American Dutch Harness - Roadster to Bike, Wagon and Under

ADH 12.0 American Dutch Harness - Roadster to Bike, Wagon and Under Saddle The Roadster Horse should have good American Dutch Harness Horse conformation and be shown with a full mane and tail. The roadster shall have a refined head, well placed ears, The throat latch, refined neck, muscular chest, powerful shoulders, refined solid legs, and power hindquarters. Animation, brilliance and a competitive ring presence should be evident working at the jog-trot and road gait. The Roadster Horse should perform in form and under control at all gaits. Roadsters may be shown to the Bike, Wagon, or under Saddle.

1. The fast, cadenced, in-form trot is the hallmark of a Roadster horse. The horse shall be asked to trot at three different speeds: the jog trot, the road gait and then at speed. At all speeds, Roadsters should work in form; chins set and legs working beneath them, going collectedly.

2. The Roadster Horse should perform in form and under control at all gaits. Mixey-gaited horses that pace, or rack the turn, or that break and run shall be penalized. Exhibitors executing gaits that are not called for must be penalized. Roadsters that are long, have sprawling front action, dragging or trailing hind legs and straddle-gaite action behind, all of which indicate imbalance and are undesirable.

3. Roadster Horses to Bike should maintain form while performing strongly in three distinct speeds.

4. Roadster Horses Under Saddle should naturally carry their head high and look pretty.

5. Roadster Horses to Wagon have the strength and scale to pull a wagon without losing form.

6. Tails must not be put in a tail brace or any other device.

7. Labored way of going should be severely penalized.

8. No exhibitor under the age of 15 years old is allowed to show in any road horse class.

9. Drivers are not permitted to leave their vehicle while in lineup, except for necessary adjustments.

10. In the lineup, Open Roadster does not allow headers. Ladies, Youth, Amateur permit headers. One attendant per entry and attendants are only allowed to touch the horse for safety reasons. Entries are allowed to be unchecked, if not participating in the workout. However, when the workout is over the horse must be rechecked and the attendant must move away from the horse. The driver may, however, uncheck and stand at horse’s head when left in the center of the ring while a part of the class is on the rail for a workout. In Roadster Horse to Bike and Roadster Horse to Wagon classes, the overcheck must remain attached to the water hook until class is tied. Attendance must be at least 15 years of age with horse handling experience.

11. In the event that the check breaks or comes off, the entry must use a timeout to reattach the check. If the check breaks or comes off a second time the horse must not be allowed to continue performing unchecked and must be excused from the ring by the judge(s). If a horse is excused under these circumstances they will be qualified for the championship.

12. Stallions are prohibited in Ladies and Youth classes. Youth drivers are permitted to drive in the Amateur class if no Youth class is offered. If no amateur classes are offered, youth are permitted to drive in the Open class.

13. Any horse that is determined by the Judge(s) to be a safety risk must be excused. Any driver, rider, or horse in the Roadster division exhibiting inappropriate or dangerous behavior, or whose actions would in any way threaten the safety of any other exhibitor, their entries, or the safety of class officials, must be immediately eliminated from the class by the Judge. When eliminating a driver, rider, or horse due to inappropriate or dangerous behavior, the Judge must call the class to a stop and excuse the entry from the ring. Once the eliminated entry has exited the ring, the class may resume. It is the Judge’s responsibility to ensure that safety requirements are followed at all times.

14. When showing a Roadster to Bike or Wagon, the driver must sit on the inside of the seat and hold the bight end of the reins in their hand. When showing to the bike, both feet must remain in the stirrups while showing, except for while standing in the lineup. Any driver who fails to comply with the above will be considered to be exhibiting dangerous behavior as described above and must immediately be eliminated from the class by the Judge.

