National Sorting Cow Horse Association

Official Classes

Note: Classes are listed with minimum number of go rounds, with a suggested maximum of 3 go rounds, with or without working finals as determined by the show manager/producer.

Open Class

• Open to any level horse or rider
• Limited to 3 horses per rider
• May enter the same horse up to 3 times
  (Example: The same rider may enter the same horse 3 times with 3 different partners or the horse may be entered by 3 different riders as long as the horse has not been entered more than 3 times in this class)
• Rider cannot exceed more than 6 entries per class
• Minimum of 1 go round, with 50% or maximum of 10 teams to the finals
• Must sort or trash in each go round

*starting in 2012: two partners may enter the OPEN CLASS ONLY up to 3 times together as long as both partners change horses for each entry (standard NSCHA rules still apply that no horse may enter a class more than 3 times and no rider may enter a class more than 6 times)

Amateur Draw Class

• Amateur Class only (no trainers or non pros)
• Riders may NOT pick partners, strictly draw class only
• Limited to 3 horses per rider
• May enter horse up to 3 times
• Rider cannot exceed more than 6 entries per class
• Minimum 1 go round, with 50% or maximum of 10 teams to the finals
• Must sort or trash in each go round

7 Class

• Riders combined rating cannot exceed 7
• Limited to 3 horses per rider
• May enter the same horse up to 3 times
• Rider cannot exceed more than 6 entries per class
• Minimum of 1 go round, with 50% or maximum of 10 teams to the finals
• Must sort or trash in each go round

5 Class

• Non pro and amateur class (no trainers)
• Riders combined rating cannot exceed 5
• Limited to 3 horses per rider
• May enter the same horse up to 3 times
• Rider cannot exceed more than 6 entries per class
• Minimum or 1 go round, with 50% or maximum of 10 teams to the finals
• Must sort or trash in each go round

Pro-Am

• Any professional or non pro can show/partner with any 1 or 2 amateur
• No pro or non pro may enter with any other pro or non pro
• Any 1 or 2 amateur may enter with any other 1 or 2 amateur
• Limited to 3 horses per rider
• May enter the same horse up to 3 times
• Rider cannot exceed more than 6 entries per class
• Minimum of 1 go round, with 50% or maximum of 10 teams to the finals
• Must sort of trash in each go round

3 & Youth Class Combined (Class within a Class)

• Amateur class only (no trainers or non pros)
• Riders combined rating cannot exceed 3
• Limited to 3 horses per rider
• May enter the same horse up to 3 times
• Rider cannot exceed more than 6 entries per class
• Minimum 1 go round, with 50% or maximum of 10 teams to the finals
• Must sort or trash in each go round
• Highest advancing youth in the 3 class will be the youth winner. Points to be awarded as follows:
  • The number of points to be awarded will be determined by the number of youth entries in the class.
  • Each youth entry is equal to one point. Each competing youth will receive 1 point for entering. The remainder of the youth points will be distributed on a money payout scale, 60/40 to the highest 2 advancing, 50/30/20 to the highest 3 advancing etc.
  • Points will be rounded up or down. No decimals will be recorded.

Junior Horse Class

• Producer option 1: Gate horse may be any age or any level, but may not make any offensive move toward the cattle or team will be disqualified
• Producer option 2: Any three or four year old may rotate with another three or four year old *** this option is no longer available, option was voted down in 2011     
• 3 & 4 year olds
• Gate horse may be any age or any level, gate horse may not make any offensive move toward a cow
• Snaffle bits only (no tie downs or training devices)
• Limited to 3 horses per rider
• Rider may enter same horse twice with a different partner, with the same partner if both riders change horses or horse may be entered with 2 different riders
• Rider cannot exceed more than 6 entries per class
• Minimum of 2 full go rounds
• Must sort or trash in each go round

Official classes are property of the NSCHA and may not be copied without permission. Copyright 2011, National Sorting Cow Horse Association.