USEF RULE CHANGES (incomplete list -check the rule book for others)

• In cases involving blood on a horse, Rule AR105.6 applies and supersedes GR844.
• AR106.8. Manes and forelocks may be banded in Reining, Reining Seat Equitation, and Reining Seat Medal classes.
• AR177.2k – additional wording added about equipment inspections at AHA Region and National Dressage Championships.
• AR229 – new wording in Walk-Trot/Jog Trail Class Requirements.
• AR243 – new wording in Ranch Horse Riding Walk-Trot rules.
• AR252 – new wording in Ranch Horse Rail Pleasure Walk-Trot.
• AR267 and AR269 - new wording in Ranch Horse Trail Walk-Trot
• AR275 – new wording in VRH Limited Ranch Cow Work Amateur/Youth (Box-Drive-Box-Drive)
• AR285 – Western Dressage. Artificial tails are prohibited in accordance with AR106.13 for Arabian Western Dressage Classes.
• AR298.11 and AR299.20.f– Dressage Seat Equitation. New wording explains what happens if a rider is off pattern or does not complete both rail work and pattern, if required.

PRES MODS - USEF

• Walk-Trot 10 & Under (January 2, 2026) AR306.1 Competitors to enter the ring in a counter-clockwise direction at a walk or trot/jog, at the judge’s discretion.
• Walk-Trot 11 & Over (January 2, 2026) AR318.1. All Walk/Trot or Jog 11 and Over AR318.1. All Walk/Trot or Jog 11 and Over classes are to be judged at the walk/trot or jog only.
• b. Competitors may enter the ring at either a walk or trot/jog, at the judge’s discretion.
• AR228 Trail Scoring (January 7, 2026) AR228.1(d)ii Disqualified 0 – Score 8. Failure to perform every segment of an obstacle at the correct gait. Failure to ever demonstrate the correct gait as designated.
• AR228.1(d)iv

11. Failure to perform every segment of an obstacle at the correct gait.

POINTS OF EMPHASIS

Each year, the Education and Evaluation Commission (EEC) establishes points

regarding judging to be emphasized with our officials for the upcoming competition year. These points of emphasis are on the AHA website or using the button below:

SHOWMANSHIP SCORE CARDS (AR304)

Effective December 1st, 2025, judges must use the prescribed Showmanship Score Card.

• At all multi-judge competitions, multi-judge regional competitions, score cards must be posted one hour after the completion of the session.
• Competitions posting cards must have a designated walker and scribe(s).

HUNTER PLEASURE COATS

• An entry with illegal attire cannot win at any level of competition. Entry needs to be either off the card or at the bottom if not enough other entries in the class.
• Watch this short Hunter Pleasure Attire Video prepared by the EEC:

PERFORMANCE HALTER - REVISED SCORE SHEET for 2026

• “Spur Mark (GR838.1e) has been added to the Penalty Box on the Performance Halter Score Sheet, with a check box. GR838.1e has been added to the rules listed on the reverse side of the score sheet.
• A check box and “Whip Mark” has been added to Mandatory Elimination, along with a check box and “Other”.

PERFORMANCE HALTER - DESIGNATED RUNNER - effective 12/1/2025

• AR125.2 – A designated runner exemption may be granted under certain conditions. Read the entire rule to see who qualifies and how the situation is to be handled by the show management and the judge.

APPRENTICE JUDGES

GR1006 Apprentice.

2. Apprenticing restrictions at competitions:

a. Apprenticing is limited to one Apprentice per arena. Exception: Arabian Apprenticing.

What this means is that if a concurrent USEF/AHA competition has two “R” judges officiating, both judges can now have an approved apprentice in the arena/ring with them at the same time.

AHA JUDGES & STEWARDS COMMISSIONER/EEC FACEBOOK PAGE

• Check out the Facebook page exclusively for news and education from the J&S Commissioner’s office and the EEC. The page is open to all current AHA members. Join us!
• You will find some short videos titled Extras with the EEC as part of this page.
• These same videos, along with the 2024 updates of the Western Pleasure and English Pleasure Standards of Excellence videos, are also part of the AHA video library, again accessible by members only.

SPORT HORSE SPECIALTY CARD

• If you are a licensed Arabian judge with either USEF or EC and think you might be interested in obtaining an AHA Sport Horse Specialty Card, check out the requirements for the AHA Sport Horse Specialty Card in the Education portion of the Judges & Stewards section of our AHA website.

SCORE SHEETS FOR COW CLASSES

• NRCHA made changes to their judges score cards in November 2025. Our cow class score sheets have been updated to reflect these changes.

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