ARTICLE 3 - AGE (HORSES & RIDERS)

1. A horse shall be considered to be one year of age on January 1st following its foaling date. If there is any question as to age it shall be determined by a ride veterinarian.
2. Complete Junior Rule Package
1. A Junior is a person 16 years of age or younger as of November 1st in the year of membership/competition and must be accompanied by a competent adult sponsor at all times during the ride. An adult, 19 years of age, or over, appointed by the junior rider's parents or guardians, must be identified by the Ride Management before the start of the event, and may or may not be part of the event, at the discretion of the Ride Management. Junior riders and sponsor must ride together at all times including entering and exiting all vet checks at the same time. The only exception being that at the finish, the junior may finish within the same minute, or within the one minute on either side of the sponsor's finishing minute.

2. Sponsorship may change only at regular stated checks, with the knowledge and consent of Ride Management. In the event of an emergency, between checks, that either competitor, or the competitor's mount is unable to continue safely, the identified sponsor, and junior must stay together until a pre-registered or ad-hoc sponsor is secured or withdrawn from the competition.

3. Exceptions:
   1. Endurance and Mileage Rides: A junior rider, 14 years or older as of November 1st, who has completed 500 endurance miles or more in OCTRA and/or AERC rider mileage program(s) may ride unsponsored at the discretion of Ride Management with parent(s) or guardian(s) consent. The unsponsored junior rider will compete in the senior division forfeiting junior status at that ride.

   2. Competitive Rides: A junior rider, 14 years or older as of November 1st, who has completed 500 competitive miles or more in OCTRA rider mileage program may ride unsponsored at the discretion of Ride Management with parent(s) or guardian(s) consent. The unsponsored junior rider will compete in the appropriate weight division forfeiting junior status at that ride.

   3. Ride 'N' Tie: A junior rider, 14 years or older as of November 1st, may ride unsponsored providing one member of the team has successfully completed 500 OCTRA miles or more in OCTRA mileage program, and both members have successfully completed one Ride 'n' Tie event, at the discretion of Ride Management with parent(s) or guardian(s) consent. The unsponsored junior rider(s) will compete in the senior division forfeiting junior status.

   4. Endurance, Mileage Rides, Competitive and Ride 'N' Tie On occasion, at the discretion of Ride Management, a junior rider may receive individual exemption, forfeiting junior status, if it is deemed to be in OCTRA's best interest (i.e. younger rider with required miles).

      Ride Management reserves the right to suspend or deny exemption based on demonstrated and/or repeated poor sportsmanship and/or horsemanship after exemption has been granted.