Proposed Change: 25-01-09
B.
NON PRO CONDITIONS
5.
Procedure for those applying for Non Pro Status
(f)
A professional (excluding members in the Apprentice
Program) desiring to obtain Non Pro status may do so
after meeting all Non Pro conditions for a period of
time equal to the number of years they have not met
the Non Pro requirements with a minimum of three (3)
years and a maximum of five (5) years.
to be determined by
his/her lifetime NRHA earnings in Professional status,
all categories, all divisions.
The NRHA
office may then be notified and the official Non Pro
Declaration and fees may be submitted for approval or
disapproval by the Board of Directors or their
designate. The applicant will be notified of the
approval or disapproval by the NRHA office and shall not
show in NRHA Non Pro competition until notified.
g)
A professional that attains Non Pro status after
fulfilling stated criteria, shall be eligible for any
classes or divisions based on their current eligibility
with the following
exceptions 1) he/she will never be eligible for any
division of Rookie competition, and 2) he/she will only
be eligible for the Limited Non pro divisions after a
period of one (1) year. After one year of official Non
Pro status, all Non Pro eligibility guidelines shall
apply, with the permanent exclusion of all Rookie
divisions.
Intent of Proposal (include additional pages
as necessary):
1.
The current
waiting period of 3 to 5 years, based solely on a
trainer’s years spent as a professional, is unfair
and gives no consideration to the success, or
lack thereof, of that trainer. For example,
i. A
trainer who has trained for 10 years and only earned
$1,500 must wait 5 years to compete as a Non Pro
ii. A
trainer who has trained 2 years and earned $35,000
must currently wait only 3 years to compete as a Non
Pro
2.
The current
waiting period of 3 to 5 years is too long -
If someone is not able to make an adequate living
training reining horses professionally, or is not
competitive enough to remain at the Open levels, they
should still be encouraged to remain involved in reining
on a different level, rather than be driven away from
competition for 3 to 5 years.
3.
The current
rules unduly penalize and discourage horse
trainers of other disciplines who may have no skill,
experience or aptitude for reining, as trainers or
exhibitors. As long as a person complies with the NRHA
Non Pro conditions, they should be able to declare NRHA
non pro status per these proposed rule changes.
4.
This proposal
protects far more fully than the current
rules against unfair competition of experienced yet
‘newly declared non pros’ in Rookie and Limited Non Pro
divisions.
5. NOTE:
The earnings guidelines used to determine the waiting
periods in this rule change proposal are based on
current levels of category 1 open eligibility:
D.
Categories of Competition and Class Eligibility
(page 32)
Category 1
Open: any rider holding a valid NRHA
card
Intermediate Open: any rider … who
has earned less than $25,000 … over the previous
3 calendar years…
Limited Open: any rider … who has
earned less than $10,000 in lifetime earnings…
Rookie Professional: any rider … who
has earned less than $5,000 in NRHA lifetime
earnings…
