Working Hunter

The following is a video of an APHA Working Hunter:

APHA World 2007 – Working Hunter
American Paint Horse Association World Championship Show in Ft. Worth, TX, on July 4, 2007.

Working Hunter according to the AQHA Rule Book is as follows:

WORKING HUNTER

(a) The same rules apply in junior working hunter as apply in
senior or all-ages working hunter classes, except the minimum height
of obstacles.

(b) A hunter course shall be any course that management
deems a fair test of a hunter. Judges are responsible for correctness of
each course after it has been set and shall call the show committee’s
attention to any errors that would tend to result in unfair or inappropriate courses.

(c) Course or Arena Arrangement:

(1) Minimum of four obstacles. Horses to jump a minimum
of eight fences. One change of direction is mandatory.

(2) Obstacles which may be used:

(A) Fences shall simulate obstacles found in the
hunting field, such as natural looking post and rail, brush, walls,
coops and ascending oxers (not square). Triple bar and hogsback are
prohibited. Striped poles are not recommended; PVC poles used as
rails are not permitted.

(B) The top element of all fences must be securely placed so that a slight rub will not cause a knockdown;

(C) Distance between fences is recommended to be in 12-foot (3.5 meters) increments with the exception of some combinations:
one stride in and out, 24-26 feet (7 meters); two strides in
and out, 36 feet (11 meters); three strides, 48 feet (14.5 meters);

(D) Minimum height for junior horses, youth and
amateur classes must be three feet (90 cm), with a maximum of three
feet three inches (1 meter); heights for senior horses must be a minimum
of three feet three inches (1 meter), with a maximum of three
feet six inches (1.07 meters), and all-ages must be a minimum of
three feet (90 cm) with a maximum of three feet six inches (110 cm).
Minimum height for novice and select will be two feet six inches (79
cm) with a maximum of two feet nine inches.

(E) A variation of three inches (75 mm) in fence height,
lower than official heights listed, may be instituted if show management
and the judge feel circumstances warrant, i.e., footing, weather, etc.;

(F) The use of wings on obstacles in hunter classes is
recommended; standards made of PVC material must be anchored
or properly secured.

(G) Jump standards with hole heights at three inch  (75 mm) intervals with jump cups are recommended.

(d) Scoring:
(1) To be judged on manners, way of going and style of
jumping. Horses shall be credited with maintaining an even hunting
pace that covers the course with free-flowing strides. Preference will be
given to horses with correct jumping style that meet fences squarely,
jumping at the center of fence.

Judges shall penalize unsafe jumping and bad form over fence, whether touched or untouched, including twisting. Incorrect leads around the ends of the course or cross-cantering shall be penalized, as well as excessive use of crop.

In and outs (one or two strides) shall be taken in the correct number of strides or be penalized. Any error which endangers the horse and/or its rider, particularly refusals or knockdowns, shall be heavily penalized.

(2) Scoring shall be on a basis of 0-100, with an approximate
breakdown as follows:

(A) 90-100: an excellent performer and good mover
that jumps the entire course with cadence, balance and style.

(B) 80-89: a good performer that jumps all fences reasonably
well; an excellent performer that commits one or two minor faults.

(C) 70-79: the average, fair mover that makes no seri212
ous faults, but lacks the style, cadence and good balance of the scopier
horses; the good performer that makes a few minor faults.

(D) 60-69: poor movers that make minor mistakes;
fair or average movers that have one or two poor fences but no major
faults or disobediences.

(E) 50-59: a horse that commits one major fault,
such as a hind knockdown, refusal, trot, cross canter or drops a leg.

(F) 30-49: a horse that commits two or more major
faults, including front knockdowns and refusals, or jumps in a manner
that otherwise endangers the horse and/or rider.

(G) 10-29: a horse that avoids elimination but jumps
in such an unsafe and dangerous manner as to preclude a higher score.

(e) Elimination:

(1) A total of three disobediences that can include any of
the following: refusal, stop, run out or extra circle.
(2) Jumping an obstacle before it is reset.
(3) Bolting from the arena.
(4) Off course.
(5) Deliberately addressing an obstacle.
(6) Failure to trot the horse in a small circle on a loose
rein for soundness, after jumping the last fence, while still mounted
and prior to leaving the arena.

(f) General:

(1) Circling once upon entering the ring is permissible.
(2) Horses shall not be requested to rejump the course.
(3) Manners shall be emphasized in youth and amateur
classes.
(4) When an obstacle is composed of several elements, any
disturbance of these elements will be penalized; however, only a reduction
in height of the top element shall be considered a knockdown.
(5) In cases of broken equipment, the rider may either
continue without penalty, or stop and correct the difficulty and be
penalized the same as any loss of forward impulsion.
(6) When an obstacle requires two or more fences (in and
out), faults committed at each obstacle are considered separately. In
case of a refusal or run out at one element, entry must rejump the
previous elements.
(7) Disobediences (major faults)-see rules 460(e)(2)(A-F)
except (A)(2).
(8) The course must be posted at least one hour before
scheduled time of class.
(9) It is mandatory that a schooling area with at least one
practice jump or practice time in the arena be provided.
(10) Schooling over obstacles in the ring or over any part
of an outside course is permitted only at the time designated by show
management.

PROGRESSIVE WORKING HUNTER

(a) The same rules apply as in Junior and Senior Working
Hunter except fence height which shall be 2′9″ to 3.

(b) Eligibility requirements are for horses of all ages who
have no previous AQHA points in Open Working Hunter, Amateur
Working Hunter, Youth Working Hunter, Amateur Equitation
Over Fences, Youth Equitation Over Fences, Open Jumping, Youth
Jumping and Amateur Jumping and who have not exhibited in a
class 3′ and over in competition.

(1) Horses become eligible for Progressive Working
Hunter for a time period of that calendar year after entering any
working hunter class other than the Green Working Hunter.

(2) Progressive Working Hunter will be a World Show
class but no points will be given towards an all-around or Super
Horse Award.

(c) This class will only be offered in the open division.

Green Working Hunter

(a) The purpose of green working hunter is to allow a horse to
compete on an entry-level field with horses of the same
level of experience. The green working hunter is a stepping-
stone to the more advanced level of competition with seasoned horses.

This class should be judged according to the purpose of its intent. Fence heights shall be two feet six inches (76cm) to two feet nine inches (85cm).

(b) Horses must be ridden with equipment that is approved as per AQHA equipment rules for working hunter.

(c) With the exception of eligibility requirements and heights
of the jumps, the same rules apply in green working
hunter class as apply in working hunter.

(d) Horses eligible to compete:

(1) Horses in their first year of showing in AQHA approved shows in green working hunter, open working hunter, amateur working hunter, youth working hunter, amateur equitation over fences, youth equitation over fences, open jumping, amateur jumping or youth jumping.

(2) Horses that have shown during previous years in AQHA-approved green working hunter, open working hunter, amateur working hunter, youth working hunter, amateur equitation over fences, youth equitation
over fences, open jumping, amateur jumping or youth jumping, but have not won more than 10 points or won over $1,000 in these events as of January 1 of the current show year. Points from all divisions will
count and are cumulative in determining eligibility.

Novice points will not count.
(e) Green working hunter will not be held as a World Show class.