MODEL EQUINE COLLECTORS AND TENNESSEE EXHIBITORS
(MECATE)
ORGANIZATIONAL BY-LAWS
February 20, 2003

CONTENTS

MECATE
Organization
Operating Procedures
By-Laws Process
1. Initial preparation and acceptance
2. Method to amend
Dissolution Process
Acceptance of By-Laws

Appendix 1. Points Only Photo Shows
Appendix 2. Nationals, Year End Awards, and Cumulative Awards
Appendix 3. Sponsored and Live Show Rules

MECATE
1. Name: MECATE (Model Equine Collectors and Tennessee Exhibitors) is formed to be a regional club for the model horse hobbyists. Members from neighboring states to Tennessee are welcomed. Hobbyists from other states and countries are welcomed as well since there are no geographical or political boundaries or other requirements that are needed.
2. Type of organization. MECATE is a non-profit organization made up of a group of model horse hobbyists who enjoy the company of other hobbyists in all the aspects of this very interesting hobby. Each of us brings something different to our club: We are collectors, showers, judges, painters, tack makers, prop makers; we make, buy, sell, and trade; we have interests in halter, performance, breeds, bloodlines, pedigree assignment, on-line showing, live showing, show organization, fund raising, and other individual skills and talents. And, we believe in sharing our knowledge, talents, and skills with others who have this interest in model horses. The experience levels within MECATE range from someone just getting started to the professional artists, but we all share a common trait and that is our love for horses!
3. Purpose for organizing. Setting forth a formal organization is needed in order to coordinate and perpetuate club activities and to achieve the objectives of MECATE in an acceptable and proper manner. All activities should be undertaken with fairness and courtesy to everyone, members and non-members alike.
4. Objectives of organization. MECATE is intended to be a forum for the purpose of camaraderie among members, mutual learning about the model horse hobby and its varied aspects, sponsor activities such as photo and live shows, and clinics. Encourage youth and new members in the hobby through a mentoring process.
5. Officers and members perform duties on a voluntary basis and do not receive compensation for their services. Any payment that MECATE makes is to obtain goods and services in support of club activities, and that payment can be made direct or to the member as reimbursement for an expense made on the club’s behalf. The process of money management is outlined in paragraph III.5.
6. All issues requiring a vote will be conducted using the e-list forum (currently Yahoogroups) to the maximum extent possible. Alternate arrangements will be made with members not able to access the e-list forum prior to the time of voting. There will be an announced period of time to vote, generally ten (10) days; however extenuating circumstances can change the period and any change will be announced with an explanation as to why the change. All voting will be by the membership with the exception of the president who will vote only to break a tie. The majority of votes cast will determine the outcome of an issue or election of officers; there will not be any private voting to take place among the officers. Only members who are current in dues and in good standing can participate in any voting. Each paid member is counted as one (1) vote. A household showing under one membership fee will only be counted as one (1) vote regardless of the number of active members. It will be the responsibility of the Secretary/Treasurer to validate paid memberships at the time of a vote.
ORGANIZATION
1. Organization Description. MECATE is organized along democratic principles. Officers will be duly nominated and elected by the membership on the basis of votes cast. The person receiving the most votes is elected to the position for the term of office. Only in the case of ties will there be any run-off elections. Only members who are in good standing and current in dues paid are eligible to cast a vote or hold office. Because of the geographical separation of members there will be maximum use of the internet and its associated opportunities. Members who do not have access to the internet can make arrangements for USPS mail deliveries to receive club information.
2. Elected Officers and duties of each (See paragraph III for details regarding terms of office and the nomination/election process.)
  1. President. The president is responsible for the operation of MECATE in accordance with the by-laws for the term of office. In fulfillment of this responsibility, the president can ask for information and/or special reports from the membership to insure openness and understanding. He/She presides over meetings of the membership, opens club activities/functions, appoints committee chair/members, approves payment of expenses, and casts the deciding ballot when there are deadlocks in club issues. At no time will the president hold a secret meeting of or a private discussion among only the officers and/or committee(s).
  2. Vice President. The vice-president (VP) is expected to perform the duties of the president when the latter is unavailable. The vice president must have a very close working relationship with the president to ensure club cohesiveness and maintain current information. The VP will become president and assume the duties in the event the elected president resigns or becomes incapacitated. A club decision regarding a special election to fill the vacancy of president/VP will be made at the time of occurrence and will consider the period remaining on the officer’s term of office.
  3. Treasurer/Secretary. A treasurer/secretary is expected to satisfy the responsibilities associated with the proper management of monies and correspondence. Financial reports and progress reports are needed on a quarterly basis and as requested for special activities. Records of membership and discussions are required to be kept current so that any inquiries can be answered immediately. A permanent record of all documents and transactions are kept for reference and historical purposes. Notices of dues payment and other courtesies are expected. As the club increases in membership and activities, this position may be divided into a Secretary and a Treasurer. This separation will occur at the discretion of officers and an approving vote by the active membership.
