Medal Finals Rules and Regulations
QUALIFICATION ELIGIBILITY DISQUALIFICATION ENTRY F PAYMENT POST ENTRIES ENTRY FORM RECEIPT USEF FEES Any horse entered in the CHJA Medal Finals that is not showing in any other classes at the Fairfield County Horse Show must pay the USEF Drug Fee. Please add this to your entry in the space provided if necessary. If you are not a member of the USEF, and not showing in any other classes at the Fairfield County Horse Show then you must pay the USEF Non Member Fee of $20. Please add this to your entry in the space provided if necessary. ONLY ONE MEDAL CLASS MAY BE ENTERED MASTERS MEDAL CLASS QUALIFICATION A rider qualifying for the CHJA Junior Medal Final may choose to ride in either the 3' Junior Medal Final or the 3' 3"- 3'6" Master’s Medal Final. If a rider has ever qualified for any 3'6" (or higher) final prior to August 11th, 2008 (for example Maclay, Washington, USET) they must ride in the Master's Medal. WARM-UP It is possible that a horse may be qualified with a junior rider for the Junior Medal, and the same horse may be qualified with an adult for the Adult Medal. In this case, the Junior may do a warm-up and the Adult may do warm up on the same horse. Anyone going into the warm-up class twice (same horse/rider combination) or violating the conditions mentioned above will be disqualified from any further competition. Any riders, horses or their trainers entering the main CHJA show ring while the ring is officially closed will be automatically disqualified and not allowed to compete in the finals. In addition, any rider going into a class that they have not qualified for, or officially entered including the Warm-Up, will be disqualified from any further participation in the CHJA Medal Finals. HUNTER CLASSICS (by invitation only) Do not enter the Hunter Classics unless you have qualified and been invited. These are not open classes. You must qualify in either the Children's Hunter (horses and ponies combined) Division or the Adult Amateur Hunter Division (Over and Under 35 combined). Qualification: The top 25 riders in each division as described above will be invited to participate in either the CHJA Children's Hunter Classic or the CHJA Adult Hunter Classic. The qualifying period will follow the show year. Points for the Hunter Classics will accrue as of December 1 of the previous year to 20 days before the current year's Hunter Classics. In order to accumulate points, horse/ponies and their owners must be current members of the CHJA in good standing. Format: The CHJA Hunter Classic classes will be judged on an open numerical system by two registered USEF judges. All horses/ponies will jump a hunter type course consisting of at least 10 jumps. At least the top 12 riders, if available or one third of the entries will return to compete over a second round. Scores from the first round will be added together with the scores of the second round to determine the placings. If a tie exists for first place only, after the second round, a third round will be held to determine the winner. All other ties will remain tied. Prize money will be split and equal points will be given to those riders. No rider may show more than two horses in any one Classic. Attire: Riders will be required to wear Scarlet or Dark Coats, White shirts with White Stock Choker or Tie. White, Buff or Canary Breeches and Hunting Cap, If you have any questions about the CHJA Hunter Classics, please contact us at chjaweb@aol.com. NUMBERS Specially assigned numbers for the CHJA Medal Finals may be picked up from the CHJA Finals Secretary before the competition begins. See the timetable for secretary availability. Numbers must be worn for the warm-up as well. PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR Protective headgear must be worn at all times while riding on the premises. Adults and Juniors must wear protective headgear passing or surpassing current ASTM/SEI standards, with harness secured at all times while riding on the premises. It is the responsibility of the rider, or parent or guardian of the junior exhibitor, to see to it that the headgear worn complies with appropriate safety standards and is properly fitted and in good condition. AWARDS Awards will be presented upon the completion of each final. CHJA CELEBRATION BUFFET A complimentary buffet will be served in the CHJA tent on Saturday and Sunday afternoon at STALLS If you require stalls or a Fairfield County Hunt Club Prize List, please contact the Fairfield County Hunt Club Horse Show Secretary at 203-650-3148 or 203-259-7783. Be advised that we do provide addresses of all CHJA Medal Finals Qualifiers to ORDER OF GO The "Order of Go" for the CHJA Hunter Classics and the CHJA Medal Classes will be available in advance so that trainers and riders can better coordinate their arrival times. It will be posted on the CHJA website www.chja.net on Wednesday. It will also be available at the CHJA Secretary's booth and posted at the in gate. SCRATCHES Once entered, no horse may be withdrawn from the competition without permission of the Equitation Committee. Any request to scratch must be made in writing and be accompanied by a confirmation of inability to compete from a Veterinarian or Physician in the case of a rider's illness or injury. If approved, a full refund of class entry fees, less a $100 scratch fee will be given within 30 days after the completion of the show. PONY MEDAL CHANGES If it is necessary to change the pony you are riding in the Pony Medal, the Secretary must be notified at least 1 hour before the start of the class without exception. NON-NEGOTIABLE CHECKS Checks returned by the bank for any reason will be assessed a penalty of $100. Upon notification of a bad check, accounts will be given 7 days to make full payment including penalty, which must be paid in certified funds, cashier's