15. Saddle classes do not qualify a horse for Bike or Wagon Championship classes. Wagon classes will qualify for a Bike Championship if a Wagon Championship is not offered. In Amateur Championships, to bike or wagon, if qualifying classes are offered the horse must have been qualified by an Amateur in one other Amateur Bike or Wagon Class. Exception: Lady Amateurs may qualify for the Amateur Championship if they enter and show in a Ladies bike or Wagon class. Roadster to Bike, Wagon & Under Saddle Divisions - To be offered to Open horses, Limit or Novice, Mares, Geldings, Stallions, Amateur, Juvenile, Youth, Amateur Ladies, Amateur Gentlemen. Roadster Attire - In bike or under saddle classes, exhibitors shall wear stable or personal colors, jacket and cap or helmet to match. Exhibitors should be in pants that are dark or match silks, and exhibitors shall wear boots. The show number must be worn on the exhibitor’s back.

1. Protective headgear is required for all Juvenile and Youth exhibitors under 22 years of age, and may be worn by any exhibitor without penalty.

2. In Wagon classes, exhibitors shall wear a business suit with a hat. The show number must be worn on the exhibitor’s back. Protective headgear may be worn without penalty and is encouraged. Roadster Appointments Roadsters to bike shall be shown to a bike with good appearance and stability. Harness includes: square blinkers, snaffle bit, attached overcheck (check bit is optional), breast collar, straight flaps, round traces with flat ends, and martingale. Protective boots are allowed (i.e. quarter or bell boots.) Horse two-wheeled bikes must be of standard size of at least 48” width with a double seat. If the judge deems the vehicle to be unsafe, the entry must be excused from the ring by the judge(s). If the entry is excused under these circumstances they will be qualified for the championship.

1. Roadsters under saddle shall be shown with an English saddle, full martingale (no german martingale), open show bridle, snaffle bit, single or double rein(s) good appearance of equipment. Protective boots are permitted (i.e., quarter or bell boots).

2. For Under Saddle classes horse to be ridden, the saddle should be of English-type with leather or web girth, martingale with a single or double reins and a single bit bridle with cavesson.

3. Roadster to wagon shall be shown to a wagon with good appearance and stability. Wagons should have more scale and height than a roadster bike. Harness includes: square blinkers, snaffle bit, attached over check (check bit is optional), breast collar, straight flaps, round traces with flat ends, and martingale. Breeching is required in all wagon classes. If the judge deems the vehicle to be unsafe, the entry must be excused from the ring by the judge(s). If the entry is excused under these circumstances they will be qualified for the championship.

4. Encouraged appointments will include the following items: rasp, scrapper, hoof pick, screwdriver, farrier’s knife, farrier’s hammer, knife, goggles, matches, washers, spool wire, wrench, wire pliers, nippers, punch, oil can, horse shoes, horse shoe nails, blanket pins, whisk broom, flask, cooler, halter, raincoat/cover, curry comb, brush, lead strap, clock, and light.

5. Harness with martingale, low crupper breast collar with straight flaps, with traces made round with flat ends, shall consist of bridles with square blinkers, snaffle bit, and overcheck bit. Reins should be of dark leather and made round up to the handpieces. Roadster Gaits Performed Roadsters must enter the ring clockwise, at a “jog” trot, then show at the “road gait.” Before reversing, exhibitors will return to the jog. While going counterclockwise, horses will show at the Jog, Road Gait, and then At Speed before returning to the Jog and going into the lineup. The Wagon Class at speed is called “Go For The Doctor”. Horses must be shown on the rail at all times except when passing and should go to the far end on every corner without side-reining; should be light mouthed, capable of being taken up at any time, willing to walk and stand quietly when being judged in the lineup. Roadster Judging Specifications

● Roadster to Bike for Junior, Open, Limit or Novice - horses are to be judged on Performance, Speed, Presence, Quality, Conformation and Manners in both qualifiers and championships.

● Roadster to Bike for Amateur, Juveniles, Youth or Ladies - horses are to be judged on Manners, Performance, Speed, Presence, Quality, and Conformation in both qualifiers and championships.

● Roadster to Bike, Green Driver - horses are judged on Manners, Performance, Quality and Speed.

● Roadster Under Saddle for all divisions to be judged on Manners, Performance, Speed, Presence, Quality, and Conformation.

● Roadster to Wagon for all divisions to be judged on Performance, Speed, Presence, Quality, Manners, and Conformation. If no Championship is offered for this class, it shall be considered as a qualifying class for the Roadster to Bike Championship. ASB: American Saddlebred