3. Appointed Officers and duties of each
  1. Registrar:
    1. Accepts registration submissions from members in good standing using the registration form that is available on the website.
    2. Adds the pertinent information of each model registered to the database and assigns a unique registration number.
    3. Notifies the registering member of the model’s registration number.
    4. Provides the Pointkeeper with the registered models information for inclusion in the pointkeeping database.
    5. Suspends registered models when a member becomes delinquent in dues, no longer in good standing, or leaves the organization and archives that information (in the event the member and/or model returns to the MECATE registry).
    6. Saves/archives the registry in at least two different locations (copy sent to the secretary, webmaster, burned to a CD, etc) to insure a current backup in the event of hard drive failure.
    7. Provides the current number of registered models to the membership on a quarterly basis (for statistical purposes).
    8. Confirms registration of any given model to the webmaster for potential inclusion in the Nationals or other MECATE events or activities that require a model to be registered.
  2. Pointkeeper:
    1. Adds newly registered member horses to the points database when notified by the registrar that there are some.
    2. Adds points from the POPS results to duly registered horses.
    3. Adds points into the closest fitting category from NON-POPS shows when duly notified by a member and given a link to the results for verification purposes or a hardcopy when results are not available online.
    4. Tracks points for awards, notifying the officers and the member that said horse is eligible for an award
  3. Webmaster: Duties include but are not limited to:
    1. Maintains the website so that information is current, correct, and works properly. Prepares/edits a periodic newsletter from articles submitted by others and from self-generated.
    2. Codes and posts information and results regarding POPS, other photo shows, MECATE sponsored and sanctioned live shows.
    3. Archives pertinent data.
    4. Researches and develops link partnerships for increased awareness of MECATE to the general model horse hobbyists.
    5. Implements links for MECATE members.
    6. Codes POPS entries, maintains class files, and manages individual online entrants’ personal folders for entries.
    7. Moves uploaded photo entries from Yahoo to entrants’ folders on the MECATE server and creates thumbnail images for use in POPS.
    8. Works with POPS judges to advise of online entrants, acquaint them with html, and make the information more readily available.
    9. Creates graphics.
    10. Assures site security.
    11. Researches and develops techniques to ease usage for members and guests.
4. Standing Committees and use of each
  1. Nominations/Elections Committee. This committee is responsible for obtaining a slate of nominees for each office to be filled, reporting progress, monitoring the election and then verifying that the election process was proper. The president solicits volunteers, appoints a chairman (and members as needed) for a Nominations/Elections Committee prior to beginning the nomination/voting process for officers. The committee should be named 3 months prior to the election day. The size of the committee must be left to the discretion of the president and chairman and should be dependent upon the number of members and offices to be filled. This is an autonomous committee and its decisions are final as long as they are within the guidelines outlined in the by-laws. Nominees for various offices are voluntary, can be self submitted or another person may submit names. The committee will ensure that all nominations are voluntary, and that the individual is familiar with the duties of the position. This is done to prevent any misunderstanding on the part of the individual or the club. The chairman will submit monthly reports throughout the process until voting is completed. Upon election of officers, the Nominations Committee will be disbanded until the next election takes place.
  2. POPS. The Points Only Photo Show Committee is appointed by the president to operate and advise regarding the conduct of the monthly POPS. This committee develops the class list and proposes rules changes, arranges for judges, verifies and publishes results, and satisfies other functions needed for a reliable and fair monthly competition. This committee operates as a functioning or process unit and does not have policy-making authority. The POPS is an inherent feature of MECATE and its rules must be mutually agreed upon by the membership. See Appendix 1 for specific details regarding POPS guidelines and process.
    1. An appointed volunteer judge each month will judge the monthly POPS, which will accept both ground mail entries and online entries, February through November of each year. The judges will be identified and published in advance by the POPS Committee. The POPS awards points to models and to photos of models owned by members who possess photo rights on images submitted. Placements of 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in any class entitles a registered model, whose owner has fulfilled other eligibility requirements, entrance into the MECATE Nationals held during the month of January in the year directly following the conclusion of monthly shows within the previous year.
    2. Points earned from placements in MECATE POPS, club benefit shows (photo or live), other photo and live shows, and the MECATE Nationals can be applied to the earning of Cumulative Awards Program sponsored by MECATE. The Cumulative Awards will be awarded and announced as earned or in conjunction with the Year End Awards (YEA). See Appendix 2 for details.
