Young Jumper Championships

1999 Rules and Format

Two Regional League Championships are being organized, each consisting of a series of Qualifying Classes for 5 and 6-eyar-olds hosted by approved shows throughout the year. The Qualifying will culminate with two League Finals where the League Champions will be crowned. The individual 5 and 6-year-olds invited to represent the United States at the Monterrey Young Horse Challenge will also be decided at the two League Finals of the Young Jumper Championships.

Qualifying Classes

1. Open to horses of the correct age for a given class, as indicated by the presentation of registration papers from any Breed Registry that registers horses of proven ancestry and issues registration certificates which indicate the date of birth, color, sex, and markings on the papers. Horses nominated to the International Jumper Futurity as 3-year-olds or younger may also compete upon presentation of IJF registration certificates. Presentation of Registry of IJF Certificates is mandatory prior to participation in a class. (Note: AHSA recording certificates are NOT considered proof of age.)
2. YJC Qualifying classes must be conducted in a main Jumper Arena at the show and occur on Saturday or Sunday. Scheduling a class on a different day(s), or providing a method of qualifying a limited number of horses to compete in the YJC weekend classes, may occur only when requested and approved by the YJC Steering Committee. Separate classes must be held for each age group, conducted under AHSA jumper rules at a speed of 360 or 382 yards per minute. Classes will be scored under Table II, Section 2, and may be conducted without a jump-off (clear rounds remain tied for first place), with a "designated jump-off" (the best 3 to 8 competitors, as designated in the prize list, return for a jump-off in reverse order of their faults and time in the initial round),or under Section 2(A) or (B) rules.
3. Height specifications:
   • 5-year-olds--3'6" to 3'9" (4' max.) in height and 4' to 4'3" in width;
   • 6-year-olds--3'9" to 4' (4'3" max.) in height and 4'3" to 4'6" in width;
   • 7-year-olds--4' to 4'3" (4' 6" max.) in height and 4'6" to 5' in width.

Courses must contain a minimum of 10 numbered fences with a minimum of 2 combinations, and must be built in an inviting and straight-forward manner to encourage confidant jumping for younger horses. Qualifying Classes held earlier in the competition year should be set at a lower level of difficulty in terms of heights, spreads and track; flowing hunter-type tracks with a full variety of jumper obstacles are to be encouraged. Horses may compete in as many qualifying classes as they desire, however, only the first-round fault scores from a maximum of 3 classes during the year will count toward a League Final.

To Offer YJC Qualifying Classes a show MUST:

1. Apply to the IJF office, enclosing a $25 application fee, at least 6 weeks prior to the show and receive permission to hold the classes.
2. Hold one class for 5-year-olds and one class for 6-year-olds (a class for 7-year-olds is optional but encouraged for 1999).
3. Have a course designer who is licensed by the AHSA or the FEI. (The course designer should also be given a copy of the YJC Rules and Format).
4. Hold classes in the Main Jumper Arena during the weekend schedule.
5. Guarantee a minimum of $500 in prize money for the 6-year-old class ($750 for the 7-year-old class). Prize money for 5-year-olds is optional, but encouraged. In any case, for 5-year-olds, a show may not give less prize money, nor charge a higher starting fee that what applies for a "High" Training class at that same show; for 6-year-olds money and starting fee as for a Low Preliminary class; and for 7-year-olds money and starting fee as for a High Preliminary class.
6. Guarantee that every entry has presented registration papers (or xerox copies of front and back) from a breed registry and/or a Certificate of Nomination from the IJF program prior to being permitted to compete.
7. Announce the breed, sire, and dam's sire of each entry during the class and at the awards presentations.
8. Indicate on the start list and results sheets all horses that are IJF nominated.
9. Forward all class results (horse, rider, owner, breed, sire and dam, along with first round score of each competitor, and jump-off results with final placings, plus a copy of the judge's card for the classes) to the IJF office: P.O. Box 2830, Granite Bay, CA 95746, ph/fx (916) 791-3429, within 5 days of the show.

League Finals

Each Young Jumper Championship League Final will be held at a show in August or early September, as designated by the YJC Steering Committee. Each Age Group Final will take place over three (3) days, and consist of 3 different rounds as follows:

Round One will have a minimum of 8 numbered fences with 2 doubles or one double and one triple combination, scored under Table II, Section 1. The order of go will be drawn randomly.

Round Two will have a minimum of 10 numbered fences with a double and a triple combination (Note: this round may have a water jump for 6&endash;year-olds only, with a mandatory rail over it.). It will also be scored under Table II Section 1. Horses will jump in reverse order of standings following Round One.

Round Three will consist of 10 to 12 numbered fences and must include a water jump of at least 10' with a rail for the 6-year-olds (not water jump is required for 5-year-olds). The order of go will be in reverse order of standings after Round Two. The fences for Round Three may be up to 3" higher and wider than the specifications as indicated for the Qualifying Classes, if performances in the prior rounds dictate. A jump-off will be held under Table II Section 2A, only in the case of a tie for the League Championship (see Scoring below).

The Scoring to determine the League Champions will be calculated as follows:

1. Each horse's First Score will be obtained by calculating the average jumping faults from each competitor's best three first round fault scores, jumping and time faults, in Qualifying Classes. For 1999, if a horse has competed in less than three Qualifying Classes, they may use a single sore or an average of two rounds.
2. The Second Score will be their fault score from Round One at the Finals.
3. The Third Score will be their fault score from Round Two at the Finals.
4. The Fourth Score will be their fault score from Round Three of the Finals multiplied by a factor of 1.5.
5. The final standings for the League Championship will be determined by adding together each competitor's four Scores, as described above, with the horse obtaining the lowest total faults being declared the winner, next lowest second, etc.
6. A jump-off will be held to decide the final result only if ties for first place exist after totaling all four scores. In the event of ties for other than first place, or for any position which will qualify for eligibility for the Monterrey Challenge, the total of the times taken by each horse in Rounds One, Two and Three will decide the order of placing.

The Young Jumper Steering Committee consists of the following members:

• Linda Allen, Chairman
• Everardo Hegewisch, Member
• John Madden, Member
• Joyce Matin, Member
• Robert Ridland, Member

1. Check the links below for more information:
   • $50,000 Monterrey Young Jumper Challenge
   • IJF Young Jumper Championship Series
   • Rules and Specifications