National Show Horse Rule 5.4 Clarification

Recently EA and the Organising Committee have received enquiries regarding the intent of EA’s National Show Horse Rule 5.4 relating to membership eligibility for the Australasian Show Horse and Rider Championsips (the Nationals).

Rule 5.4 currently states: Any horse, rider or owner that qualify to compete at the Australasian Show Horse and Rider Championships must maintain full current membership up to and including the duration of the Championships in that calendar year. If membership is not maintained they forfeit their right to compete at the Championships.

The below interpretation of this rule is the interpretation, clarified in correspondence from Grant Baldock in May 2015 to the State CEOs;

For the avoidance of doubt EA clarified this rule in May 2015 as per follows:  

“that membership must be maintained from the first qualification event or each respective state of the Australasian Show Horse Championships to the completion of the Championships”.

Acting in good faith Equestrian Australia and the organising committee of the 2015 Australasian Championships will allow competitors who have qualified for the 2015 National Show Horse and Rider Championships to compete, providing their membership was paid prior to 1 June 2015 (as clarification was provided in May) OR prior to their State’s first qualification event.

Rule 5.4 was discussed at the July 2015 National Show Horse Committee Meeting and as a result the wording of this rule has been formally changed, coming into effect from Jan 1 2016. The Show Horse rule effective 1 Jan 2016 can be viewed here.