The racehorse that becomes a show horse

If it is a registered Standardbred carrying an official Harness Racing freeze brand or an official HRNZ sequenced microchip, yes. It does not matter whether it raced, how it raced, or how long ago it retired. Ex-racehorses, horses that never made it to the track and horses bred purely for pleasure are all eligible.

There is nothing separate to join. Your $12.50 Showing Passport fee is also your NZSBA Riding Membership for the season, so it comes with the passport rather than being an extra step or an extra cost. The passport is the only document you must have in the ring. Membership of NISA or NZSRA is worth having if you want to contest their high points series and go to their events, but it is not needed to enter a show.

It is your horse's identity document for the ring. It confirms the horse in front of the steward is the registered Standardbred it is entered as, carrying its breeding, colour, markings, brand or microchip and current owner. Since 2026 it is issued as a digital card in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.

Shows have been asked to refuse entry to any class where a passport is not presented, so it is not optional. Apply for one here.

$12.50 per horse for the season, paid on the application form. The form takes about ten minutes if you have the horse's details and two photographs ready. Applications are processed weekly, so leave time before entries close for your next show.

Yes, for all ridden sections and for any class defined by height. It is also the document your wins are recorded on, which is what moves a horse from Novice to Open. Measuring is handled by the RAS, not by us.

Every horse starts as a Novice. Once it has won six classes in conformation, and six in paced and mannered, it moves to Open in that section. The two are counted separately. Novices must be shown in a single bridle with a snaffle bit, and a Novice can still enter Open classes. The full explanation is here.

Either. In hand classes judge the horse on conformation and are a good place to start, particularly with a young or newly retired horse. Ridden classes need the horse to walk, trot and canter on both reins. Plenty of people do both on the same day.

Start with our calendar, then check NISA and NZSRA for their own events, and the RAS national show calendar for the wider A&P circuit. Local A&P shows are the friendliest place to have a first go.

No. Trimming whiskers, eye hair or inner ear hair has been banned at all affiliated A&P shows and kindred events since 1 January 2022, under RAS rule GR6. You can still tidy the outside edge of the ear. Detail and reasoning here.

The passport register is being rebuilt from scratch for the digital rollout, so for now the new owner simply applies for a passport in their own name. Any change of ownership already requested will not be processed. There is also a separate RAS step for the height certificate. Full detail on the Forms page.