Hello LB Forum,
I have not replied to this forum in the past, I have only read it, so I'm somewhat unsure if I'm doing this correctly. But my name is Rita Lindahl, and I'm from Iowa. I am the person who asked for this new class at convention. I was unable to attend convention this year, but did my homework and sent in my proposal and also asked a large group of people who would be supportive of this class to support the proposal. Most of whom are drivers of at least singles and definitely of multiple classes. The reason to even ask for this proposal, was dual. The current class "Fine Harness Horses Pairs or More, 38" and Under" #1512 is in the current rulebook 2008, Section X, Part 18, Page 265 is confusing (at least it was to me). Go and read it and follow the item under A. When you refer to that section, it is in the Modern Shetlands. My second goal was to have another class for multiple hitches to show in.
What happened in 2008 at a show here in Iowa, another person and I were the only two entries in the class. She had a nice antique buggy with full collars, but not full hames(within the guidelines), I had a meadowbrook with pleasure (patton leather) harness on our teams. After circling the ring once we were told to drive at ease. After a lengthy huddle, the judges and steward informed us that we were both in error with our vehicles and/or harnesses and should be DQ'd. But since we were both wrong, they let us go ahead and finish the class and placed us. We asked afterwards and were told that we had to have fine harness on (which I did), and we must be driving a viceroy. Well, I had been driving this class for a long time this way even back to shetlands in the 90's. So we decided not to ever enter the class again. From that time forward, not wanting to be embarrassed by that again, we did not enter the class. We understand that the class was in the lineup with other shows and the most likely vehicle driven by pairs, or tandems, was the meadowbrook cart and in pleasure harness.
Not wanting to ruin the class for those who have been showing that way, I proposed this new class.
It is my understanding that it was approved in the AMHR Committee meeting at Convention "with flying colors". It was then also approved by the BOD (which is necessary in order to become a new class). I had also asked to have this class put in as "extraordinary" since I'm already in my late 60's and don't have many years left in which to enjoy this class. I love driving a team with my meadowbrook stlye cart. We had it special made with a pole and removable shafts. (I can send photos and the name of the person who made this for us).
At the Spring BOD meeting, it will be brought up again to make sure that it gets into the new rules for 2010. That being said, I do not know whether there will be a whole new rulebook (it needs re-writing desparately) or just a supplement as we received this year. I was the chairman of the rulebook committe several years ago, and we barely got started "fixing" the mistakes. Not in the rules themselves (that takes the BOD), but in the technical writing of the same. Many bad references, etc. in the rulebook make it confusing. But we did get a good start on it. Basically, in my opinion, it would take a "technical writer" to complete the book, but that would cost the club some $$.
Anyway, I can give you all a copy of this new class in this forum, but since I was not at convention, I do not know if it was passed exactly as I wrote it, but I have heard if the submitter is not present, a new rule has to be voted down and re-submitted. If you want to have me type it here, let me know. I could send it privately also. I could also send a photo of my team in 2008 when we did show early in the year. I think I can figure out how to attach a photo here.
It is not a required class, and anyone wanting to enter it, will have to call their local club sponsors and/or show committees and ask to have it in the lineup. Then you have to support it, too. You can e-mail me for questions and I'll do the best I can to answer them.
It's a basic multiple hitch class that give those of us who drive our minis in draft classes to have another class to show our horses. ANd it also is a class for those of us who have buggies to show in at the local level. I do not know if this class will be at Nationals. If we want it, we'd better show some support for it at the local level and then ask for it at the National level, too. If enough of you want to show in this class, we should get a letter to the AMHR National Show Committee and request it ASAP. Never to soon to start! Thanks for reading this long thread, and e-mail me if you have comments.
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