YOUTH RODEO ASSOCIATION RULE BOOK 2017-2018 (Revised Aug. 2017) 1
YOUTH RODEO ASSOCIATION The Youth Rodeo Association is a non-profit organization with the following objectives; To promote and maintain an atmosphere of good sportsmanship in the rodeo profession, To maintain and keep the order and standards set by the highest quality in performing the sport of rodeo, To promote closer relationships among the people interested in this activity and the organizations which support youth rodeo, To assist and work in cooperation with state and national rodeo associations, To promote humane treatment of animals. If, for any reason this organization shall dissolve, upon payment of all bills, the remaining monies shall be donated in the name of charity, to a non-profit organization, by the discretion of the Board of Directors. Age is as of the first of August; General Rules Pee Wee 0 through 9 years Junior 10 years through 8 th grade Senior 9 th grade through 12 th grade If not specifically covered in this rule book, refer to MHSRA Ground Rules and MHSRA Rule Book. The rule book can be viewed/downloaded at www.nhsra.org or contact the Montana High School Rodeo office. Membership The annual dues shall be $100 per member, with a fee of $30 per additional family member. The YRA Secretary must have your properly completed membership application and payment of membership fee, payable by cashiers check or money order, to be eligible to receive points for that rodeo. This must be sent/mailed and received by the YRA Secretary on the Monday prior to Tuesday s rodeo entry. The membership application must include the notarized signature of at least one parent or legal guardian. PeeWees and Juniors will be assigned a back number with their memberships and this must be worn during the rodeos. YRA will not be liable for injury to members, siblings, parents or the general public. 2
Point System Points per event will be awarded to six (6) places at each rodeo. Prizes Pee Wee Division; Year end all-around saddles will not be awarded (unless budget allows), but they will receive an all- around prize and event prizes through fourth place will be awarded, or as the budget allows. At the discretion of the YRA Board of Directors, event prizes may be combined for those contestants placing in multiple events. Junior Division; Year end all-around saddles and event prizes through fourth place will be awarded, or as the budget allows. At the discretion of the YRA Board of Directors, event prizes may be combined for those contestants placing in multiple events. Scholarships granted and issued in previous year s awards must be redeemed within 24 months after graduation from high school. Use of the scholarship monies must be in the form of higher education, to be approved by the YRA Board of Directors. Failure to request previous years awarded scholarship funds for approved use within 24 months after graduation from high school, will result in the return of the scholarship monies to the YRA. 3
Senior Division; Year end all-around saddles and event prizes through fourth place will be awarded, or as the budget allows. At the discretion of the YRA Board of Directors, event prizes may be combined for those contestants placing in multiple events. Scholarships granted and issued in previous years awards must be redeemed within 24 months after graduation from high school. Use of scholarship monies must be in the form of higher education, to be approved by the YRA Board of Directors. Failure to request previous years awarded scholarship funds for approved use within 24 months after graduation from high school, will result in the return of the scholarship monies to the YRA. All-Around prizes are awarded to members in each division, with the most cumulative points from all rodeos for the season, which runs from August to June of each year, EXCEPT for the Junior Boys under the following restrictions **. ** Junior Boys All Around will be awarded on their chosen 5 events, which must be picked and reported prior to their first competitive YRA rodeo. Event prizes are awarded for each event, to the members in each division with the most points from their 7 best rodeos. Please note, a member does not have to use the same best 7 rodeos for all events. YRA members must participate in ALL annual fund raisers, and turn in any and all collected monies for such activities by established deadline date as established by the YRA Board of Directors, to be eligible for any year end awards. If member is not eligible for prize, the prize will then be awarded to the next eligible placing member. Hometown A Pee Wee or Junior contestant may enter one (1) home town rodeo, without buying a YRA membership. Hometown Pee Wee and Junior contestants can consider any two (2) day rodeo as one (1) hometown rodeo, regardless of location. They may only hometown one, 2-day rodeo per season, (August-June). All hometown contestants must complete a notarized reliability/permit and turn in at rodeo check-in. There will be a $15 permit charge to each contestant to hometown rodeo. Points at the hometown rodeo will not count for year-end awards. Contestants will be eligible for any prizes at the hometown rodeos. Board of Directors The Board of Directors shall consist of the elected officers and designated volunteers from each of the rodeo areas if possible, who have family members involved in YRA. A minimum of six (6) members will be designated, excluding officers. If possible, a stock contractor will be one of the members. 4
