CONFORMATION CLASS: The horse must demonstrate the Paso Fino or Paso Corto gait whenever moving. Entry will be judged 60% on conformation; 30% on quality and naturalness of gait; and 10% on appearance, grooming and manners. All entries are shown in a leather show halter (no bit) with single or double lines attached with either one or two handlers. The official Paso Fino Show outfit is required.
CONFORMATION CHAMPIONSHIP CLASS: To be eligible, horses must have placed first or second in the Conformation Class listed above appropriate to his/her age group. Judging specifications are the same as in regular class.
CLASSIC FINO: Horses are required to perform the fully collected Classic Fino gait at all times. Horses must work both directions, reverse, halt and proceed in gait. A sounding board should be used to clearly exhibit the rhythmic consistency of the cadence and impact. Entries may be asked to individually perform the Fino gait in a figure eight. To be judged 75% on performance at the Classic Fino gait and smoothness; 15% on appearance, conformation and way of going; and 10% on manners. English tack is required. Schooling horses may wear training headgear. Attire is the official Paso Fino Show outfit.
CLASSIC FINO CHAMPIONSHIP: To be eligible, horses must have been properly entered, shown and judged in one of the Classic Fino classes.
PASO PERFORMANCE CLASS: Horses are to be shown at a Paso Corto, a Paso Largo and a collected walk in that sequence and then reverse and repeat. Horses should be alert and show definite but controlled spirit. Increase in speed from corto to a largo should be easily detected. To be judged 30% on performance at the Paso Corto; 30% on performance at the Paso Largo; 10% on performance at the walk; 20% on appearance, conformation and way of going and 10% on manners. Special attention shall be afforded to form, smoothness and rhythmic constancy of the gaits. English tack required. Schooling horses may be shown in training headgear. Attire is to be the official Paso Fino outfit.
PASO PERFORMANCE CHAMPIONSHIP: To be eligible, horses must have been properly entered, shown and judged in one of the performance classes.
PASO PLEASURE CLASS: Horses are to be shown at a Paso Corto, Paso Largo and a walk, in that sequence, then reverse and repeat. Horses are to go in a more relaxed manner than in performance class. To be judged 25% on performance at a Paso Corto; 25% on performance at the Paso Largo; 10% performance at the walk and 40% on manners, conformation, attitude and a way of going. Refusal to back disqualifies the horse from placement. The tack and headgear for the horse may be of any variety that would be in good taste. Rider’s attire shall consist of a long sleeved shirt, full-length trousers, tailored jacket or vest, hat and riding boots. Women may wear skirts, culottes or gaucho pants that are long enough to cover the knees while seated in a saddle along with knee-high boots.
PASO PLEASURE CHAMPIONSHIP: To be eligible, horses must have been properly entered, shown and judged in one of the Paso Pleasure classes.
PASO TRAIL CLASS: The course is to include a minimum of six obstacles and a maximum of eight. Horses are shown individually through the obstacles, after which the horses will be lined up and asked to back. The class is to be judged 100% on the obstacle course. Horses not properly performing the obstacles and the gaits required shall be excused. Tack and dress may be either Western Pleasure or the Paso Pleasure.
PASO COSTUME CLASS OPEN: Horses will demonstrate their favorite Paso gait and stand in a line-up on display. To be judged 80% on attractiveness of costuming and appropriateness and completeness of the costuming idea; 10% on the brilliance of the gait and carriage and 10% on manners. Costume should depict the Latin American or Spanish origins and history of the breed. Entries must submit a brief statement (100 words or less) on the cultural significance of their costumes.
PASO WESTERN PLEASURE OPEN: Horses to be shown at a Paso Corto, walk, lope, walk, reverse and repeat in that sequence. Horses will be required to back. To be judged 35% on the performance at the Paso Corto: 30% on the performance at the lope; 10% on performance of the flat walk and 25% on manners, attitude and way of going. Tack must consist of Western tack and Western outfit.
PASO VERSATILITY: Horses are to be shown at a collected Paso Corto, collected Paso Largo, collected walk, collected canter, walk and reverse in that sequence. Horses are required to execute a figure eight at a corto and to back. To be judged 20% on the performance at the canter and 40% on the back, jump, manners and figure eight. Attire is to be English pleasure, as defined in Paso Pleasure Division.
EQUITATION: These classes are primarily held in the Youth Division, but in recent years Adult Equitation classes have been added. It is to be judged 100% on equitation. Results as shown by the performance of the horse are not to be considered more important than the method used in obtaining them. Horses shown in this class will perform the required Paso gaits. The attire is to be the official Paso Fino Show outfit and tack to be English.
COUNTRY PLEASURE: The Paso Fino Country Pleasure Horse should be a calm, mild-mannered, safe, using pleasure horse maintaining balance, ease and freedom of movement. It must demonstrate flawless manners. This class is judged 20% on Walk; 20% on Corto; 20% on Largo; 10% on appearance and way of going and 20% on manners. Class requirements include a back from the line-up, dismount from the left, walk around the front of the horse, remount from the right side and return to the line-up. Tack and attire shall be the same as described in the Pleasure Division.