2025-2026 Rules

WARNING

UNDER FLORIDA LAW, AN EQUINE ACTIVITY SPONSOR OR PROFESSIONAL SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INJURY TO OR THE DEATH OF A PARTICIPANT IN EQUINE ACTIVITIES RESULTING FROM THE INHERENT RISK OF EQUINE ACTIVITIES. CODE OF FLORIDA STATUE §773.01

EXHIBITIONS

Exhibitions can be paid at the gate in cash - $5ea
A limited number of Timed Only Runs will be offered between PeeWee and the Open for $10. Results from these runs are not public and will be sent via text message to the phone number in the Saddlebook account.
Timed Exhibitions will be offered at the end of the show and you can sign up in the office during a drag - $10ea

CLASSES

Classes are determined by the age of the entrant as of August 1st of the given year.

PeeWee – 2 — 18 Walk, trot, beginner canter. Show management reserves the right to require a child run in youth if they are able to successfully run the pattern without any hindrance or inhibitions.

Poles - All ages
Open - All ages
You may Ride in or Carry to any of the below classes:

Youth - 2 — 18
Adults – 18 — 39
Masters — Age 40+

Schedule

Day Shows

Exhibitions - Starts at 10am
Poles - Starts at 12pm
PeeWees - Follows Poles
Timed Only Runs - Follows PeeWee
Open - Starts at 1pm
Youth - Follows the Open
Adults and Masters run in a combined draw but results are scored separately
Timed Exhibitions - if any follows Adults/Masters.

Night Shows

NOTE: Co-hosted shows may have different times. Please check the flyer

Exhibitions - Starts at 2pm
Poles - Starts at 4pm
PeeWees - Follows Poles
Timed Only Runs - Follows PeeWees
Open - starts at 5pm
Adults and Masters run in a combined draw but results are scored separately
Timed Exhibitions - if any follows Adults/Masters.

SIDEPOTS

Barrel Insurance - Whether you knock one or three barrels this sidepot will give you an opportunity see the payment window. This insurance only works if you have a No Time knock in the Open. If you get a time in the Open you are disqualified from the sidepot.

Example: Karen enters Kujo and Karma in the Open and the Insurance sidepot. Karen knocks a barrel on Kujo and would have received a 16.750. Karen has a clean run on Karma. For the final results, only Karen's horse Kujo was in the insurance sidepot.
NIH - Must enter through nihorse.com
PBRIP - see requirements at the APHA Website

GROUNDS

No alcohol is permitted on the rodeo grounds as posted by the facility.
Dogs are not permitted
Contestants should clean up their area and place garbage in the appropriate receptacle.
Contestants shall be responsible for any rule infraction incurred by anyone within their party and subject to fines and disqualification.
Trainers shall be responsible for any rule infraction incurred by their students and are responsible for ensuring any fines are paid.

PRE-ENTRY

Pre-entry will open a week before race day and conclude day before race day at 12:00pm. The pre-draw will be posted the night before the race and entries will reopen once the draw is posted.
Draw-outs done before noon (12pm) on the day before race day will be eligible for a refund. To draw out, please text 732-433-7897
Draw-outs done after pre-entries have closed will not receive a refund.

ADD-ONS

The office closes one (1) hour before Poles is scheduled to start.
Once the office closes, entries are closed and will not be reopened.
Draw-outs on race day will not receive a refund.

PAYOUT

PeeWee and Timed Only Runs do not payout.
For all other classes and sidepots payout is 70/30 and added money will be applied at 100%
Monies will redistribute should divisions or positions not place
W9s will be required for all contestants earning money over $600
Payouts will be made by check on Wesnesday following the race and/or after monies settle if the W-9 is onfile. Contestants may fill out a W-9 and email it to rodeo @ whippingwild . com. Once a W-9 is received the check will be issued within 30days.
Checks should be cashed within 60days of the issue date or the check will be considered void and upon request for reissue, the contestant will be subject to a $20 reissue fee

DRESS CODE:

No spaghetti tops, crop tops, shorts, sandals or sneakers.
Accepted: Tanks, short or long sleeve shirts, jeans or long pants, and boots with a heel.
All minors 16 and under should wear a helmet per state law.
Horses must be equipped with a saddle and the appropriate pad and/or blanket

BARREL RACE RULES:

NO unsportsmanlike conduct will be tolerated at any Whipping Wild events. Any act deemed prejudicial to the best interests of Whipping Wild may result in the suspension of a competitor, including but not limited to the following:
- Using abusive or intemperate language or attempting to threaten, bribe, influence or harass any contestant, show official. Also, any remarks made with the intent to cast aspersions on the character or integrity of a Whipping Wild official, show official, or facility owner.
- Moving or attempting to move markers at any time.
- Use of electronic and/or remotely controlled devices to alter the outcome of a run.
- Abuse of a horse in any way.
- Competing while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Other conduct that is not in the best interest of Whipping Wild, its Officials or its members.
- Whipping Wild and or Show Management at their sole discretion shall have the authority to disqualify or deny entry to any horse they deem dangerous to the rider, or to other individuals, animals or property.
Any participant who competes out of turn or before the name was called will be disqualified.
Knocking over a barrel results in a no time in the Classes, this includes if the barrel is knocked over and stands itself up again on either end ‘out of position’.
Touching a barrel, to keep it from falling is permitted without penalty
Going off pattern results in a no time
Contestants given a no-time may complete the pattern. Show management may, at its discretion ask a rider who is taking excessive time to leave the arena.
There will be no reruns if a horse or rider falls before the pattern has been completed. This run will result in a no time
Show management has the right to disqualify any horse/rider combination that does not begin the performance within two minutes of the time the rider has been called.
An electronic timer will be used for all rides. Should the timer not function, a rerun will be immediately performed after the event is complete, after a drag, or at the show manager’s discretion.
The entrants will not conduct any outside business without prior approval of the show manager. Any person conducting business and/or receiving funds on the premises will be subject to vendor fees.
No rider substitutions will be permitted after check-in. Misidentifying a horse in any Whipping Wild class will disqualify a contestant
Contestant may enter any number of horses per division, but a horse can only run once per class.
Exception: For PeeWee or Youth classes only, siblings may share a horse, however that horse may only run twice during a given class. The exception requires show management approval.
Any question or disputes that arise during the show, not covered by the governing rulebook will be settled by the show manager whose decision will be final.

SPONSOR'S RACE - March 8, 2026

Any contestant who wants to particpate in the Sponsor's race may do so by bringing a sponsorship of $250 to Whipping Wild by February 8th, 2024. After the sponsorship is received, and the contestant enters into the Open, the contestant will automatically be entered into the Sponsor's Race sidepot and have a chance to buckle and/or receive awards. All qualifying contestants will receive awards regardless of time or no-time.

How to Qualify

Bring a sponsorship of $250 or more to Whipping Wild by February 8th, 2026
Enter the Open4D on March 8th
The contestant MUST be present to win

STANDINGS and VOLUNTEER TIME:

Contestants must attend five (5) out of the seven (7) races and have all five (5) hours of volunteer time to be eligible for awards.
Awards are based off standings and qualifications (Number of volunteer hours and races run).
All hours will be tracked in a spreadsheet maintained by Whipping Wild Management and available via the website.
Volunteers must have half of their hours in by the fourth race to remain eligible for awards.
If the number of hours aren't met by the fourth race, the contestant will no longer be eligible for awards and will be removed from the spreadsheet.
Only those contestants being tracked in the spreadsheet will be eligible for points
The eligible person with the fastest time in each division per class will receive ten points. The next fastest time will receive nine points and so on and so forth until the tenth fastest time in the division receives one point. If there aren’t enough members to receive all ten points, then only the top members will receive points. If there is a tie, then the members with the same fastest time will receive the same numeric value of points. However, the points would skip a number before being allocated to the next fastest time.
The point system restarts for each division within each class.
The point system is based on the horse and rider combination. Example: If Lisa and Fancy get times and the 1D they will accumulate points, however, if Lisa opts to ride Mojo and they also get times in the 1D, then she will start to accumulate two sets of points one set on Mojo and the original set on Fancy.
The highest points in each division and class at the end of the series will reflect the winners. If there is a tie for a buckle, the tie will be broken by the faster horse/rider combination or flip of a coin.
The top three (3) in each division will receive prizes
Classes eligible for points:
- Poles 1D
- PeeWee 1D
- Open 1D, 2D, 3D, 4D
- Youth 1D, 2D, 3D
- Adults 1D, 2D, 3D
- Master 1D, 2D, 3D
Awards will be presented before the start of the next show
Contestants must be present and/or have made arrangements to have a delegate receive the series D buckle on their behalf. If neither the contestant nor the delegate is present the buckle will go to the next runner up
Contestants must be present to receive any of the Finalist or Top3 awards
Vet Outs - must be submitted via email at rodeo @ whippingwild.com in the month they occur and will only be accepted for the go forward races. No races will be post marked.