The election of officers will occur at the annual meeting, with the time and place of the annual meeting to be identified by the Board of Directors, no less than 30 days prior to the meeting. Parents and/or guardians and YRA members are voting members. Mail out and email votes can be utilized. A majority vote is required to pass. No Show If you No Show an event, then check in, you can compete in all events entered, but you cannot compete in the No Show event(s) for that rodeo. Turn Out/Medical & Veterinary Releases If you turn out at a rodeo, you still have to pay your entry fees and no points will be awarded in any event, at that rodeo. A $10 Turnout Fee per Day/Rodeo will be added to your fees. All fees must be made payable to the YRA and presented to the local secretary before competing in the next rodeo. A veterinarian s or doctor s release will excuse you from an event. A contestant with a visible injury or illness to themselves or horse, may turn out of any event at a rodeo without a Doctor s or Veterinarian s written excuse, provided notification of such turn out is authorized by a judge or Director at any given rodeo. If a contestant Meds or Vets out of a rodeo, the release must be signed by a Doctor or Veterinarian and turned into the YRA Point Secretary within 72 hours. When signed medical or veterinary releases are provided within 72 hours, points may be awarded in other events you compete in. The rodeo secretary must know before the rodeo that you are not coming. Entry Fees Entry fees will be $12.00 an event for Pee Wee and Juniors, plus $2.00 per rodeo, per day, for judges fee, $2.00 per rodeo, per day, Central Entry Fee, and $1.00 per rodeo, per day, YRA Awards Fee. Any Pee Wee or Junior contestant may jackpot any or all events, if they choose. Jackpot fees are an additional $5.00 per event. All fees must be paid before a contestant can compete in a rodeo. Junior contestants who are co-jr. High members and ONLY enter through the Jr. High Central Entry will have to also pay the YRA Awards fee of $1 per rodeo, per event, per day. This will be billed and collected after the fall and spring rodeos. 5
Central Entry All rodeos will be entered through central entry, with Sherry Rooney. Call backs will also be offered through the central entry system. Entries will be taken on the Tuesday, 11 days prior to the rodeo, from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. A confirmation number will be provided, if requested, when you enter. Your confirmation number will be required if you arrive at a rodeo and you are not entered correctly. Call backs are Thursday from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. If you need to draw out of a rodeo, you may do so on Thursday when you call back. If you enter a rodeo, and do not draw out on Thursday, you are entered and therefore responsible for your fees, even if you do not compete, unless a medical or veterinary release is provided to the YRA Secretary, within 72 hours of the rodeo. The central entry/call back number is; (406)784-2418. The YRA rodeo schedule with entry and call back dates and times, are listed in the Cowboy Digest and on the YRA website; www.montanayra.com If you are a Senior YRA member, you only need to enter once, using the MHSRA Central Entry. Co-Jr. High members only need to enter once, using the Jr. High Central Entry, unless you need to enter a YRA only event. A separate call to YRA Central Entry will need to be made for those events. Jackpot Jackpot monies will be paid in accordance with MHSRA Rules. If there are no qualifying jackpot contestants times or scores, the jackpot entry fee will be refunded back to the jackpot contestants. If there is less qualifying times and scores than the number of places to be paid, according to MHSRA Rules, then the jackpot monies will be paid based on the percentage breakdown for the number of qualified times or scores. Insufficient Funds Contestants will be given notice of returned check. Check amount and any fees must be paid in cash or money order within 10 days of notification. Contestant will lose all points earned at that rodeo. Contestant will not be able to compete until check is made good. Contestant will be on a cash basis through the remainder of the YRA season. There will be a $25.00 per check NSF Fee. If check amount and fees are not received by YRA Secretary-Treasurer within 10 days, returned check will be turned over to the collection agency. 6