  3. MECATE Live Show. When the MECATE membership agrees to hold a live show, the Live Show Committee shall be appointed by the president. Members will be solicited so that volunteers can be used as much as possible. The functions will include all details associated with a live show such as but not limited to date, location, judges, awards, donations and sponsors, advertising, publishing results and secondary results, and applications for NAMHSA and other club approvals. The committee may solicit ideas and suggestions from the membership, but are not obliged to accept them. The chair will maintain fully detailed expense and revenue reports, and will work closely with the Treasurer for the management of monies. The chair will also be the name submitted as show host/hostess to NAMHSA requesting approval to become a NAN-Qualifying show if applicable. The Treasurer will deposit receipts and pay expenses. This is an autonomous committee and its decisions are final as long as they are within the guidelines of the by-laws. This self-operation is needed because there are many varied and multiple ways of conducting a live show and this method will provide the authority needed for responsibility/accountability to remain in the hands of a few people. The committee will disband once all functions and requirements have been satisfied.
OPERATING PROCEDURES
1. Meetings and Quorum. Club business will primarily be satisfied using the internet and e-list; however, there may be occasions that a general meeting is advisable. When that need arises, the club membership will mutually agree upon a date and location for a scheduled meeting, most likely in connection with a live show that will be attended by many of the members. When a meeting is planned, it will be well advertised in advance using the internet and club website a minimum of 30 days. There is no minimum quorum requirement to conduct business whether it is by internet or meeting. All issues requiring a vote will be resolved by simple majority, with the president abstaining. The president will vote only in the instance of ties. Roberts Rules of Order may be referred to as a guide in conducting business, but it is not used as a policy manual nor is it binding on club business.
2. Terms of office
  1. Elected officers. The president, vice-president, and treasurer/secretary are the only elected officers at this time. The needs of the club may change over time and changes to this requirement can be processed as outlined in the article pertaining to amendments. The term of office is two (2) years; however, the first duly elected officers will serve a period less than two years. The term runs from January 1st of one year to December 31st the following year (24 months). There is no restriction placed upon the number of terms one person may hold. The president and VP will have elections in alternate years so that there is continuity between their terms in office. The initial VP will have a term less than 12 months in order to start the alternate year process.
  2. Appointed officers. The president may appoint an officer for a special function or need as demands arise as long as he/she does not duplicate the functions of an existing officer or appointment. This appointment is good only for the length of time needed to meet the requirement, or until the expiration of the president’s current term of office. Examples of an appointed officer for special functions are Registrar, Pointkeeper, and Webmaster. Wherever possible, maximum use of volunteers will be made.
  3. Committees.
    1. The Nominations/Election Committee will serve a term of approximately 4 months; appointment to be effective on October 1 prior to an election of officers and disband on/about January 31st or upon completion of the committee’s requirements. The president will appoint a chairman and members as determined appropriate for the number of positions to be filled and membership. Wherever possible, maximum use of volunteers will be made. See paragraph II.4.A for further details.
3. Elections
  1. Method of nominations. With the exception of the initial election, the Election Committee will put together an appropriate number of nominees for each position to be filled. Members who would like to volunteer for office, or who would like to submit the name of another member for office must communicate with the committee chair. The committee must be confident that the nominee is eligible (current with dues and in good standing), interested, available, and familiar with the duties of the position before putting the name on the ballot. The nominee is advised to submit a short biography for the committee to use so that the membership can become familiar with all the nominees before voting occurs.
    1. The initial election of officers is voluntary and may be self nominated or nominated by someone else when permission to nominate has been received. The e-list forum (currently Yahoogroups) is a convenient method of conducting this election, which must be a semi-controlled method because of the lack of process. Once a voting date is established, there is a 10-day period for members to cast their votes.
  2. Voting. Voting will take place during the first 10 days of December of an election year. On-line voting using the MECATE e-list forum will be the desired process; however, members who do not have Internet access will be provided a printed ballot and a SASE so that they may vote by USPS mail. Only members in good standing and who are current in their dues are eligible to vote or hold office. There is one vote per paid member or member household.
4. Appointments of individuals/committees. The president appoints committee chairs and individuals via a public announcement on the MECATE e-list forum (currently Yahoogroups) and thru any other open/public means deemed advisable such as the use of a newsletter. This announcement should include information such as purpose, brief responsibilities, and period of appointment.
5. Financial Management: Because of the geographical separation of members, the club must have high confidence in the elected Treasurer to manage the club’s funds in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Financial liability for the club as well as the individual is the Treasurer’s responsibility; therefore, the account(s) location must be the determination of the Treasurer. Consultation with bank representatives and/or others is the responsibility of the Treasurer. All accounts regardless of use or location will have two (2) authorized signatures, and they are the current president and current treasurer. Once the account(s) is/are established, the Treasurer must inform the membership where it/they are located, the account(s) name, and who has signature authority.

