Welcome

**** ABHA NEWSLETTER ****, Mon 29th Mar, 2021

Dear ABHA Members, Affiliates, Volunteers and Lovers of Barrel racing,

The ABHA has started to ramp up over the last few months, with a feeling of positivity starting to spread across Australia as we wind back Covid-19 restrictions. We have finished our 2020 state championship events, which were very successful and well received across all states.

The 2021 Equitana Qualifiers are in full swing and already have some big name competitors qualifiered.

We are excited to announce the addition of Nicole McDonald as the acting secretary/treasurer to the ABHA. We would like to thank Suzie Dicks for all her voluntary time as temporary secretary/treasurer and look forward to having Suzie back in the directors seat. 

The ABHA is wishing everyone a safe and Happy Easter as we all get ready for our Easter weekend events - be sure to checkout our calendar for an event near you. 

Until next Time  

Cathy Reean 

ABHA President

RULE BOOK AMENDMENTS, Sun 7th Feb, 2021

Please be advised the ABHA Rule book has been updated with the following rules. These Rules are effective immediately.

AFFILIATES

1. Affiliates can only retain a maximum of 30% of the entry fee to cover club expenses, trophies and administration fees.

Any Event with a minimum of $300.00 posted prize money, (including juniors) affiliates can retain up to 40% of the entry fee.

*Please note affliates can retain a lower % if they wish.

CLASSIC EVENTS

1. Open to horses 4, 5 and 6 years.

2. Can be run over 1, 2 or 3 rounds.

3. Affiliates have the option to allow a competitor to roll over their time from a classic event into a divisional barrel race, provided they are run on the same size course.

4. Any Classic with $500 prize money or more will count as a qualifying classic round for the ABHA Finals.

5. A horse’s age will be calculated based on a year starting 1 August every year (Horses Birthday). For example, a horse born any time between 1 August 2019 and 31 July 2020 turns one (1) year old on 1 August 2020 and so on.

Rule 25 - Dress rules – Members competing at ABHA affiliated events must wear suitable long sleeved shirt, hat/ current Australian Standard’s helmet, (No Caps) boots and jeans in the arena at all times. They must be neat and presentable.

Rule 26 - Safety helmets – Junior or juvenile competitors under 18 years of age, must wear a Current Australian Standard’s approved helmet with the chin strap securely fastened when mounted and competing. Adult members that choose to wear a helmet must wear a Current Australian Standard’s approved helmet.

Helmets worn must conform with one of the current approved safety standards:

· Current Australian standard AS/NZ 3838 (2006 onwards) provided they are SAI global marked.

· Current American standards ASTM FI163 (2004a or 04a onwards) provided they are SEI marked, or SNELL E2001.

· Current British standard PAS 015 (1998 or 2011) provided they are BSI Kitemarked.

· Interim European Standard VGI (01.040: 2014-12) with or without BSI Kitemark.

Note *All competitors in junior events must wear Current Australian Standards approved helmet.

Rule No 6.

Membership categories:

Senior

Junior

Day*

Non-Competing**

Honorary

Life***

*Day memberships will be limited to 3 affiliated days per calendar year. Full ABHA membership fee will be required to be paid regardless of the number of day memberships paid should the member wish to take out a full ABHA membership. Day membership will not entitle the member to a qualifying event for the National Finals and will not qualify rider for club end of year awards for events competed at under a day membership

**Non-Competing membership is a non-riding person over 18 years of age.

***Life members wishing to compete must sign the ABHA Waiver form each membership year.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact a director near you.

2020 / 2021 Equitana Qualifying Events, Sun 24th Jan, 2021

The ABHA Board of Directors are pleased to announce the 2021 Equitana Qualifier’s are as follows:

 NSW:

Cherry Tree Equine 14^th Feb 2021 - Cooma.................................2 Qualifiers

Camden Barrel Racing Club 10^th Apr 2021- Badgerys Creek .................2 Qualifiers

Cowgirls Doin it for Themselves Date TAB – Deniliquin……….3 Qualifiers

Ultimate Barrel Racing Club Date TBA - Tarcutta ..................................2 Qualifiers

QLD:

CentralHighlands Barrel Racing Club 13^th &14^th Feb 2021- Capella,….....2 Qualifiers

SA:

Dash 4 Cash 27^th Feb 2021 - Lyndoch....................................................2 Qualifiers

SABHA 27^th Mar 2021 - Marrabel............................................................2 Qualifiers

TAS:

Tassie Barrels and Poles 20^th Feb 2021 - Ross................................2 Qualifiers

VIC:

ABHA Victorian Barrels 17^th March - Chiltern................................3 Qualifiers

SportingHorse Australia 24^th Apr 2021 – Boneo…………………..3 Qualifiers

WA:

Denim& Lace Date TBA – Venue TBA……………................................2 Qualifiers

More information to follow.

NOTICE FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIAN's, Sun 3rd Jan, 2021

Dear SA Affiliate’s, Members and Members residing outside SA that wish to compete in SA,

Please be advised the membership process for our SA members is now a litlle different to the other states.

SA members and also members wishing to compete in SA need to sign a state specific waiver. This waiver also must be witnessed.

Please be advised that memberships will not be finalised until the waiver is received.

The process is easy, jump online renew your membership as per always.

You have the option to download and print the waiver from this section, or – tick the box for you payment method and select pay now, you will then receive an email confirming your memebrship anda blank waiver will be attached, you can then print the wavier from here.

You then need to complete the waiver.

Either post or scan in and email to the secretary@abha.com.au, (Please put you name and membership number as the email subject and if posting please allow ample time for it to arrive before you wish to compete.)

The emailed document is editable and for those that have the technology and witness available you can edit the waiver to sign and then send back via email – Please ensure all signatures, printed names and dates are legible any that are not will not be accepted.

For any queries please email the secretary@abha.com.au

2021 Memberships, Thu 31st Dec, 2020

Happy New Year to all our Members,

Memberships are now due.

There have been some changes and you will notice a new waiver to sign.

Please note members competing in South Australia have a different waiver to all other states and the SA waiver must be witnessed.

SENIOR MEMBERSHIP = $77

JUNIOR MEMEBRSIP = $44

NON-COMPETING MEMBERSHIP = $33

DAY MEMBERSHIP = $44

(All memberships prices include GST)

2021 Classic Incentive, Thu 31st Dec, 2020

The ABHA for over 9 years has sponsored a buckle to the value of $250 to all affiliates who run a Classic event with a posted prize money of $1000 or more.

In 2020 the ABHA also provided a Cash incentive of $500 to those affiliates who ran $1000 Classic Event, and a $250 Cash incentive to those who ran a Classic Event with $500 Posted Prize Money. This incentive was very well received throughout the year.

For the past few months the ABHA Board has been discussing ideas around incentives.

We are pleased to announce that as of the 1^st of January 2021 the ABHA will now be offering a $500 cash bonus to Affiliates that run a $1000 Classic event.

The ABHA will no longer be sponsoring a buckle for these events or the $250 cash incentive for $500 Classic’s.

We encourage all affiliates to still support Ride Tuff if you wish to award buckles, as Ride Tuff is a long time sponsor of the ABHA.

This incentive will be in place until 31/12/2021 and will be reviewed prior to the 1/01/2022.

Conditions :

Posted Prize Money must be a minimum of $1000

Each Affiliate can only receive the incentive twice per calendar year.

Affiliates can use the $500 cash incentive at their discretion in the running of their event.