Stock Refused Run Refused Any contestant refusing stock or run, will lose all other event points and forfeit entry money. It shall be the responsibility of the contestant to check with the rodeo secretary to find out when he/she is up. Trade Outs/Set Ups There will be no Trade Outs or Set Ups. Legal Western Dress Contestants, parents, adults, helpers and assistants must wear western attire during the rodeo performance, while in the arena, chute area or stock area. **For Example: Anywhere around roping boxes Please refer to MHSRA Rule Book for further clarification.** Western attire shall include a hat with minimum 4 brim, long sleeved shirts (must be wrist length sleeved shirt with collars, cuffs and buttons or snaps all the way down the front), western boots and trousers. No hooded sweat shirts or pull overs shall be allowed unless directed by the rodeo officials and then only during periods of inclement weather. No baseball caps are allowed at any time during rodeo performances. YRA contestants must wear western attire in any seating area, during any performance in which they are entered. When the YRA and High School Rodeos are combined into one rodeo performance, all YRA contestants will be in western attire until the end of the rodeo. If the YRA Pee Wee and Junior contestants compete in a performance, separate from the High School contestants, the Pee Wee and Junior contestants must be in western attire through the completion of the Pee Wee and Junior events. Disqualifications Contestants will be disqualified from ANY and All Events of any YRA Rodeo for any of the following: PROFANE LANGUAGE (CUSSING) USE OF ALCOHOL USE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS USE OF UNIMPROVED EQUIPMENT ABUSE OF LIVESTOCK YOUR OWN, RODEO LIVESTOCK, ETC. NOT SHOWING PROPER RESPECT (BACK TALKING, ETC.) TO JUDGES AND OFFICIALS 7
Protests Absolutely no protests are allowed by parents and/or guardians in the rodeo arena. Contestants may protest, but the protest must be made to any YRA Officer, Director or the Arena Director. Protest must be made before the following two rodeo event starts. Before each rodeo, find out who are the directors. Not knowing who the directors are, is not a valid excuse. Pee Wee and Junior members are to file all protests to the YRA Directors or Officers and High School members as indicated in the MHSRA Rule Book. Rodeo Approval To have a YRA approved rodeo, each rodeo committee must submit an application and $100 fee to the YRA Secretary. Contact the YRA Secretary for deadline dates. Rodeos will be approved by the YRA Board of Directors and published in the Cowboy Digest and/or YRA website. Stock Contractor Stock contractors will be left up to the discretion of the individual rodeo committees. Times Times will be taken to the one-hundredth of a second. Judges Judges will be left to the discretion of the Rodeo Committee. For further details, refer to the MHSRA Rule Book. Judges must be MHSRA approved. They will judge the YRA, Pee Wee and Junior Event Divisions for $2.00 per contestant, per rodeo. In addition, YRA will provide Judges $50 per judge, per two-day rodeo to help cover travel expenses. Pee Wee Girls 0 through 9 years Barrel Racing Goat Tying Pole Bending Flag Race Pee Wee Boys 0 through 9 years Barrel Racing Goat Tying Pole Bending Flag Race Events Pee Wee Boys and Pee Wee Girls can Breakaway and Team Rope in the Junior Division. Points accumulated will go to year end standings in each event, but not to the all-around. Contestants may use the same horse in the Pee Wee Division. Pee Wee contestants may be led into the arena. The person assisting the contestant may not cross the plane of the time line. No lead lines are allowed at anytime. Any helpers must be in western attire when assisting contestants. 8
Junior Girls 10 years through 8 th grade Barrel Racing Goat Tying Pole Bending Breakaway Roping Team Roping Mixed with Junior Boys Junior Boys 10 years through 8 th grade Steer Riding (Age 10 through 8 th Grade) OR Bull Riding (Open to Grades 7 & 8 only) Breakaway Roping OR Calf Roping Goat Tying Flag Race OR Chute Dogging Team Roping Mixed with Junior Girls Junior Contestants cannot be led into the arena. Assistants helping Junior contestants cannot cross the plane of the arena starting gate, when the contestant enters the arena, or the contestants will be disqualified. Assistance with all roping and rough stock events, will be governed by the MHSRA Rule Book. Senior Girls 9 th Grade through 12 th Grade Barrel Racing Goat Tying Pole Bending Breakaway Roping Team Roping Mixed with Senior Boys Senior Boys 9 th Grade through 12 th Grade Bareback Riding Saddle Bronc Riding Bull Riding Steer Wrestling Tie Down Roping Team Roping Mixed with Senior Girls All Senior members must also be members of the MHSRA. Co-Approved YRA/Junior High Rodeos The YRA entry fee will be waived for an YRA/Junior High member at any Co-Sanctioned YRA/Junior High Rodeo, for the common events only. Common events for the boys are: Breakaway or Calf Roping, Steer Riding or Bull Riding, Goat Tying, Flag Race or Chute Dogging and Team Roping. In no case will YRA-Junior High Boys be allowed to enter more than (5) total events at any single rodeo, with the exception of Ribbon Roping, which is a Junior High Event only. Common events for the girls are: Barrel Racing, Pole Bending, Breakaway Roping, Goat Tying and Team Roping. 9