BY-LAWS PROCESS

Initial preparation and acceptance. The initial form of the by-laws will be drafted and presented to the membership for mutual acceptance. Once the by-laws are approved by a majority of the votes cast by the prospective members identified on the MECATE e-list forum (currently Yahoogroups), the President and Secretary/Treasurer will be elected and will have a term of office that is the remaining portion of the calendar year plus 12 months. The VP will have a term of office less than 12 months. The initial election process will be abbreviated in scope and nominees will be volunteers from the prospective membership roll. The term of office will begin immediately after close of elections.
Method to amend. Anyone may make a proposed change to the by-laws; however, there must be 2 sequential votes by the membership to approve. The first vote is to question whether a change to the by-laws is needed. If that vote is accepted by the majority of the membership voting, then the specific wording for the change is put before the membership for acceptance. Again, acceptance is based upon majority of votes cast. All changes and amendments are to be treated on an individual basis, and are not to be clustered together to be voted on as a package. The president may handle this process him/herself or may appoint someone for a limited period to conduct this process.

DISSOLUTION PROCESS

MECATE membership will determine whether dissolution is advisable and by a majority vote will decide the organization’s future. Such an important decision must be thoroughly discussed on the e-list for a minimum of 60 days before a vote is taken, or in the event of a membership meeting the issue must be advertised as being on the agenda a minimum of 60 days prior to meeting date.
Upon the decision to dissolve MECATE, the current financial standing will be posted along with unpaid expenses and foreseen expenses such as taxes due and dissolution expense. The monies available will be used in the following way:
1. Pay all outstanding debts and reserve sufficient funds to cover necessary dissolution expenses.
2. If there are any remaining funds, an out-of-cycle Year End Awards process will be conducted.
3. If there are any remaining funds, the membership will determine a worthy recipient that is an equine/animal related charity in order to close the accounts and officially cease operation.

ACCEPTANCE OF BY-LAWS. These by-laws were accepted by a majority vote of the membership conducted Feb 9-19, 2003, using the Yahoogroup list. This final and approved copy is dated Feb 20, 2003. Any amendments hereto will be processed according to paragraph IV.

APPENDICES

Monthly POPS Rules
MECATE Nationals, Year End Awards, and Cumulative Awards
MECATE Sponsored or Approved Live Show Basic Rules and Class List

APPENDIX 1. MECATE POINTS ONLY PHOTO SHOWS
February 20, 2003

Rules and guidelines for the monthly Points Only Photo Shows (referred to as POPS):
1. Points for POPS Placements
  
  Models registered with MECATE will earn points for placements received in a POPS competition. The points that are applied will follow the listing of points contained in Appendix 2, paragraph 1.e. It will be the judge’s discretion whether to apply the point system outlined to determine the POPS champions and reserve champions.
2. POPS Classlist: The classlist is a dynamic listing with annual revisions likely. The current classlist therefore is not included in this appendix; however, it is posted on the website and is available in the files area on the e-list.

