RULES & CONDITIONS
Host Hotel - Holiday Inn at Ardmore
We would like to thank the Holiday Inn for working with us to secure a block of rooms for our event participants. The room block will close so make your reservations early!
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Holiday Inn
2207 N Rockford Rd
Ardmore, OK 73401
580-226-3333 Be sure to reference the Ardmore Barrel Futurity group to get special rates!
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AQHA Classes
Open to any AQHA registered horse and rider subject to the rules and membership requirements of the American Quarter Horse Association. AQHA entries also entered in the Open Slot Race, Youth Slot Race or American Qualifier will carry their times to the respective day’s AQHA classes. All other AQHA entries will be drawn in a separate section with times carried to the appropriate AQHA class and Open 5D (if entered). All AQHA classes MUST be entered by the published pre-entry deadline.
Open 5D Races
Open to any horse and rider. Each race will be a divisional payout with five (5) divisions separated by 0.5 seconds. Places paid will be determined based on the total number of entries in each race utilizing the percentages used by the published Better Barrel Races 5D format. Horses entered in the Open 3D Slot Race, Youth 3D Slot Race, American Qualifier or AQHA classes and the corresponding day's Open 5D races must carry their times from those races instead of making a separate Open run.
Open 5D Aggregate Sidepot
Open to any horse and rider combination entered in two or more of the Open 5D Races. Aggregate will be based on the fastest two runs from the Open 5D races (including carryovers) and will be paid on a 5D format with full second splits. Places paid will be determined based on the total number of entries in the Aggregate Sidepot.
Futurity Sidepots
Open to all horses aged 5 years and under who have not been entered in any barrel competition prior to November 15 of previous year. Futurity Sidepot times will carry from the Saturday and Sunday Open 5D Races (including carryovers). Payout will be 2D progressive format with full seconds splits and the number of places paid will be determined by the number of entries in each sidepot. A current BBR Futurity Riders Guild membership is required for all riders entered in the Futurity Sidepots.
Open 3D Slot Race - Cancelled
Open to any horse and rider who is a current Better Barrel Races member. Entries are capped at 75. Entry fee includes the required carryover to the Friday Open 5D race. Payout will be 85% of the entry fee (less open carryover entry fee) and will be based on a 3D format with 0.5 second splits, and the number of places paid will be determined by the number of entries.
American Qualifier Race
Open to any horse and rider who is a current Better Barrel Races member. Entry must be made online at BetterBarrelRaces.com and will include the American Qualifier fees, event processing fee and required carryover to the Saturday Open 5D race.
Youth 3D Slot Race- Cancelled
Open to any horse and rider age 15 & under who is a current Better Barrel Races member. Rider eligibility is based on their age as of January 1st of the current year. Entries are capped at 75. Entry fee includes the required carryover to the Sunday Open 5D race. Payout will be 85% of the entry fee (less open carryover entry fee) and will be based on a 3D format with 0.5 second splits, and the number of places paid will be determined by the number of entries.
Junior Patriot Qualifier
Open to any horse and rider age 19 & under who is a current Junior Patriot member. The Junior Patriot Qualifier is a sidepot for the Sunday Open 5D. Entry must be made online at PatriotEvent.com and does not include the Sunday Open or processing fee.
BBR X-Tra Sidepot
Open to any horse and rider who is a current Better Barrel Races member. The race will be run as a sidepot to the Saturday Open 5D. The sidepot will have a divisional payout with five (5) divisions separated by 0.5 seconds. Places paid will be determined based on the total number of entries in each race utilizing the percentages used by the published Better Barrel Races 5D format.
Entry/Draw Out/Refunds
Entry fees and deadlines will be published on the event entry forms. Prior to the Late Fee deadline, you may draw out for any reason with a full refund (less processing fee and credit card convenience fee). After the Late Fee deadline, all AQHA and Slot Race entries are final, and no refunds will be made for any reason. Entries in the Open 5D races may draw out for any reason until 5pm on Wednesday one week prior to the event and receive a partial refund of entry fees (75%) and stall fees only.
Books close for the American Qualifier at 5pm on the Monday prior to the event. No late entries will be accepted after the Late Fee deadline for AQHA classes. Late entries for Open 5D races or Slot Races will close with the first runner of the respective class or when Slot Races have filled. Sidepots can be added at any time prior to your run.
Substitutions
Entries in the open are based on the rider and therefore no rider substitutions are allowed. Switching of draw positions or selling spots is not allowed. Horse substitutions will be allowed in the open races prior to the start of each race. Horses entered in the Futurity Sidepots may be substituted with another eligible horse. Show office MUST be notified and provided with the correct horse name of all substitutions at least 30 minutes prior to running. Failure to do so will result in a no-time.
