Competing at the World Show can be exciting and stressful, even for a veteran exhibitor. Adding even more uncertainty to the mix for new competitors are the check-in requirements that every horse and exhibitor must undergo before they’re allowed to compete in their respective event.

Ed Mayfield of Eagle Point, Oregon, is a veteran APHA judge and has served as an APHA World Show equipment judge for 12 years. He’s seen countless exhibitors undertake unnecessary stress before their events simply because they did not follow the specifications in the Official APHA Rule Book. Mayfield remembers one exhibitor who had shown a lot, but was attending his first World Show.

“He showed up for the working cow horse class at the very last minute without his numbers stamped and only one number with him—things he should have taken care of the day before,” said Mayfield. “Consequently, because he was fixing those mistakes, he didn’t have time to warm up his horse and didn’t get his usual good performance.”

Familiarizing yourself with the APHA Rule Book—in particular, the specific rules for your class—and World Show check-in procedures will go a long way toward creating a less-stressful class warm-up. Before exhibitors compete at the World Show, they’ll need to complete four steps.