APPENDIX 2.
MECATE NATIONALS, YEAR END AWARDS, AND CUMULATIVE AWARDS
February 20, 2003

Nationals:

MECATE’s Nationals shall be held in January each year. This is a competition between models that have successfully competed in a monthly POPS during the preceding calendar year. The President will select the judge(s) from volunteers and nominees who have responded to the call. The President and the selected judge must preserve the integrity of impartiality at the height of the show year.

In order for models to be eligible to compete in the Nationals they and their owners must meet the following requirements at some point between January 1st and December 31st of the preceding year:

The model must have placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in any class in the POPS. Placement may be in Halter or Performance Divisions and will make the model eligible for the class(es) it placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in. Models will only be eligible for classes in the Nationals in which they qualified in through the monthly POPS. Qualification in one class does not constitute qualification in all classes applicable for the model or its photos.

The model must have been registered with MECATE’s Registrar no later than November 30th of the show year.

The owner must have judged a POPS during the show year, or hosted a benefit show (either live or photo) for MECATE during the show year.

This competition is handled in the same fashion as a monthly POPS with the exception that the Secretary/Treasurer (ascertaining that the entrant did judge a POPS or held a Benefit Show during the show year), Registrar (affirming that the model(s) were registered by December 31st) and Pointskeeper (confirming qualifying placement in any of the POPS) must verify the eligibility of entrants and entries. Anyone or any model found to be ineligible will be returned to the entrant or denied inclusion in the Nationals code for online entries. The judging process and placements are the same as with the POPS.

The judge for the Nationals will place all classes 1st through 10th or to the highest number of placements according to the number of entries if less than 10. The judge shall supply placement results to the Webmaster for posting to the website.

The following is the placements and points earned for that placement:

1st in class = 10 Points

2nd in class = 9 Points

3rd in class = 8 Points

4th in class = 7 Points

5th in class = 6 Points

6th in class = 5 Points

7th in class = 4 Points

8th in class = 3 Points

9th in class = 2 Points

10th in class = 1 Point

Honorable Mention = one half (0.5) Point

Top Ten in Halter Division = 10 Points
Intra-Subdivision Reserve Champion (i.e., Reserve Champion for Light Breed, Western Performance) = 15 Points

Intra-Subdivision Champion (i.e., Champion for Light Breed, Western Performance) = 20 Points

Subdivision Reserve Champion (i.e., Reserve Champion for Gender, Color, Breed) = 25 Points

Subdivision Champion (i.e., Champion for Gender, Color, Breed) = 30 Points

Division Reserve Champion (i.e., Reserve Champion for Halter, Overall Performance) = 35 Points

Division Champion (i.e., Champion for Halter, Overall Performance) = 40 Points

Reserve Grand Champion of Show = 45 Points

Grand Champion of Show = 50 Points
Year End Awards (YEA)
1. Points can be obtained through live and photo showing in MECATE (to include the MECATE Nationals) and other shows. Shows sponsored by other individuals or organizations can be approved by MECATE which will in turn increase point values as outlined below. The points for MECATE POPS are given in paragraph 1.e, above, and the multiples below correspond to the POPS points multiplied by the number indicated.
  
  MECATE Monthly POPS = 1x placement points
  *MECATE Benefit Photo Shows = 2x placement points
  All Other Photo Shows = 1x placement points
  All Photo Show Year-End Championships/Nationals = 3x placement points
  All Live Shows = 3x placement points
  All MECATE Secondary Results (live and photo) = 1x placement points
  **Miscellaneous Awards will have their points determined on a case-by-case basis.
  
  *The show holder must apply to the President for MECATE approval and if approved, must provide a secondary set of results to the MECATE members. These secondary results will have only members’ placements with them ranked as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc, without regard to the other placements in the class. For example, the 10 placements in a class with MECATE members placed as 3rd, 5th, and 10th will have the secondary results showing MECATE members as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. This secondary set of results will be worth 1x placement points as outlined above.
  
