DeRidder Riding Club, INC.

 Adopted March 2007

AN EQUINE RIDING CLUB FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY IN DERIDDER, LOUISIANA

Article I - General

1.  MEMBERS ONLY:  DeRidder Riding Club is an equine play day club with monthly competition held yearly starting in March and ending in November. All classes will receive money awards for first, second, and third place, with the exception of Lead-Line Division. The Peanut Division will have a choice of a ribbon or money awards. Participation ribbons will be awarded to all contestants in the Lead-Line Division. Places in all othe money classes will be determined according to Article III. Membership is subject to the following requirements.

A.  A current Negative Coggins is required for all horses, and should be in your possession whenever you are at club shows and events; and,

B.  Members of DeRidder Riding Club will be required to assist (one event) at a minimum of 2 club shows. Those persons choosing not to assist may pay a user fee of $50.00 in lieu of helping during the show. (This is not meant to be a hardship; only a means of facilitating the safety and efficiency of our club shows.)

2.Age Divisions:  All club events are broken down into the following age divisions:

Lead-Line  0-6 years and must be lead by an adult

Peanut 0-6 years

PeeWee 7-10 years

Junior 11-14 years

Intermediate 15 - 18 years

Senior 19 years & up

 Age for club members is the rider's age as of January 1st of the current year. All riders riding alone will be placed ahead of any child that is helped. Riders will stay within their assigned age group. A photo copy of a birth certificate and/or driver's license must be provided by sign-up of the second show.

3.  Club Membership dues: Club membership dues are Seventy-Five Dollars($75.00) per year and must be paid by your first competition. Member dues cover immediate family only; and/or children that are filed as a tax dependency deduction on your income tax returns; or other legal guardianshi (proof of custody and/or guardianship may be required). Points will be awarde to club members beginning from the date of paid membership in the club. Participation accrediation is subject to the following:

You must compete in four(4) events at five(5) club shows to be eligible for year-end participation awards. All Riders riding by themselves will be placed ahead of any member that is helped.

4.  Contesting a time call of an event/complaints: A participant having a complaint about a call or time must bring the complaint before a Board Member or Officer. The arena judge will be consulted by said Board Member or Officer. The complaint must be made before the participant's age group begins the next event. If time or call is not contested within this time, the time or call stands. NO ONE is allowed in the announcer's booth except for Officer's, Board Members or Time Keepers. Interference with a Time Keeper, Judge or Announcer is a disqualification for the rider, parents included.

5.  Checking Times And Points:  Official points will be posted at each show for the prior months show. Participants will be given until the next months show to question their points. If a participant does not question their points during this one (1) month time period, the points will stand as recorded and that will be their official point total. NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED TO CHECK TIMES THROUGH OUT THE CLUB SHOW OR AT THE END OF THE SHOW.  NO EXCEPTIONS!

6.  MULTIPLE RIDERS: No two (2) contestants in the same age division may ride the same horse for the following: barrel racing, flag racing, straight-away-barrels, stake race or pole bending; except for the LEAD-LINE and PEANUT age divisions. In the event a competitor's horse is injured or becomes ill during the course of a competition, that competitor may ride the same horse as another competitor ( in the same age division) but will receive particpation credit only. (NO Points) THIS MUST BE CLEARED WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE CLUB AND THE ANNOUNCER MUST BE NOTIFIED BEFORE THE RIDE BEGINS.

7.  PATTERNS: If a rider enters the arena and receives a go signal, they must complete the pattern. A riders who breaks the timer prior to completing a full pattern will be disqualified and receive a no-time. Peanut and PeeWee patterns may be corrected, as long as the course has not been broken, and the contestant may be allowed to back track the course and continue the pattern correctly without being disqualified. A rider who fails to complete the pattern correctly will be disqualified and receive a no-time.

8. Conduct: Unruly or unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated. Anyone acting in an intolerabe manner will be disqualified for the remainder of the club show.

9. Dress Code: Boots and Jeans are required. No shorts, tank tops, spaghetti straps, halter tops or anything revealing will be tolerated. If you do not have on boots you will not be allowed to ride in any event; other improper attire will lead to disqualification resulting in a no-time.

10. Safety:  Horses are not to be ridden above a walk in any area except where contestants are entering or leaving the arena, or the warm-up arena. No horse will be allowed in the concession stand area, the registration area, or between the bleachers and alley way. Please do not allow your children to play around the alley way, gates or in and around the horses. Scooters, bicycles, skateboards or roller blades will not be allowed in the bleacher/stand area, alley way, main arena or the warm-up arena. Four wheelers or other distrubing vehicles are not allowed on the premises. (Persons arriving in such a fashion must immediately park the vehicle.) This is for the safety of our children and horses. All dogs are required to be on a leash no longer than five (5) feet.

11. Arena Gate:  All contestants will run to a closed gate. (That is the gate under the announcers stand; it will be closed for everyone.)

12. Clean Up:  All members and non-members on the premises are required to keep the grounds clean and free of all debris. Trash should be placed in trash barrels at all times.

13. STATE HIGH SCHOOL RODEO FINALISTS:  The DeRidder Riding Club will provide financial assistance (as able) to those members who have met the following guidelines:

A. You must be a paid member of the DRC;

B. You must compete in at least three (3) club shows in the current year. Riding in at least four (4) events at each of these shows. This must be done prior to the State High School Finals. ( You will have to get your three (3) shows in between March and June.)

C. You must assist at any and all fundraisers that are held for your benefit;

D. Any and all exceptions must be brought before the Board of Directors of the DeRidder Riding Club (DRC).

14. Board Meetings:  The Board of Directors for the DeRidder Riding Club will convene as needed. This meeting is open to the general membership. In the absence of five(5) Board Members, the President of the club can vote and constitute an official meeting. In addition to the Board Members, the Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer can vote.

15. Year End Awards:  TO QUALIFY FOR YEAR END AWARDS, PARTICIPANTS MUST RIDE IN A MINIMUM OF FOUR (4) EVENTS AT FIVE (5) CLUB SHOWS. Once qualified to receive points, any points earned by the contestant during the year will count towards their award. (i.e., For all around, all points in the best eight out of nine shows. For First (1st) throught Tenth (10th) places, all points in their top four (4) events, in the best eight (8) out of nine (9) shows.) Year end awards are subject to the following specifications:

A. All Around Awards:  All around will be given to the contestant with the most points in eight (8) of nine (9) shows, for all age groups.

B. Placings: First (1st) through tenth (10th) place will be given to the club members who have earned the most points during the year in their top four (4) events, being the points from the best eight (8) shows for that contestant. You must participate in five (5) shows, riding in a minimum of four (4) events, to be eligible for year end awards.

C. Year End Ties: Ties will be broken on the basis of the contestant who rode the most number of times in his/her four (4) events in the eight (8) best shows. If still tied, the award will go to the rider who received the most first (1st) places, as above, continuing through tenth (10th) place, until the tie is broken. If the tie exists after this, then both riders still receive the same award.

16. Point System:  Ten (10) points will be given to First(1st) place in each division with descending points following down to tenth (10th) place receiving one (1) point.

17. Theft:  Anyone caught stealing will be banned from DRC for life and fully prosecuted.