Rules & Regulations of the Gibson County Saddle Club

All Rules & Regulations have been updated for 2008. Please view these rules before participating in any event with the Gibson County Saddle Club.

Click the links to find rules specific to:
Universal Rules - Memberships - Open Arena & Game Nights - Horse Shows

UNIVERSAL RULES OF THE GCSC - return to top

• Any contestant competing at any Gibson County Saddle Club event must have signed a waiver statement releasing the association from any liabilities associated with equestrian sports. The waiver is part of the membership form.

• NEGATIVE COGGINS REQUIRED AT All GCSC EVENTS! The GCSC can keep a copy on file if you wish, but it is your responsibility to have the papers on hand. If requested by a Judge or Officials, it must be provided by you, and not by the GCSC.

• All membership fees must be paid prior to competing for points to count toward year-end awards.

• Decisions made by judges and referees are final, in all aspects of judgment.

• GCSC staff may ask contestants/friends/family to leave the premises if they observe any poor sportsmanship, and/or destruction of fairground or arena properties. These behaviors are not acceptable and will not be tolerated. Refunds WILL NOT be offered.

• GCSC will not tolerate any abuse of horses or other animals.  When competing at a GCSC event, you are representing the association as well as the sport and NO excessive abuse of the horses or any other animal is tolerated.  The interpretation of Abuse will be at the discretion of the judges and/or the Arena director & GCSC Board members, and an immediate conference will be called between the arena director, board members and the judges to make a final ruling. The contestant will be disqualified from the remainder of the entire event if they feel the any animal has been a subjected to excessive abuse at the event. 

• Dogs must be under control and on a leash at all times.

• Riders and observers at Gibson County Fairgrounds understand they ride and/or observe at their own risk, and do not hold Gibson County Saddle Club or the Gibson County Fair Association, its staff or members liable for any accidents that may happen. This is in accordance with the Tennessee Code Annotated 44-20-103, which outlines the limits of liability for equestrian events, and the companies or associations that operate the events and facilities.

• Any member of GCSC suing, attempting to sue or seek monetary damages for any expense or injury while participating or as a spectator at any GCSC function, shall be barred from the Gibson County Saddle Club in perpetuity.

• No Alcoholic Beverages are allowed on the Gibson County Fairgrounds during any GCSC event.

• In an effort to uphold the integrity of the sport as well as promote a professional and family oriented environment The Gibson County Saddle Club reserves the right to refuse participation to any person for actions including, but not limited to, abuse of alcohol, drugs, or the use of profane language at an event.

• Any situation that arises for which GCSC does not have a rule, The Board Members in attendance will make the decision on the situation.

• If you have any problems with any of these rules, please feel free to complain to your horse. The GCSC is not responsible for any response you may receive.

MEMBERSHIPS - return to top

Membership runs from Jan. 1st to Dec. 31 st of each year. Contestants who are ten (10) years old or younger as of January 1 of 2008,  are eligible to participate in the Pee Wee event/classes. Contestants who are eleven (11) to seventeen (17) years old as of January 1 of 2008,  are eligible to participate in the Youth event/classes.

Membership fees are fifteen ($15) dollars per individual, and twenty-five ($25) dollars per family. All family memberships include immediate family members only. Immediate family constitutes those family members who reside in the same household . Children nineteen (19) years old and older as of January 1 of the current year, living at home or otherwise, must purchase their own membership.

FRIDAY NIGHT OPEN ARENA AND GAME NIGHTS - return to top

To qualify for Open Arena year end awards, a member must rideat 5 of the 8 scheduled Open Arena nights and work at total of 3 hours at any GCSC event or workday, and sign in at every Open Arena. (The attendance requirement will be adjusted if there are rainouts).

To qualify for Game Night year end awards, a member must participate in 3 out of 5 game nights and work 3 hours at any GCSC event or workday, and sign in at every game night you participate in. (The attendance requirement will be adjusted if there are rainouts)

Annual Members - $2 per horse or to enter all games
Temporary Membership (one night) - $5.00 per person or to enter games

HORSE SHOWS - return to top

The Gibson County Saddle Club will host 6 Fourth Saturday Shows in 2008. To qualify for year-end awards, members must compete in 4 shows, and work a total of 8 hours at any GCSC event. (We will adjust the attendance requirement for rainouts or canceled performances.)

Class Registration All fees must be paid at time of entry.
Entries will close for the first class at time of Opening Ceremonies.
Entries for all other classes will close when the first horse runs in the prior class.
We must have a signed Waiver, and proof of Negative Coggins before registration.
No refunds will be offered. You may choose to enter another event instead.

• Rainouts will be considered canceled, with no makeup dates, with the exception of the April Points Show/Teapot Horse Show.

• Points will be awarded for the top five "horse and rider" team places. Make sure you are consistent in riders/horses names throughout the season. Each member competing who does not win a place will receive 1 point.

• The Gibson County Saddle Club reserves the right to alter, combine or cancel any class.

• Cell phones and pagers will not be allowed in the show ring. Use of one will result in automatic dismissal from the class.

• There must be 3 qualified riders registered in a class for at least 3 shows for any points to count towards year end awards. Any classes with less than 3 riders will be combined with another class for award purposes for that particular show.

• The starting gates will remain the same throughout the entire event.

• The start/finish barrel placements will be marked and remain the same throughout the event.

• Time will begin the exact moment the contestant crosses the starting line.

• Riders in the Lead-In Class may not participate in any other riding class.

• A contestant will be given a "no time" for missing or deviating from the typical pattern (cloverleaf for barrels, straight/slalom/slalom/straight for pole bending, outside of all barrels on flag or speed).

• A contestant will receive a 5 sec. penalty for knocking over each barrel or pole in barrel & pole events.

• In Flag races, if the contestant misses or drops the flag on the front leg (prior to turning the far barrel), he or she will receive a 10 second penalty. If the flag is not planted in bucket, contestant will receive a 5 second penalty. If at any time a bucket or barrel is knocked over or the pattern is broken, contestant will receive a “no time”.

• "No Time" does not mean that the rider's time goes unrecorded, but a "No Time" can result in disqualification for a round, which renders the time irrevelant for placing and awards. Riders who receive a "No Time" may come to the booth when the run-class closes, and ask for their run-times.

• A contestant will receive a "no time" if horse and/or rider falls during the run in such a manner that breaks the pattern.

• Contestants must listen for their turn in each event. If contestant is not at gate by the third call for their turn to run, the contestant forfeits their ride, and the next contestant will be called.

• Contestants may ride any horse, regardless of ownership, and may ride as many horses as they choose in a class. However, a horse may not be shown or ridden by more than one person in a class, unless the following conditions are met:
  1. Both contestants are members of the same immediate family who reside in the same household (husband, wife, children and grandchildren 21 and under). Children and grandchildren 21 and under who are attending school away from home, but who reside part of the year with their parents or grandparents are included under this rule.
  2. Neither contestant is showing any other horse in that class.
  3. The Horse is a "lesson" or "school" horse, and the rider is a student of the school or barn that owns the horse.
  4. In no case will a horse be ridden more than three times in the same class.

• Re-runs shall be granted in two conditions: a) if the timer fails to work properly, or b) if the Judges, or Referees request a re-run. Any penalty incurred on the original run shall not be applied against the re-run. Any penalty incurred on the re-run will result in a "no time".

• Any contestant that receives a "no time" for missing the pattern will be allowed to complete the pattern, but NOT use this time for training, and will be asked to exit the arena.

• Training barrels will be run first come, first to run.