  **The Pointskeeper will determine the points based upon precedence for equivalent type awards. The owner must provide evidence of the award and additional information as may be needed by the Pointskeeper to justify his/her decision.
2. It is the owner’s responsibility to provide the points to the Pointskeeper as they are earned (with the exception of MECATE sponsored shows). Along with the name(s) of models to receive these points, there must be evidence of the placements earned. Official show results and secondary results (if applicable) are considered sufficient evidence. All points must be submitted to the Pointskeeper no later than midnight on the evening of December 31st, thereby ending the show year. For MECATE sponsored shows, the Pointskeeper will automatically receive a copy of the results and will post the points earned to registered models.
3. It is the owner’s responsibility to track their own models and points earned by those models. The owner and Pointskeeper in that way can be a double-check for each other.
Cumulative Awards:
1. Individual models registered with MECATE can receive awards from the accumulation of points over a period of time. These awards will be announced as they are earned throughout the year and/or in conjunction with the Year End Awards. Only models registered with MECATE are eligible. These awards are MECATE awards and do not reflect or imply recognition from other organizations. It is the responsibility of the owner of the model to keep the records of points earned, to apply to MECATE for the appropriate award and to provide the evidence to warrant the award. It will be at the discretion of the Pointskeeper whether they would like to notify the owner when a model is eligible for an award.
2. The following are the general awards and minimum point requirements:
  1. Register of Merit in Halter = 750 points received from only Halter classes and Halter championships
  2. Register of Merit in Performance = 750 points received from only Performance classes and Performance championships
  3. Miscellaneous Register of Merit = 75 points received from one category of fun classes (i.e., Best Name, Judge’s Choice, Realistic Scene, Most Realistic, etc)
  4. Versatility Award = 1000 points; minimum of 500 points from Halter classes and a minimum of 500 points from Performance classes for a total of 1000 points
  5. Legion of Merit = 1500 points resulting from all Halter classes or resulting from all Performance classes
  6. Supreme Champion = Any single model winning five (5) Grand Champion of Show titles under at least 3 different judges
  7. Hall of Fame = Any model accumulating a minimum of 2000 points (Hall of Fame Models are asked to retire from MECATE's POPS for one (1) year in the division [Halter or Performance] that they earned the 2,000 points in - but may continue to show the division they have not yet earned the Hall of Fame award in as well as still being allowed to accumulate and submit outside points, regardless of division)
Top Ten awards:
1. The Top Ten award is based upon an individual models total accumulation of points during a show year (January 1st to December 31st) received from specific classes. Points can be accumulated from all types of shows and applied according to the scale in paragraph 2 above. The only restriction is that the class used to justify the award is the same in all shows; i.e., Quarter Horse (breed class), Mare (gender class), Bay (color class), or Western Pleasure (performance class).
2. Top Ten awards are issued according to the records of the Pointskeeper. Since no owner will know the amount of points accumulated by another owner’s horse, it will be impossible to apply for a top ten award. The Pointskeeper will generate a list of the top ten point holders for each class, and these awards will be issued at the time of the YEA.
Special Awards. The President or a member may propose a special award not specified in the by-laws to be given by MECATE to an individual who may or may not be a member but who has contributed in some significant way to the club or its operation. The cost of these awards should be minimal unless the expense is approved by vote by the membership.
1. An example of such an award is Member of the Year, although this award should be reserved for members only. In the event multiple nominations for a single award are received, a member may be selected/volunteered to review nominations and make a recommendation to the president. An award of this nature would be presented at the end of the year.
2. Another example is an Appreciation Award to say thank you to someone who has done something unexpected and significant to benefit MECATE but who may or may not be a member. Such an award can be given at any time and upon the nomination from a member and approved by the president.

APPENDIX 3.
MECATE SPONSORED or APPROVED LIVE SHOWS:
CLASS LIST AND BASIC RULES

A live show either sponsored or approved by MECATE must meet the following classlist requirements in addition to the inclusion of the minimum rules/regulations set forth. Please note that these requirements are minimums; a show may elect to have a more detailed or extensive classlist and/or rules and regulations. Specialty shows, such as All Costume or other themed shows should submit their classlist and details of the show for review if the core classlist is contradictory to the intent of the planned show.

