by
canter on one lead and the other, with circles, changing through the trot on
the diagonal. The presentation ends with a segment at the walk on a long rein.
Judges should focus primarily on assessing each horse’s gaits (extension,
balance, elasticity).
To be eligible for registration, the
stallions presented must be graded in one of the following categories: Elite,
1st or 2nd class. Any mark of 5 or below for any of the criteria
disqualifies the horse.
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The judges may also set out special
conditions for using breeding stock, e.g., by restricting artificial
reproductive means or limiting the number of services a stallion may perform
per year for progeny to be eligible to be entered into the Studbook or Registry
concerned. j
b) Mares with foals at foot
The mare shall be presented in hand to
judge conformation and correctness, walking a straight line and trotting a
triangle.
Judging shall begin with the mare at a
halt standing 4 to 5 m from the judges, squarely on her forelimbs and with the
hind limb on the judges’ side slightly behind the vertical line, head held in a
normally high position and back stretched. Then the mare goes forward at a walk
in a straight line and back again with handler on her left side assisted by an
assistant on the same side with a whip or lunge whip. Judges should focus on
structural correctness and Lipizzaner breed characteristics.
If an “Avrincourt” arena is available,
the mare can be presented at liberty at a canter and trot.
c) Colts and Fillies
They are shown in hand to judge
conformation and correctness, walking a straight line and trotting a triangle.
Judging shall begin with the horse at a
halt standing 4 to 5m from the judges, forelegs square and the hind leg on the
judges’ side behind the vertical line, head in the normally high position and
back stretched. Then the colt or filly goes forward at a walk in a straight
line and back again with handler on its left side assisted by an assistant on
the same side with a whip or lunge whip. Judges focus on structural correctness
and Lipizzaner breed characteristics.
If an “Avrincourt” arena is available,
the horse is presented at liberty at a canter and a trot.
d) 3-yr old ridden class
Conformation and structural correctness
are judged first with the horses presented in hand, walking a straight line and
trotting a triangle
Judging shall begin with the horse at a
halt standing 4 to 5m from the judges, forelegs square and the hind leg on the
judges’ side behind the vertical line, head in the normally high position and
back stretched. Then the colt or filly goes forward at a walk in a straight
line and back again with handler on its left side assisted by an assistant on
the same side with a whip or lunge whip. Judges focus on structural correctness
and Lipizzaner breed characteristics.
If an “Avrincourt” arena is available,
the horse is presented at liberty at a canter and a trot.
Individual presentation under saddle
PATTERN
Freely choreographed combination of compulsory
elements (snaffle bridle, optional spurs and rising trot allowed).
Time
allocation: 4 minutes. Organisers must set aside an additional 3 minutes for
the panel to comment.
Halt
on the long side to salute at the beginning and the end of the presentation.
20-m
circle at a trot on both reins.
Diagonal
with lengthening of trot over a few strides.
Extended
walk on the diagonal.
Break
into canter from trot on each lead.
20-m
circle at a canter on both reins
Canter/trot
transitions
Whole class
Perform a sequence at the rising trot
over a large circle on one rein and the other changing over the diagonal,
followed by canter on one lead and the other with circles changing through the
trot. The presentation ends with a segment at a walk on a long rein. Judges
should focus primarily on assessing each horse’s gaits (extension, balance,
elasticity).
N.B.: please note that the breeding
season must be prepared 6 months prior to stallions beginning their service and
that breeders must contact their local National Stud branch.
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