Speed – Level 2

Tack and Attire

1. Refer to Western tack and attire on pages 17-26.
2. Optional Attire: Hats are optional but must stay on the entire time the exhibitor is in the arena or the rider will be fined 2 seconds.
3. If hats are not worn, a plain white or green headband may be worn for rider's hair control if band is 3 inches or less in width. Protective helmets with chin straps.
4. One light rubber band may be wrapped only one time around each boot and stirrup.
5. Optional Tack: Mechanical hackamores, gag bits, tie downs, martingales, cavesson nosebands, draw reins and closed reins on any type of bit or hackamore. Spurs must be dull and the rowels free moving. Protective leg wraps or boots. The use of the reins or hands as a whip or in front of the cinch shall cause for disqualification.
6. Prohibited in Timed Events: Ball caps; chaps; over and under ropes; bare metal in contact with horse's head.

General Regulations

1. All contestants will gather at the arena at the proper time. Upon call, each contestant will have 30 seconds to enter the arena and cross the start line. Failure to enter the arena and cross the start line within the time limit will result in no time. Working order for the contestants should be drawn or randomized.
2. The arena size should be at least 80 by 200 feet to permit regulation patterns with ample room for clearance of all obstacles and safety at the start and finish line.
3. The use of equipment is optional. However, the timer or judge may prohibit the use of bits or equipment that they may consider severe.
4. Unnecessary roughness or discourteousness will dismiss the rider from further competition for the entire show.
5. Bats, crops, quirts, or whips (may not exceed 2 ft in lenght when measured from end of handle of leather attachment or less than 1/2 inch in width) may be used on the horse only behind the girth. A judge, at their discretion, may disqualify a contestant for excessive use of a bat, crop, quirt, or whip or for the use of equipment that is considered abusive or inhumane.
6. If a rider is thrown and/or the horse falls in a timed event, the entry is required to retire from the arena with the lowest ribbon placing offered at the judge's discretion.
7. It is the contestant's responsibility to ensure the gate is closed before crossing the starting line. Crossing the starting line before the gate is closed will result in a 2-second penalty.
8. Enter arena mounted. All horses must enter and leave the arena under control of the rider only (except emergencies). Horses led into arena will carry a 2-second penalty at start. After entering arena, the contestant should start straight or no more than one circle may be taken before starting. Horse must be under safe control while in arena. Violation of any of these rules will penalize the contestant 2 seconds for each violation. Must dismount and lead horse from arena or be penalized 2 seconds.
9. The start and finish line shall be the same line. Time is started and finished as the horse's nose crosses the line each time. Touching or crossing the start and finish line before the pole or barrel pattern is completed shall result in a 2-second fine. Should this violation stop an electric timer before the pattern is completed, then the 2-second fine shall be added to the backup time.
10. At least two watches shall be used with the average time of the watches to be official. If an electric timer is used, a watch should be used for a check.
11. In event of a tie, the horse declared the winner in the run-off must run the pattern within 2 seconds of its original time, or the run-off must be held again, providing both horses qualify again. Regardless of the run-off time, no other horses in the event can move the tied horses out of the places for which they tied. In 4-H shows, first place is the most critical award to be established.
12. Each course must be measured exactly. Frequent checking of patterns is necessary for distance, position of obstacles, and footing around obstacles. Footing around barrels or poles may need to be re-leveled periodically in large classes.
13. Ribbon grouping in speed event classes may be difficult because of different soil and arena conditions. The following ribbon grouping methods have been applied at the State and Rodeo shows:
    1. Determine purple ribbons from the fastest times, generally in the senior division. A break in the fastest times, which is generally in the tenths and not the hundredths of seconds, determines the slowest purple ribbon times.
    2. Poles 
       Junior Division — Slowest purple + 2.5 seconds pro­duces times for all blues ± a few hundredths of a second to find a logical break for starting red ribbon groups 
       Senior Division — Slowest purple + 2.0 seconds pro­duces times for all blues ± a few hundredths of a second to find a logical break for starting red ribbon groups 
       Under most arena conditions, the red ribbon group would include times under 30 seconds from the slowest blue, and white ribbons are generally awarded to no times and times of 30 seconds and up.
    3. Barrels 
       Junior Division — Slowest purple + 1.5 seconds pro­duces times for blues ± a few hundredths of a second to find a logical break for starting red ribbon groups. 
       Senior Division — Slowest purple + 1.25 seconds produces times for all blues ± a few hundredths of a second to find a logical break for starting red ribbon groups. 
       Under most arena barrel racing conditions, the red ribbon would be those times 3-4 seconds lower than the last blue. White ribbons are generally no times and those times slower than the last red.