MSHA Year End Awards Program

Earn points for showing in Minnesota!

MSHA YEAR END AWARDS PROGRAM

1.Year End Awards are earned by American Saddlebred (ASB) horses in the performance classes, and by riders in equitation classes. Exception: Any breed of horse is eligible to compete in the Open Pleasure classes.

2. To qualify a horse; its owner(s) must be a member of Minnesota Saddlebred Horse Association (MSHA) and have paid a recording fee. If the recorded owner is a corporation and the corporation joins MSHA, the principal officer of the corporation will be considered a member of MSHA.

3. In the case of non family multiple ownership, all owners must be members of MSHA and all must have paid a horse recording fee.

4. To qualify an equitation rider; the rider must be a member of Minnesota Saddlebred Horse Association and have paid an equitation rider recording fee.

5. Recording fee must be paid per horse for performance classes, or per rider participating in equitation classes.

6. Points earned before the recording fee is paid will not be counted. However, if an award class is added by MSHA during the show season, points for that class will be counted for all shows during that season provided that the recording fee is paid before the season ends.

7. Only the points earned at Minnesota Saddlebred Horse Association-approved shows held in Minnesota will be counted.

8. In order for points to be accumulated, a horse (or rider in equitation classes) must place at a minimum of three qualifying Minnesota shows.

9. Points will be counted in championship classes only if the class is not restricted.

10. Points will be counted as follows:  

Number of Horses      Points for Each Placing

                                                    1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th

                                                                                                   

6 & over                                6       5      4     3     2     1

5                                                  5      4      3      2     1

4                                                  4      3      2      1

3                                                  3      2      1

2                                                  2      1

1                                                  1          

(a) Five Gaited  Amateur | Open | Junior Exhibitor

(b) Three Gaited  Amateur | Open | Junior Exhibitor

(c) Three Gaited Park (Full Mane & Tail)  Amateur | Open

(d) Park Pleasure  Amateur | Open

(e) Fine Harness  Amateur | Open

(f) Show Pleasure, English  13 & Under | 14-17 | 18-48 | 49 & Over | Driving | Western | Five Gaited

(g) Country Pleasure, English  13 & Under | 14-17 | 18-48 | 49 & Over | Driving | Western | Five Gaited

(h) Equitation  13 & Under | 14-17 | 18 & Over

(i) Pleasure Equitation  13 & Under | 14-17

(j) Walk & Trot Equitation 12 & Under

(k) Walk & Trot Pleasure  12 & Under

(l) Hunter Country Pleasure

(m) Open English Pleasure 13 & Under | 14- 17 | 18 -48 | 49 & Over

(n) Open Western Pleasure

(o) Open Hunter Pleasure

(p) Saddlebred Model

(q) Open Pleasure Driving

(r) Open Breed Pleasure W/T/C Single Bit

(s) Open Breed Pleasure W/T Single Bit

11. Points will be recorded for these classes:

12. Additional award classes must be nominated by a minimum of five Minnesota Saddlebred Horse Association members and accompanied by a fee equal to one-half the cost of the first year’s award trophy.

13. If a show does not offer Junior Exhibitor 3-Gaited or 5-Gaited, points from the Amateur class may count towards the youth class. 

Updated March 2022

ACADEMY YEAR END AWARDS

Awards are given annually to MSHA members with the most points, ages youth through adult, who showed in Academy Horsemanship and Academy Equitation divisions. The Horsemanship division was formerly called Pleasure. Academy awards use the same point system used in non-Academy classes. Trophies are awarded for exhibitors in walk/trot/canter classes and walk/trot classes. MSHA recognizes Saddleseat, Hunt Seat and Western disciplines for Academy classes at approved Minnesota horse shows.

Updated June 2025