Showing your Standardbred

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.

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

From 1 January 2022 , the trimming of a horse or pony's whiskers, eye or inner ear hair is banned for all horses and ponies exhibiting or competing at affiliated A&P Shows or Kindred Events.

Background — the educational period

The period of 1 August 2021 – 31 December 2021 was used as an educational period. If any horse or pony was noted to have had whiskers, eyes or inner ears trimmed, the exhibitor/competitor could be given a copy of the RAS whisker, eye & ear trimming pamphlet for educational purposes and to bring their attention to the upcoming ban. Any horse or pony that had already been trimmed over winter could use the period until 31 December 2021 as a regrowth period, as whiskers and inner ear hair take time to regrow.

RAS Equestrian Rule — GR.6

• The Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) has teamed with Equestrian Sports New Zealand (ESNZ) and NZ Pony Club (and the FEI from 2021) and banned the trimming of whiskers, eye and inner ear hair for horses and ponies competing at affiliated A&P Shows and Kindred Events from 1 January 2022.
• RAS rules state GR6 Abuse of Exhibits b) Abuse can be defined as intentionally acting in a way which may cause pain or unnecessary discomfort to a horse.
• RAS further considers other examples of abuse (but not limited to): whipping or beating an exhibit excessively; subjecting an exhibit to any kind of electric shock device; excessive or persistent use of spurs; jabbing the exhibit in the mouth with the bit; remounting or attempting to remount an obviously exhausted, lame or injured exhibit; rapping an exhibit anywhere in or outside the grounds of the event; hyper-sensitising any part of an exhibit; leaving an exhibit without adequate food, drink and exercise.
• Any person witnessing any form of abuse should utilise the RAS Resolution Process. For the purposes of this matter — illegal trimming of whiskers, eye or inner ear hair — from 1 January 2022 a protest form should be filed with the affiliated A&P Show/Kindred Event, citing the rule broken as being GR6 b. All affiliated Shows & Events have a template protest form available through the RAS Resolution Process.

Why whiskers and ear hair matter

• Horses have whiskers on their face around their eyes and muzzle (nose and lips). In these locations, whiskers not only help protect delicate tissue, but also help compensate for the blind spots a horse has in front of its face and underneath its nose.
• A horse's whiskers (called vibrissae) are an incredibly important sense for them. The whiskers around the eyes and muzzle are extremely sensitive and have a rich nerve supply.
• Ear hair serves a few special functions: to protect the inner ear skin from bugs, sun and foreign objects. The outer edge of the ear also grows hair, and in some cases can get quite wild.
• With ears, you can find a happy medium — clip the edges of the ear by folding it like a taco and running your clippers down the outside of the ear. Leave the insides alone.