2024 APHA Rule Book—New Rules & Clarifications Take Effect January 1
By Jessica Hein, PHJ News
Review new rules and clarifications for the APHA Rule Book that take effect January 1, 2024. The 2024 APHA Rule Book is available at apha.com/rule-books.
New Rules for 2024
New rules going into effect January 1, 2024, as part of the 2024 APHA Rule Book are summarized below. They were passed by the APHA state directors in 2023.
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-105-2—Expands the classes that can be judged simultaneously or in a split arena format for back-to-back shows.
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-250—Removes the Off Pattern (OP) rule for Novice and Walk/Trot divisions.
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-304—Adds Green Ranch classes to the APHA approved class list.
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-312—Removes Competitive Trail Horse from the rule book.
- CONTROL NUMBER: AM-205—Revises Novice eligibility calculations based on 75 points per category in any division (25 points in Zones 12, 13 & 14).
- CONTROL NUMBER: AM-300—Increases the maximum number of allowed obstacles in the Walk/Trot Trail classes from eight to 10 to match the regular trail rules.
- CONTROL NUMBER: JU-000-1—Allows clerical errors to be corrected after the show has concluded but before the results are submitted to APHA.
Other rules passed in 2023 with early implementation of April 1, 2023, are found here.
Rule Clarifications for 2024
The following clarifications were passed by the APHA Board of Directors on October 12, 2023. They go into effect with the 2024 APHA Rule Book on January 1, 2024.
- CONTROL NUMBER: GR-070—Clarified rule and limitations
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-095-1—Clarified language to present the rule in the active voice
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-096—Removed duplicate language in the rule book
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-125—Added language that postal meters are not acceptable when determining a postmark date for submission of show results
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-130—Removed duplicate language in the rule book
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-175—Added the requirement of entries being 1 year or older to determine if grand and reserve classes can be held
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-185—Clarified rule as it pertains to longe line and in-hand trail, as age-specific classes for those events have been added
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-205—Removed duplicate wording already found in SC-201 English Performance Gaits
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-214—Clarified to align Preliminary Working Hunter with other green classes by increasing the points from 10 to 25
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-235—Clarified to use wording consistent with industry standards
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-240—Clarified to use wording consistent with industry standards, AQHA, NRHA and NSBA
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-245—Removed duplicate wording already found in SC-241. Western Performance Gaits
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-255—Clarified to use wording consistent with industry standards
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-260 —Added two new reining patterns
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-301-1—Clarified the Ranch Trail penalty regarding trotting into a lope departure
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-301-2—Clarified Boxing Ranch Cow Work can be only held in Novice divisions and that the Box, Drive, Box, Drive Ranch Cow Work can be held in other divisions
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-301-3—Clarified Ranch Pleasure rules to reflect the same clarifications previously made for Ranch Riding and Ranch Trail
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-301-4—Organized the ranch class rules in a more intuitive manner
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-301-5—Clarified that tail weights are considered extensions and therefore not permitted in ranch classes
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-301-6—Clarified the Ranch Trail rope drag obstacle to define the correct and safe way to dally
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-301-7—Clarified the Ranch Trail rope drag obstacle to allow for a full or half dally
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-301-9—Clarified to use wording consistent with industry standards
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-301-10—Clarified to use wording consistent with other sections in the rule book
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-301-11—Removed duplicate language in the rule book
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-302—Clarified the Ranch Riding penalty regarding trotting into a lope departure
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-303—Clarified that exhibitors should reverse to the center of the arena in Ranch Rail Pleasure and either direction in Ranch Pleasure
- CONTROL NUMBER: SC-304—Clarified the Green Ranch class eligibility rules
- CONTROL NUMBER: JU-000—Updated judge rules to include all international judges and changes the international judge seminar requirement to every three years
- CONTROL NUMBER: AM-010-1—Clarified activities for which remuneration may be received without jeopardizing an Amateur’s eligibility
- CONTROL NUMBER: AM-020—Removed duplicate language and reorganized rule for ease of understanding
- CONTROL NUMBER: AM-060—Added Amateur Solid Paint-Bred Walk-Trot division to this awards listing, aligning with APHA procedures
- CONTROL NUMBER: AM-080—Clarified and removed erroneous language
- CONTROL NUMBER: AM-205—Clarified to include APHA in Novice Amateur eligibility considerations
- CONTROL NUMBER: YP-025—Removed outdated and erroneous language regarding Youth 14-18 classes
