Competitions will be scored as they would be in real life, and a point system will be used to determine the current champion of a discipline. First place is worth ten points, second is eight, third is six, and so on. Judged disciplines will include a second number beside the placing, which will reflect on the horse's performance and the gap between one competitor and another. It can range from 60-80, with 80 being flawless. I will determine the times for speed events. Don't worry; I'll be fair, and it will be based on the horse's performance. The judges each have different things that they're looking for and will take off for if they don't see, so just do your best and try to include as much detail as you can, including that which doesn't happen in the show ring. It would be in your best interest to read a little about the discipline you plan to compete in if you don't know much about it in order to be familiar with its requirements. The elements and of the shows will be posted the night before, and shows will take place on weekends. Judging will be done on Monday, so you will have until Sunday night to post your show entry and your performance.
Hunters
Hunters is a discipline in which horses are judged on having qualities that would have been sought after for fox hunting. There are two classes in this version of hunters: over fences and under saddle. In an over fences class, the horse and rider are judged on their performance in riding a course of jumps. Under saddle classes are primarily to judge the horse's natural hunter movement, so the rider is not so heavily judged. The horse should have a sweeping movement, a rounded frame, a consistent pace, and be on the bit. In the over fences class, a horse should also have even knees, good bascule, and should cover the distance from one jump to another in the pre-determined number of strides. Points are taken off for any sort of misbehavior (bucking, rearing, ears pinned back) and refusals or run-outs (over fences). The rider should have perfect english equitation, and should demonstrate a proper release when going over fences. Both horse and rider should have impeccable turnout. The jumps in hunters are designed to be natural-looking.
Current champion:
Competitors: 1
Jumpers
Jumpers, also known as show jumping, is a discipline based on speed and athleticism. There are two rounds: the first with a goal of not incurring any faults and the second based on speed. Faults are as such: four points for knocking a rail off the jump, four points for the first refusal or run-out, four points for any foot landing in the water in a water jump, 0.4 points for every second gone over the time, and elimination for a second refusal or run-out or the fall of a horse or rider. Everyone with a faultless round moves on to the second round, which is all about speed. The horse with the fastest time wins. This discipline is not based at all on the turnout of the horse and rider. The jumps are often bright, flashy, and big, which can cause some horses to spook.
Current champion:
Competitors: 1
Cross-Country
In cross-country, the idea is to finish the course in as little time as possible. The event is run through a forest, and consists of several natural jumps of varying degrees of difficulty. The course is marked out using flags to ensure that no one goes off-course. Penalties are as such: twenty points for a first refusal at a jump, forty for the second refusal at the same jump, elimination for the third refusal at the same jump or the fourth refusal on the entire course, elimination for a horse or rider fall, elimination for going off course in any way such as jumping out of order, jumping a jump in the wrong direction, omitting a jump, or jumping an obstacle twice in a row (unless it is impossible to jump the next obstacle without jumping the first one), 0.4 penalties for every second over the time limit, and elimination for going over double the time limit. This sport is not judged on the appearance of the horse and rider. Horses need to be brave in order to successfully compete, and should be careful jumpers to avoid injury to themselves and their riders.
Current champion:
Competitors: 1
Dressage
Dressage is the epitome of communication between horse and rider, and requires a great deal of finesse and skill on both parts. Horses are guided through a series of movements in an arena by the rider, whose cues should be almost invisible to the audience. The horse should be of good behavior for the duration of the competition, and any misbehavior is penalized. A horse competing in dressage must have good collection, powerful movement, excellent obedience and focus, and be on the bit. Horse and rider turnout should be flawless. Points will be scored differently in dressage, with a 1-10 given for each movement and these points added up out of how many were possible for the sake of this roleplay. There are no jumps. There are two classes in this roleplay's version of dressage: tests and musical freestyle. In a dressage test, the horse must preform a specified and required number of movements in a set pattern. The horse and rider are judged on each movement. In musical freestyle, the rider may choose a song and the horse and rider "dance" through a series of movements they may choose, although some are required and some high-level movements are forbidden. These movements will be posted the night before the show. The song chosen for musical freestyle must be noted within the rider's post.
Current champion:
Competitors: 1
Three-Day Eventing
Three-day eventing consists of dressage, cross-country, and jumpers, and spans over the course of three days (shows will therefore last until Tuesday). Horses are judged as they would be in each of the disciplines, and the overall points are added up to determine the champion. Horses must be able to display each of the attributes of the different disciplines that make up the phases in order to score well.
Current champion:
Competitors: 2