YRA/Junior High School members will enter through the Junior High School Entry for common events and Junior High only events. YRA/Junior High School members will enter the YRA only events, through the YRA Central Entry System. For team roping only, an YRA /Junior High contestant may enter 2 times, once with an YRA partner and once with a Junior High Partner. In the event a YRA member enters twice (once with an YRA Member and once with a Junior High Contestant), year end points will be awarded only for the run entered through the YRA Central Entry. In no case shall a contestant be allowed to enter 2 times with the same partner, but may be drawn by a Judge in the case of team ropers entering open. Prizes awarded at YRA sanctioned rodeos, are at the sole discretion of the sponsoring rodeo committee. Events Rules **UP TO CONTESTANTS TO READ AND KNOW THEIR RULE BOOK** PeeWees and Juniors will be assigned a back number with their memberships and these must be worn during the rodeos. MHSRA event rules apply. Any variances and/or clarifications are stated below: Barrel Racing/Pole Bending No two contestants in the Junior Division may ride the same horse in the Barrel Racing or Pole Bending. If they do, both contestants will be disqualified. In the Junior and Pee Wee Divisions, there will be no time limit, allowing the contestant to finish the pattern. Hat penalties are per the MHSRA Rule Book. Rakes between contestants will be at the discretion of the Judges, Arena Director and Rodeo Committee. Team Roping Heading and Heeling will be considered two (2) separate events. Team Roper s may enter an unlimited number of rodeos open. All contestants entering as a team shall rope first, followed by those contestants entered as open. Each entry is considered a separate rodeo. The open team roper will be drawn a volunteer partner, at the rodeo. The open roper will be charged an additional $12 to pay for the volunteer partner s stock charge. 10
The drawn partner will not have to pay an entry fee and he/she will not get year-end YRA points for that run. If the team places in the rodeo, they are qualified for local prizes, though all-around points shall not be accumulated by the volunteer partner, on that run. Contestants must notify the local secretary, at the time of check-in, if they do not want to be drawn with an open contestant. Judges will draw a volunteer partner from only YRA eligible entered contestants in said rodeo. Contestants must specify when they enter, whether they are heading or heeling. If an contestant switches ends from how he/she entered, the contestant must let the point secretary know within 48 hours after the rodeo. Goat Tying Pee Wee and junior Girls MHSRA rules apply. Pee Wee and Junior Boys use the MHSRA rules, except they must use a pigging string only and cross and tie any (3) three legs. To qualify as a legal tie, there shall be one or more wraps and a half hitch or hooey. (A hooey is a half hitch with a loop; the tail of the string may be partly or all the way pulled through) There will be a 30 second time limit in this event for Juniors and Seniors, but the Pee Wees will be allowed a 45 second time limit. Junior Boys Bull Riding/Steer Riding (10 years to 8 th Grade) Eight (8) second time limit. Cattle must be drawn, not chute-run. Steer Riding 2 year old muley cattle should be used when possible, but if none are available, horned cattle must be tipped. Cattle will be all one sex (All steers, up to 2 years old or all yearling cattle, but not mixed). Cattle preferably should weigh between 550 800 pounds. Directors and/or officers have the right to remove unsatisfactory stock. This event is open to Junior boys Age 10 through 8 th Grade. Jr Bull Riding This is an optional event, open to Junior Boys in Grades 7 & 8 ONLY. (Per MHSRA Rule Book) ALL contestants must: 1) wear helmets approved for rodeo events, including both High School and Junior High Bull riders. 2) ALL contestants must wear an Athletic Protective Mouth piece while contesting. Mouthpiece may not be trimmed any smaller than the size required to cover all teeth. 3) ALL contestants must wear a vest designed to protect the chest and back while contesting in the Bull Riding event. The vest shall be one manufactured for rodeo/equestrian events sold by retailers. ** Safety precautions are strongly encouraged! ** 11
