1. State Championships are earned by American Saddlebred (ASB) horses in performance classes and by riders in equitation classes (Exception: Any breed of horse is eligible to complete in the Open Pleasure classes).

2. For a horse to qualify, all owners must be members of the MSHA and must have paid the appropriate horse recording fee.

3. For an equitation rider to qualify, the rider must be a member of MSHA and must have paid the appropriate equitation rider recording fee.

4. If multiple riders show the same horse and want to qualify for the State Championship program, each rider must be a MSHA member and must have paid the appropriate horse recording fee.

5. To be eligible for the State Championships, the horse or rider must show in their respective class or classes at a minimum of three qualifying shows and show in the corresponding class at the Minnesota Saddlebred State Championship Horse Show. Shows for qualifying will be counted after the appropriate fees have been received by MSHA as noted in numbers 2 to 4 above.

6. Horse or rider may qualify by showing at a minimum of three qualifying shows. Qualifying shows are as follows:

• Spring Tune-Up Horse Show
• F.A.S.H. Inc. Spring Horse Show
• Summerfest Horse Show
• Tanbark Cavalcade of Roses Horse Show
• The Capitol Classic I & II Horse Shows
• North Star Americana Horse Show
• Octoberfest Horse Show

In the Five-Gaited, Three-Gaited, Fine Harness, and Park classes, if an amateur class is not offered at a specific qualifying show, showing in the Open class will count as a qualifying class.

7. Riders receive a State Championship hat for each class qualified.

8. Awards will be given to the Top Five in each class. The Top Five will include the five highest placing eligible horses in the class at the Minnesota Saddlebred State Championship Horse Show, with the Champion being the highest placing and the Reserve Champion the second highest.

Example: In the Show Pleasure Diving division, six horses attended at least three of the qualifying shows. All six horses show in the class at the Minnesota Saddlebred State Championship Horse Show. Four of the horses receive a ribbon in the class and a fifth horse is placed seventh. Those five horses will be awarded the Top Five awards. The highest placing horse of that group will be named the Champion, not necessarily the winner of the actual class, but the highest placing of the eligible horses. Reserve Champion is awarded in the same manner.?

9. State Championships are offered in the following classes: