NZ Standardbred Breeders' Association

Showing your Standardbred

Subject to review. The rules and information in this section are under active review by NZSBA.

RAS Height Certificates

Every Standardbred competing in a class that's defined by height needs to carry a current RAS Height Certificate and present it to the steward.

The RAS Height Certificate must be carried by all Ridden competitors, as it's the document used to record wins (under the Breed Section). That includes wins from Novice and Open Conformation Classes, as well as Paced, Mannered and Paced & Mannered Classes. Once a horse has 6 wins recorded across both sections (conformation and paced/mannered), their status moves from Novice to Open.

For everything you need to know about RAS Measuring, head over to the RAS website - Click Here

Novice + Open status explained

The following information applies to the Ridden Section of the Standardbred Show Ring only. If you're competing in other RAS Sections (e.g. Park Hack, Hack, Riding Horse, etc.), please refer to the RAS website for further detail.

When a Standardbred starts its show career under saddle, it holds the status of Novice. Every Novice horse must be shown in a single bridle with a snaffle bit. All competitors — Inhand and Ridden — must carry a Showing Passport at every show.

The visual below shows how six wins changes a horse's status.

Important — sub-points

  • You must carry your NZSBA Showing Passport at all times. No exceptions.
  • You must carry your RAS Height Certificate at all times for Ridden sections. No exceptions.
  • If your horse holds Open status, this will be reflected on your RAS Height Certificate.
  • Shows have been asked to refuse entry to any class where an NZSBA Showing Passport isn't presented or carried.

2022 changes to Passports & RAS Height Certificates

Back in 2022, significant changes were made to the NZSBA Passport and the RAS Height Certificate. If you're not across these, or you need a refresher, please read on.

Existing Height Certificates

  • Need to be sent in to have a sticker placed over the First Ridden section.
  • Existing wins are then transferred from the passport across to the height certificate.

New Height Certificates

  • Old-style height certificates are still being issued by RAS without a breed sticker. These ones need to be sent in to have a sticker placed over the first ridden section. Novice wins will be transferred where applicable.
  • New-style height certificates (with the breeds section) for horses that already have novice wins still need to be sent in so those wins can be transferred across.
  • New-style height certificates (with the breeds section) for horses with no novice wins do not need to be sent in.

New Passports

  • Old-style passports need to be returned, and a new passport will be issued ASAP.
  • Old-style passports (the ones with an area for recording novice wins) are no longer accepted as of 1 November 2022.

Easy guide to the changes

Two visuals summarise what you need and what to do.

We strongly recommend you sort this as soon as possible to avoid delays — and being unable to compete — if you haven't already.

  • All competitors with Novice Ridden Horses competing at RAS Level need to send their NZSBA Passport and RAS Height/Performance Certificate to NZSBA. New passports can then be issued, and any wins recorded can be transferred to the Standardbred Section of the RAS Height/Performance Certificate.
  • Life measures: If your horse holds a Life Measure RAS Height/Performance Certificate, send this and your NZSBA Passport to NZSBA so a new passport can be issued and wins transferred.
  • New measures: If your NZSBA Passport has wins recorded on it, send the passport and your new Height Certificate in so the wins can be transferred and a new version of the passport issued. If you don't have any wins recorded on your passport, just send the passport in for a new version.

Change of Ownership

As the Owner or Person Responsible for the horse, you must notify NZSBA whenever there's a Change of Ownership. The horse is not eligible to compete until all of the following steps are completed.

Steps

  1. NZSBA Change of Ownership form: Download the form from this site. Both parties (seller and buyer) need to sign it.
  2. NZSBA Passport: Email the completed Change of Ownership form along with the horse's NZSBA Passport to [email protected] to update the new details.
  3. RAS Change of Owner: Download the Change of Ownership form from the RAS website. Post the completed form and the horse's RAS Height/Performance Certificate to RAS to update the new details.

Standardbred class schedule

Please note: If you'd like more classes, a Ladies' & Gentlemen's class may be added, but is not included in Champion & Reserve Champion Ridden Standardbred.

It is your responsibility to carry your passport and height certificate (for Ridden Section) with you at all times.

NZSBA Rules & Conditions

Subject to review. The rules and information in this section are under active review by NZSBA. Please flag this clearly on the live site so visitors know the content may change.

  • Horses' age is as of 1 August.
  • All Standardbreds must carry an official Harness Racing brand or an official Harness Racing sequenced microchip registered with Harness Racing New Zealand.
  • RAS Height Certificates must be carried where classes are defined by height and in all Ridden sections.
  • NZSBA Show Passports must be carried at all times for identification. A strict policy of "no passport — no entry" is in place at each show.
  • Novice classification: a Novice exhibit or rider is one that has yet to win six (6) classes in any division within the competitions provided at any A&P Show/Event competition. Once an exhibit has achieved 6 wins in Conformation and/or Paced & Mannered classes, you can no longer enter in that category. Novice exhibits are eligible for Open classes; if the exhibit wins an Open class, they are eligible for the Open Championship. All wins (Novice or Open) at all affiliated RAS Show/Events, including the NZ Horse of the Year Show, must be recorded on the NZ Height Certificate until six (6) wins are achieved in both Conformation and Paced and Mannered sections.
  • Wins are to be recorded in the Breed Section of the RAS Height Certificate.
  • Novice horses must be shown in a snaffle bridle.
  • Only Open conformation, Open Champion & Reserve are HOY-qualifying classes.
  • Standardbred schedules are to be sent to NZSBA at [email protected] for approval (not RAS). If schedules are not approved prior to going live online, the section will forfeit their sponsorship of the section.
  • NZSBA offers shows holding a HOY-qualifying section sponsorship of $100 + GST, and $200 + GST for Royal Shows.
  • Judges: when choosing a Judge for this section, NZSBA requires an RAS-listed Judge for all RAS shows/events and wishes these horses to be judged the same as any other RAS section — on conformation, not breed-specific.
  • These classes are HOY-qualifying — horses must be asked to walk, trot and canter on both reins.
  • Please refer all correspondence to the New Zealand Standardbred Breeders Association at [email protected].