Junior Breakaway Roping (Junior Boys & Girls 10 years through 8 th Grade) Junior boys and girls MHSRA rules apply. EXCEPT, this is an optional event for the Junior Boys, in which the contestant can enter either the Breakaway Roping or Calf Roping, but not both, at the same rodeo. Only muley steers or calves will be roped at all rodeos when available OR MHSRA Rules will apply. Only a white cloth must be attached to the rope at the saddle horn so the judge can tell when the rope breaks from the horn. A knot must be at the end of the rope with string tied at the knot, There will be no tail. Contestants MUST be tied on to the saddle horn. Calf Roping (Junior Boys 10 years to 8 th Grade) MHSRA rules apply; EXCEPT, this is an optional event, in which the contestant can enter either the Calf Roping or Breakaway Roping, but not both, at the same rodeo. Chute Dogging (Junior Boys 10 years to 8 th Grade) MHSRA rules apply; EXCEPT, this is an optional event, in which the contestant can enter either the Chute Dogging or Flag Race, but not both, at the same rodeo. Flag Race This event will have a thirty (30) second time limit. EXCEPT, this is an optional event, in which the contestant can enter either the Flag Race or Chute Dogging, but not both, at the same rodeo. The contestant is allowed a running start. If the gate is centrally located, contestant must keep forward motion toward the first barrel. If a side gate is used, a single spin or pivot is acceptable in either direction or by the Arena Director s approval. Failure to comply will be a no time. For the Pee Wee Division, the bucket will be placed to the outside of the barrel and the flag will be placed to the outside of the bucket. For the Junior Division, the bucket will be placed in the center of the barrel and the flag will be placed in the center of the bucket. Equipment: 55 gallon barrel (both ends closed) Five (5) gallon bucket 2/3 full of whole oats Flag shaft to be 18 inches long and flag to be 7 inches square 12
Disqualifications: Knocking over the barrel or bucket Not getting the flag into the bucket Hitting horse with flag Dropping flag Not carrying the flag in free hand (special consideration will be given for physically handicapped) Not following pattern. Contestant must always keep a forward motion, no backing up, but must circle in the same direction as horse was traveling. Flag Race Pattern 13
Rule Changes Rule changes and/or clarifications may be requested by any member or at the request of the YRA Board of Directors, prior to, or during the regularly scheduled rodeo season. Any change in rules during the regularly scheduled rodeo season, will be retroactive to the beginning of the season, but shall not change the order of finish in any event or rodeo already completed. Changes or revisions to the rules may be done in the following manner: 1. The General Membership may vote to adopt a new or revise an existing rule, at any regularly schedule membership meeting. The changed or revised rule shall then be referred to the Rules Committee, who shall then adopt the new or revised rule into the existing rule book. The final rule shall then be affirmed by a majority vote of the YRA Board of Directors. 2. The YRA Board of Directors may vote to adopt a new or revise an existing rule, at any regularly scheduled, or specially called board meeting. The changed or revised rule shall then be referred to the Rules Committee, who shall then adopt the new or revised rule into the existing rule book. The final rule shall then be affirmed by a majority vote of the General Membership. 14
2017 2018 Officers President Vice President Ryle Harms 8199 Hwy 59 South Miles City, MT 59301 (406) 421-5658 (H) rharms3@rangeweb.net Ricki Grebe Box 195 Melstone, MT 59054 (406) 690-1425 (C) rickinace@yahoo.com Secretary Heather Cunningham P.O. Box 528 Treasurer Kristin Larson 756 10 th Ave SE Broadus, MT 59317 Sidney, MT 59270 (406) 427-5356 (H) (406) 480-5139 (H) montanayra15@gmail.com ksondeno@cs.com Robert Howell 1825 Milam Rd Huntley, MT 59037 (406) 690-5380 (C) rjhowell.hcc@gmail.com Directors Tad Torgerson 7304 Valley Drive East Miles City, MT 59301 (406) 853-3731 (C) tadcpa@midrivers.com JT Robbins 7202 Pine View Rd Custer, MT 59024 (406)947-2050 (H) (406)660-2020 (C) jtrcattle@gmail.com JC Youngquist 35064 County Rd 123 Sidney, MT 59270 (406) 489-3584 (C) jc.youngquist06@gmail.com Lee Knight 101 Baird Butte Road Wibaux, MT 59353 (406) 796-8192 lknight@wccu.org Tim Larson 756 10 th Ave.SE Sidney, MT 59270 (406) 798-3115 or (406)480-2666 (C) timl@prewittandco.com 15
Standing Committees Rules Committee Awards Committee Fundraising Committee Riki Grebe - Chairman rickinace@yahoo.com Billy Harms rharms3@rangeweb.net 16