check or money order. An account not brought current within seven days will have the entrant's CHJA Membership put on hold and no points will accumulate until the account is paid. TRAINER'S APPRECIATION GIFT To receive a the trainer's appreciation gift, the trainer must be an active member of the CHJA. USEF MEMBERSHIP STATEMENT Life, senior active and junior active members shall be eligible to participate in all classes at Regular Competitions, Eventing Competitions at the Preliminary Level or above and Combined Driving Competitions at the Advanced Level, Dressage,Reining and Vaulting Competitions and Endurance Rides provided the respective breed/discipline dues or breed/discipline category fee has been paid. A nonmember may participate as a handler, rider, driver, owner, lessee, agent, coach or trainer at Regular Competitions, Eventing Competitions, Dressage Competitions, Reining Competitions and Combined Driving Competitions upon payment of a $20 nonmember registration fee and a $5 breed/discipline category fee for each breed/discipline. Participants in the following classes are exempted from the Requirements of this rule: 1) leadline; 2) exhibitions; 3) games and races; 4) classes for 4-H members; 5) walk trot and academy classes (academy classes are classes limited to horses used regularly in a lesson program); 6) USDF introductory level tests, pas de deux and quadrille classes; 7) NRHA Endorsed Reining Competitions; 8) Opportunity classes. 9) citizens of other nations who have proof, in English, of current membership in good standing of their own National Federation, 10) USEA beginner novice division; and 11) assistant handlers in Dressage Sport Horse Breeding classes. CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION The CHJA Equitation Committee reserves the right to itself to interpret all questions and conditions in regard to or arising out of, or incident to the show without claims for damages or recourse of any kind. All questions not covered in these Rules and Regulations shall be decided by the CHJA Equitation Committee, its decision to be final. The CHJA Equitation Committee reserves to itself the right to limit or change the number of accepted entries in any class, to refuse, accept conditionally, or to cancel any entries, disqualify any riders, horses or exhibitors, prohibit exhibition of entries without any claim for damages; to change any course, to add a dotted line, to cancel any unfilled classes, or to reschedule classes, after due notice to exhibitors; to change rings or judges as the competition warrants. 
Riders qualify by accumulating 12 or more points in CHJA Medal Classes held at Recognized Shows during the qualifying period. The qualifying period runs from 20 days before the previous year's Medal Finals competition to 20 days prior to the current year's Medal Finals competition. In determining the date of a competition, the day the show begins is used. The Equitation Committee may, at its discretion, designate a lower minimum number of qualifying points for any given year.
Only active CHJA members with a current CHJA membership are eligible to participate. Additionally, past winners of the CHJA Master's Medal Finals, CHJA Junior Medal Finals, the CHJA Adult Medal Finals and the CHJA Children's Medal Finals are not eligible to compete in their respective Medal classes in subsequent years. Past winners of the CHJA Pony Medal Finals may compete in subsequent years, but only on a pony of larger height than the pony ridden in the winning year. Pony Finals winners may also compete in Children's, Junior, Master's or Adult Medals in subsequent years. If an entry is declined based on the qualifying criteria, the exhibitor shall be notified in writing, and full refund of all fees paid, less a $50 administrative fee, will be made within 30 days of the completion of the show.
Any riders, horses or their trainers entering the main CHJA show ring while the ring is officially closed will be automatically disqualified and not allowed to compete in the finals. In addition, any rider going into a class that they have not qualified for, or officially entered including the Warm-Up, will be disqualified from any further participation in the CHJA Medal Finals.
ORMS AND INVITATIONS
Will be mailed directly to the qualifiers in July. In order to reserve your place in the CHJA Medal Finals, your completed entry form and check must be mailed and received or postmarked by
Do not send CHJA Medal Finals entries to the
Payment must accompany all entries.
Entry forms will not be accepted after the deadline or at the show. There will be no exceptions.
As entry forms are received by the CHJA Administrator, confirmation of receipt will be posted on the CHJA website at www.chja.net.
The CHJA Medal Finals are held at a United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) recognized competition at the Fairfield Hunt Club Horse Show. Therefore, it is necessary to comply with all USEF Equestrian Rules, including Drug Testing and Membership.
Even if they have qualified for multiple CHJA Medal Finals, competitors may only compete in one Equitation Medal Final in a given year. For example, if a rider qualifies for both the CHJA Children's Medal and the CHJA Pony Medal, they must choose to do one or the other. Remember, if a rider has ever qualified for or shown in any 3' equitation final including the CHJA Junior Medal, they are no longer eligible to compete in the Children’s Medal.
A rider qualifying for the CHJA Adult Medal Final may choose to ride in either the Adult Medal Final or the Master's Medal Final. The Master's Medal Final will also be open to all past CHJA Medal Finals Champions and Reserves, with the restriction that they be current Junior or Senior Amateur Members of the CHJA.
There will be an unjudged 2'3' warm-up on Thursday afternoon from