Show Organization. A show may be organized in a variety of ways:
1. A show may be all halter, all performance, or a combination of both. Either division is optional, but if present, should include the minimum classes listed.
2. Shows must split Original Finish and Customized models in halter classes. Gender and/or color classes, make, workmanship, and finish classes are optional for any show.
These core classes are the minimum halter classes that a MECATE sponsored live show must offer in both their Original Finish and Customized divisions. Divisions/splits for OF China, Mini, Non-Mini, et cetera are allowed, but all must meet the core classlist requirements.
1. Light Breed Class. The show must offer a Light Breed class. That class may be split at the showholder’s discretion to include separate classes for Arabians; Arabians/Part Arabians; Anglo-Arabians; National Show Horses; Morgans; Other Light Types; Other Light Types Mixed, etc.. Further splits by manufacturer may also be allowed.
2. Sport Breed Class. The show must offer a Sport Breed class. That class may be split at the showholder’s discretion to include separate classes for Thoroughbreds; Thoroughbred/Standardbreds; Standardbreds; Warmbloods; Trakehners; Oldenburg; Hanoverians; Holsteiners; Cleveland Bays; Dutch Warmbloods; Swedish Warmbloods; Akhal Tekes; Sport Type Ponies; American Sporthorses; Other Sport Types, Other Sport Types Mixed, etc. Further splits by manufacturer may also be allowed.
3. Gaited Breed Class. The show must offer a Gaited Breed class. That class may be split at the showholder’s discretion to include separate classes for Tennessee Walking Horse, American Saddlebred, Other Gaited Types, etc. Further splits by manufacturer may also be allowed.
4. Stock Breed Class. The show must offer a Stock Breed class. That class may be split at the showholder’s discretion to include separate classes for Quarter Horses; Paints; Appaloosas; Mustangs, Other Stock Types; Other Stock Types Mixed, etc. Further splits by manufacturer may also be allowed.
5. Spanish Breed Class. The show must offer a Spanish Breed class. That class may be split at the showholder’s discretion to include separate classes for Andalusians; Lusitanos; Criollos; Aztecas; Spanish Mustangs/Barbs, etc. Further splits by manufacturer may also be allowed.
6. Draft Breed Class. The show must offer a Draft Breed class. That class may be split at the showholder’s discretion to include separate classes for Clydesdales; Percherons; Belgians; Shires; Draft Mules; American Spotted Drafts; American Cream Drafts, etc. Further splits by manufacturer may also be allowed.
7. Pony Breed Class. The show must offer a Pony Breed class. That class may be split at the showholder’s discretion to include separate classes for Welsh Ponies; Welsh Cobs; Shetlands; Quarter Ponies; Pony of the Americas; Hackney Ponies; Chincoteague Ponies; Connemaras; British Spotted Ponies, etc. Further splits by manufacturer may also be allowed.
8. Other Breed Class. The show must offer an Other Breed class. That class may be split at the showholder’s discretion to include separate classes for Mules; Donkeys; Miniature Horses, “Exotics” (such as Zebras); Mixed Breed; Grade, etc.
If Colour/Finish classes are offered, a class must be designated for Decorator/Unrealistic colors.
Any show offering Performance classes is required to offer at least the following classes: (1) Western Pleasure and/or Western Trail; (2) Other Western Performance; (3) Huntseat/English Pleasure and/or English Trail; (4) Other English Performance; (5) Other Performance. Other classes in Performance may be included at the showholder’s discretion. Performance classes may combine OF and CM models.
The show must place at a minimum, even if not awarding/pinning, 1st through 5th or to the highest placement possible in classes with fewer than five (5) entries.
The show must name a Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion of Show. These champions may be determined by a combination of OF and CM divisions or assigned separately at the showholder’s discretion.
The show must provide primary results to include the models’ names and owners’ names. The show must provide secondary results for MECATE members, which exclude non-MECATE-members’ placings.
The live show will have established rules/regulations. MECATE sets forth that sponsored live shows, at the minimum, will include the following rules:
1. No Firearms are allowed at the show.
2. No illegal substances or activities are allowed at the show.
3. Good sportsmanship is expected at all times. Any person exhibiting unsportsmanlike behavior may be ejected from the show at the showholder’s or show staff’s discretion.
4. The showholder, property owners, MECATE, and staff are released of any liability for damage or injury.
5. No threats of any kind to any person or property shall be tolerated.
6. Judge’s/Judges’ decisions are final. No harassment will be tolerated.