NRHA rulebook assistance

I'm going to a meeting with Horse Council Monday to present my argument for allowing gaited horses to compete in reining in 4-H at our county fair. I'm trying to gather information from various sources, one of which being NRHA rules for open shows, which do not necesitate a specific breed for competition. Because reining does not require the equivelant of a jog/trot, I can honestly not think of one valid reason for prohibiting gaited horses from entering. Can anyone provide a link to the place in the rulebook where the NRHA states that any breed can enter in non- breed-specific classes/shows? I'm also providing show bills of various reining shows that state any breed can enter, including NRHA-sponsored shows. I'm coming with quotes highlighted in Lee Ziegler's Easy Gaited Horses, including one section that deals with the myth that gaited horses cannot canter.

Any horse can show in NRHA. All you need is a Competition License. There is no real link to give as there are no rules against it. SO if there is no rule then you can do it.

Tell them that you could get a Comp License through NRHA and show if you wanted. SO why can you not show there? Heck you do not even have to have a finished or even trained reiner to show NRHA. Literally anyone can do it. That is the great thing about NRHA.

Thanks, NRHA. Would you mind if I quoted you in my notes?

Nop go ahead. Not sure how much it will help.

Your best bet would be to contact NRHA and get them to email you some info that you can use. That way it comes right from the reining horses mouth.

I actually just sent them an email explaining the scenerio, so hopefully they will be able to help.

Good luck equiniphile! Our 4-H clubs around here let everyone try everything regardless of type of horse. There were a couple of TWH's & one SSH that did participate in reining at the local fair this summer. One of the TWH's did place in that class, he was one of 3 that nailed all of the lead changes.