Darby Rules and Information

Information:
A Darby is a short competition featuring cones and hazards in a continuous course, driven just for the times. No fancy dress, no dressage test, just seeing how well you can get through a series of short cones setups and through three sets of gates in a couple of hazards. There is a single setting for cones, one for minis and another for everybody else. We will make you work a bit, however, as the idea is to split the group in half, with the first going through the course while the folks in the second man the scoring and judging, then reversing the process. If you haven't done one before, don't worry, we'll show you how it is done that morning. After all, this is for fun and even after it is all over, you are welcome to go back through the course to see how much better you can do the second time.

To keep them affordable and to add to the fun, the entry fee for the Darby is only $20 and other than paying for the host's expenses, all that money is returned to you! How? Well, we have a very complicated formula that gives cash prizes for the top placings in each of the classes: horse, pony and mini. You can also choose to compete as Training or Expert. Your choice. This is basically to let you group yourself with other folk in a similar class. The main difference is that no cantering is allowed in Training.



DARBY RULES
+ The entry fee will be $20 with all the funds going to a pay out for winners, less the expenses (the more entries, the bigger pay out we can afford).
+ Prizes will be for first through third place in each division and in cash through a distribution of the entry fees. In any case all net proceeds will be
returned in the form of cash prizes (rounded tothe nearest dollar).
+Competition will begin around 10 am and you must checked in by 9:00 so that we can get the first set of volunteers organized and so you have time to
walk the course. No late arrivals. (Based on the number of entries, the host may adjust the starting time.)
+ Only one horse per entry; we need to keep this simple and fun for the organizers, too.
+ Classes and Divisions: “Training” and “Expert” for horses, ponies and minis. There is no distinction for single or pairs. You may choose your own level.
The order of go will be split in half with people competing in the second half volunteering for the first half of the order. Then after a break, the reverse
is done. If there are enough entries, the break may be a lunch break.
+ Grooms (except for VSE’s) and helmets (for everybody) are mandatory. Grooms may be other
drivers, second half drivers can be grooms for first half drivers and visa versa.

Hazards:
+ No cantering in Training Hazards. 
+ Gates are dead in hazards. You CAN go back through a gate already done in its proper order.
+ Elimination if you MISS a gate in a hazard (that is, you go through the next gate without correcting for the missed gate).
+ Taking any gate out of order in a hazard and correcting counts as a 10 second penalty

Cones:
+ Cones are set at a single setting for the day: 160 cm for VSE and 180 cm for everybody else.
+ Gates are NOIT dead in cones; you can only go through each gate once.
+ Elimination if you go through any gate OUT OF ORDER.
+A cones ball down counts as a 10 second penalty

Scoring:
+ Scoring is simply the total time on course, from start gate to finish plus any time penalties. The fastest time in each class wins that class.
+ The course map will be published on the ADCS web site and / or included in the Newsletter the month of the eevent.