Core Classlist Recommendations
Show Organization
A given show may be organized in a variety of ways:
A NAN-Qualifying Show may be all-halter or all-performance. Performance divisions are optional.
Shows may also break halter breed classes down into OF (china/resin and/or plastic) and Custom/LE/OS divisions as well but this is not a requirement. Gender classes, make, workmanship, and finish classes are optional for any show that prefers to offer them.
Core Classes for Halter
Below are recommended halter classes that your show may offer in both the Original Finish and Customized Divisions.
- Sport Breed Classes.
The show may offer at least ONE of the following classes: Thoroughbreds; Thoroughbred/Standardbreds; Standardbreds; Warmbloods; Trakehner; Irish Draft; Oldenburg; Hanoverian; Holsteiner; Cleveland Bay; Dutch Warmblood; Swedish Warmblood; Ahkal Teke; Sport Type Ponies; American Sporthorse*; and/or Other Sport type
* Includes sport type horses of any breed, but these horses may not ALSO show in their respective breed class.
Examples: Paint Sport, Appaloosa Sport, etc.
- Light Breed Classes.
The show may offer at least THREE of the following: Arabian; Arabians/Part Arabians; National Show Horse; Morgan; American Saddlebred; Tennessee Walking Horse; Missouri Fox Trotter; Rocky Mountain Horse; Spanish Breeds;American Gaited Breeds*; Other Light Type**.
* includes ASB, TWH, RMH, MFT, etc., if these breeds are not offered separately;
** may be purebred or grade/mixed, including Light Type Saddle Mules.
- Draft Breed Classes.
At least ONE of the following may be offered. The draft breeds can have classes by breed, but if so, an “Other Draft Breeds” class may be offered.
Option One: Offer a “Draft Horse,” “Draft Breed,” or “Drafter” class.
Option Two: Offer any one or more of the following classes: Clydesdale; Percheron; Belgian; Shire; Draft Pony*; and an “Other Draft Breed**” class.
* many shows will include them in the general Pony class;
** should include any breed not listed including Draft Mules.
- Pony Breed Classes.
If the show offers more than one pony breed class, then it may also offer an “Other Pony Breed” class. Thus, at least one of these options should be selected by the show:
Option One: Offer a “Pony Breed,” or “Ponies” class.
Option Two: Offer any one or more of the following classes: Welsh Pony; Shetland; Quarter Pony; Pony of the Americas; Hackney Pony; Chincoteague; Connemara; and an “Other Pony Breed*” class.
* could include any not listed, such as pony-type mules, mixed breed ponies, etc.
- Stock Breed Classes.
At least three of the following classes may be offered: Quarter Horse; Paint; Appaloosa; Mustang; Stock Ponies; Other Stock Type.
- Other Breed Classes.
At least ONE may be offered. Shows may decide to put some of the less common breeds into one general “Other Breed” class, or have “Other Breeds” by type, or split into “Mixed/Grade” and “Other Purebred” classes.
Collectibility Classes
If you choose to offer separate OF classes judged solely on collectibility/rarity (i.e., Decorator, Wood-grain, Pearl, etc.) these will now be counted as NAN qualifiers. Note that no ANIMALS classes will count as NAN qualifiers, as seen below.
The NAN show will offer separate Halter classes for these types of OF models, if entries warrant them. There is a special box on the NAN entry form to note if a model is to be placed in a collectible class rather than breed. (Entrants will have to chose one or the other for each OF model shown at NAN.) Please note that traditional “Collector’s Classes” where a GROUP of models is judged as ONE entry are not eligible for NAN qualification.
Halter Classes NOT Allowed as NAN-qualifiers
The following halter classes are absolutely NOT NAN-qualifier classes: ANIMALS (cattle, goats, dogs, etc.), MASCOT, YOUTH, NOVICE, FUN, “ANYTHING GOES”.
Do not include these in your class count on your application form. You can, of course, offer these but you must place a note by them in your classlist that they are not NAN qualifiers. Fantasy classes may be listed but can only be awarded cards as detailed in the NAMHSA Policies Document (PDF).
Exception: FANTASY, which are only pegasi or unicorns, as defined by NAMHSA, may qualify in workmanship or collectibility only, see Policies Document (PDF) for details.
Important Note Regarding Performance Judging
ONLY a HORSE or other EQUINE may earn NAN qualification. No Performance entries are allowed with cattle or other animals as the named/tagged entry. Of course these animals can be PROPS when a horse is the entrant.
No TEAM entries in Performance can jointly or as a group win a NAN qualification. In classes like harness where there is a multi-horse hitch entered, you MUST require the owner to tag just ONE horse in the team. That horse alone will be named in the results and on the single NAN ticket card awarded to that entry. Same for team roping and any other performance where more than one horse is involved. The entrant must tag just ONE of the horses…all the others are considered props.