Sidepot Entries
Rider based sidepots are based on rider age as of January 1st of the current year. Incentive and carryover entries will be marked on the draw and live results. Any corrections, errors or omissions to sidepot/incentive entries must be made prior to the completion of the respective class or race. Remedy for errors affecting the incentive or carryover results or payout that are brought to the attention of the show office after the completion of the respective class or race will be limited to refund of sidepot/incentive fees.
Check-in
All contestants must check in to sign a release and show current negative coggins for each horse on the grounds. Horses without proper documentation will not be allowed on the grounds. Horses coming from outside Oklahoma will also be required to provide health papers. All competitors in AQHA must provide a copy of their current AQHA membership card. Horses entered in the futurity sidepot and AQHA classes must also show registration papers at check-in and all AQHA entries will be issued a hip number MUST be worn during competition. See the event schedule for check-in times.
Stalls
All horses staying overnight on the grounds must be stalled. All stalls will be pre-assigned or assigned at time of purchase. Overnight tying and/or portable pens are not allowed. Shavings are available on-site and outside shavings are not allowed. Tying horses in warm-up areas is strictly prohibited. Horses left tied and unattended will be placed in a stall to be purchased by the horse owner.
Dress Code
Western dress code will be enforced including a cowboy hat or safety riding helmet, long sleeve button down or snap front shirt with collar, long pants, and boots or equine sports shoes. If a contestant enters the arena without proper dress they will be given a no-time.
Customary Tack
A bridle (with a bit and/or a noseband), saddle, saddle pad or saddle blanket, protective foot and leg boots, tie-down, bonnet, martingales, split reins, draw reins, are all considered to be standard and customary articles of tack used in barrel racing. Contestants are prohibited from competing bareback, and/or bridle-less. Any articles of tack or performance enhancing gear which impede the ability to hip number horses or identify horses are prohibited in competition. Use of such prohibited tack or performance enhancing gear shall result in a disqualification with no refund of entry fees.
General Competition
Contestants must check-in with holding pen coordinator during the drag prior to their run or they will be considered a scratch. Once a contestant’s name is called by the announcer they must enter the competition arena within 60 seconds or they will be scratched.
Horses must maintain a forward motion once entering the arena gate. Intentionally stopping, circling or backing your horse inside the arena gate will result in a no-time.
Any barrel knocked down will result in a five (5) second penalty in the AQHA classes or American qualifier or a no-time in the any divisional format races.
Contestants are not to train or circle a barrel more than once during competition. Such behavior will result in a no-time and the rider will be assessed a $50 fine payable prior to making another run.
Reruns will not be given if a horse falls, is pulled up by the rider or in the event of a rider’s tack or equipment failure. A rerun will be given in the event of a timer failure with any penalties incurred during the original run applied.
Abuse
Welfare of the horse and all animals is of utmost importance. Any abuse, neglect or inhumane treatment of any animal, during competition or in the warmup and stall area, will not be tolerated.
Safety: Safety of contestants, spectators and animals is a prime objective at this event. Horses that could be dangerous to you or to others should not be brought to this event. Any horse deemed to be dangerous by the show management will be disqualified with no refund of fees. Better Barrel Races, its ownership, affiliates and sponsors, do not assume responsibility for personal injury, loss, theft or damage. Contestants and all other parties recognize barrel racing is a hazardous sport and participate at their own risk.
Photography/Videography
Better Barrel Races retains all rights to every photo and/or video taken at and during the event. An official event photographer and videographer will be available on-site and will offer photos/videos for sale. Contestants grant management the right to use any photographs or video taken of him/her during the event, including but not limited to those taken during competition or while otherwise attending the event, for publicity purposes. Contestants agree that no photographic or video images taken of the competition or exhibition arena will be altered or copied without the express written consent of event management and the photographer/videographer. Contestants are expressly prohibited from taking pictures/videos of photographer/videographer proofs or recorded runs at the viewing booths unless approved by the event videographer or photographer. Press credentials are required for all commercial photographers or videographers on the host facility grounds during the event. Credentials can be obtained in the show office. Individuals without prior approval and proper press credentials will be asked to leave the premises.
Miscellaneous
Checks for all races will be issued in the name of the rider. A completed IRS W-9 (or W-8BEN for non-residents) form for the proper individual must be provided before prize money can be distributed. It is the contestant’s responsibility to provide the required tax forms and claim their any prize money in a timely manner. Contestants not providing the required documents and claiming prize money (i.e. cashing prize money checks) within 120 days of the completion of the event will forfeit any claim to said prize money.
The posting of signs, advertisements, posters, bumper stickers, or cards on any surface other than bulletin boards is prohibited. Event management reserves the right to remove any posted signs.
Selling of merchandise or professional services on the grounds, in stalls, or at trailers is prohibited unless you are a vendor contracted with show management.
Damage willfully caused to any property, i.e., stalls, barns, grandstands, etc. of event management, its representatives, the Host Facility or Host Hotel, shall be paid for by the contestant or their representative before being allowed to continue to participate at the event.