Explain These Classes!

I am hoping to show my unregistered mini at a local "Fall Fair" show that happens every year. However, I am not familiar with classes or what attire is appropriate or not.

The Prize Book states to refer to the HCBC competition documents, but I'm not getting very far considering some of the classes appear to be run by American standards...

Help?

1. Dressage Training Level Test 3 (ADS)
I'm assuming that means American Driving Society? The HCBC documents do not have a Training level... just level 2.

2. Dressage Preliminary Test 3
Again, there is no preliminary test in HCBC documents... but there is in ADS.

3. Driving Turn Out
What is the purpose of the class and what is expected? If turn out is as per HCBC standards, where do I find that info??

4. Pleasure Driving Maiden/ 1st year
How should one be dressed for Pleasure Driving?? I've seen people in cowboy get up and I've seen people wearing more riding Dressage clothes too.

5. Pleasure Driving Working
Not sure what is expected in the class.

6. Pleasure Driving Reinsmanship

Not sure what is expected in the class

7. Stakes classes
I'm assuming that these are classes where money is the "prize" ? At least that is how it is with riding shows.

8. Pleasure Driving Obstacle (BCHQ) and PD Barrel Obstacle (BCHQ)
These are BC Heritage qualifiers, I get that, but what do you do in the course??

Let me see if I can help you out, I had asked about these similar classes at a show offered near me because I had no idea

Dressage Training Level Test 3 (ADS)
I'm assuming that means American Driving Society? The HCBC documents do not have a Training level... just level 2.

Yes, ADS is American Driving Society; here are the dressage tests: http://www.americandrivingsociety.org/dressage_test.asp

2. Dressage Preliminary Test 3
Again, there is no preliminary test in HCBC documents... but there is in ADS.

Assuming since they have Training level ADS I would say this is their Preliminary test: http://www.americandrivingsociety.org/dressage_test.asp

3. Driving Turn Out
What is the purpose of the class and what is expected? If turn out is as per HCBC standards, where do I find that info??

Turn out is the presentation of the horse and owner; cart, harness, driver etc and how it fits to the standards etc. (Turnout is judged primarily on performance and quality of each turnout) I am not sure what HCBC is but I would contact the show person for more clarification and information on that.

4. Pleasure Driving Maiden/ 1st year
How should one be dressed for Pleasure Driving?? I've seen people in cowboy get up and I've seen people wearing more riding Dressage clothes too.

I know some of the classes were HCBC so as above I would contact the show. ADS has a troubleshooting pdf for new drivers: http://www.americandrivingsociety.org/New_Drivers/troubleshooting_Turnout.pdf

5. Pleasure Driving Working
Not sure what is expected in the class.

Working is judged primarily on the ability and suitability of the horse to give a pleasurable drive.

6. Pleasure Driving Reinsmanship

Not sure what is expected in the class

Reinsmanship is judged on the skill and ability of the driver

For the turnout, working and reinsmanship:

http://www.carriagedriving.net/index.php?m=a&a=5 this is a great page on the detailed explination of all three of those.

Stakes classes
I'm assuming that these are classes where money is the "prize" ? At least that is how it is with riding shows.

I would contact the show for that to clarify, every show can be different.

8. Pleasure Driving Obstacle (BCHQ) and PD Barrel Obstacle (BCHQ)
These are BC Heritage qualifiers, I get that, but what do you do in the course?

Depends on the show really, like for USEF use certain types of obstacles... you would have to look up what the BCHQ uses, if you cant find information on that again I would contact the show.

I hope this helps and gives you a start.

In general, for American Driving Society events (and I think worldwide) you are required to wear an apron or laprobe and brown gloves and you must carry a whip. Usually solid tires are required, not pneumatic ones like bike tires, but that should be in the local rules. When starting out, you would do training level and the Maiden class; preliminary is for more advanced horses, despite what it sounds like, but you could also enter the "regular" pleasure driving class. Those (and turnout) are "rail" classes where everyone competes in the ring together, unlike dressage and obstacles. Usually they ask for collected trot, working trot, and strong trot, plus walk, but the names can be different in different places or with different judges. But expect 3 trots. Obstacles are often "cones" but you would need to find this out. If cones, they are set up in pairs and you must do them IN OREDER (they are numbered), and in the right direction (red on right), so you must memorize the pattern after it is posted. It is a timed event and you are penalized for hitting a cone which will have a tennis ball on it that will fall off if it was hit. It is great fun. Dressge patterns are to test the training of the horse and the nice thing is that you get a score on EACH maneuver so if you mess up somewhere, it only hurts that one place. Plus you get the test back with comments that can help you in your training. I love dressage, but lots of drivers hate it because it can be a bit boring. You need to know the pattern but best not to school the whole thing as you don't want your horse anticipating.

Photo of cones course and what you would wear and the type of cart used.

Good luck!

Thank you both!

The show program won't be coming out until April, so I will have to wait until then, but the classes I listed were part of their 2014 show class shedule. I'll contact the show secretary and see what they require in terms of dress, as when I was there last year competing (on a riding horse), I noticed the people competing in the Driving were wearing pants and there was not a lap robe to be seen. I would assume for the BCHQ it would be mandatory to have a lap robe.

And thank you for the links - I didn't know I need brown only gloves! Will have to get that

Also, what is this talk about a spares kit? Do I need one for a show? I know in CDEs they say you need one on the cart.

My guy is green right now, so I wouldn't be doing the Preliminary Dressage with him jsut yet.

I have never had anyone look at a spares kit in an open show or even an ADS pleasure show, but I often will carry one with an extra rein, halter & lead, etc. My cart has a place for a spares kit so a judge might just assume I have one! I would not worry about that unless it is specifically mentioned.

The brown glove rule was a surprise to me to, I would believe it is because the ends of the reins are brown and black just stands out against them. Luckily its easy to find brown leather gloves.

I suppose I could post the question to the Show Secretary about the spares kit, as I don't recall seeing any on any of the carts that were at the previous years show (although to be fair, I wasn't looking for them either).

Luckily I can find brown gloves no problem I JUST bought black ones, LOL.

As a secondary question, what do I do with the left over rein?

Do you coil it up or leave it hanging down to the bottom of the cart?? I've tried finding pictures to represent how to hold the excess rein but to no avail (as a side note, I will be driving an easy-entry cart).



^ This shows teh reins just dangling on the bottom of the carriage, but my easy-entry cart has grating and the reins could get caught in it.



^This shows them coiled up somehow.

Some photos have shown people sitting on the tail end of the reins too.

My lines buckle together and have a pinky loop, so the excess length is kept up out of the way. For every day driving I hate it and do not use it, but it is nice for showing.

How are you supposed to have it for a show?

You want to be SAFE, so if you don't have the pinky loop it might be safest to sit on them. That is a very acceptable (and safe) way to deal with reins because as you say, you do not want them dangling through the holes in the cart and if they are split, you don't want to drop one.