ARTICLE I

Section 1:  The name of this organization is OUTBACK BARREL RACING ASSOCIATION.

ARTICLE II-Purposes and Objectives

Section 1:  To promote barrel racing as a sport and family event.

Section 2:  And for the uses and purposes for which this organization is formed this organization is a non-profit one and none of its operations shall at any time result in anyway in pecuniary profit or gain to any member therof.

Section 3:  To establish dates for events to be held during the year for members of this association.

ARTICLE III-Membership and dues

Section 1: Membership in this organization shall be unlimited.

Section 2: Membership dues shall be payable annually and shall be established from time to time by the resolution of the Board of Directors.

Section 3: Membership will run from January 1st to December 31^st. 

Section 4: The annual dues for membership in this organization shall be $35 for single, $55 for a family up to three family members, $10 each additional family member for competing members and $15 for non-competing members. 

Section 5:  A family membership is defined as parents and children 18 years of age or younger as of January 1^st of the current competition year, or grandparents and grandchildren 18 years of age or younger as of January 1^st of the current competition year.

Section 6: Members who resign from the Association or whose memberships have been revoked shall not be entitled to a refund of fees. 

ARTICLE IV-Officers and Directors

Section 1: The Board of Directors shall consist of no more than eight members consisting of  the officers of the Association; which shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer; and up to five directors.  Officers and Directors  shall be elected annually by the members at the Annual General Meeting of the Association and shall hold office during the ensuing year or until their successors are duly elected.  Members of the Board of Directors must be member in good standing.

Section 2: The immediate available Past President of the Association shall be considered a director unless he/she resigns or fails to maintain membership in the Association.

Section 3:  The duties of the Board of Directors shall be to conduct, manage, and control the affairs of the Association and to make rules not inconsistent therewith and shall not meet less than two times a year.

Section 4: The President shall preside at all meetings of the membership and appoint all standing and special committees and perform all other duties not inconsistent with the duties of the Board of Directors.  The Vice President shall act in the absence of the President.

Section: 5: The Secretary/Treasurer shall act as Secretary for all meetings of the Association, including meetings of the Board of Directors and shall receive and safely keep all funds of the association in such bank as may be designated by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE V: Meetings

Section 1: The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held during the Awards Banquet for the Saddle Series each year.

Section 2: Quorum at the Annual General Meeting shall be 2/3 of the members in attendance at that meeting. 

Section 3: The President or in his/her absence, the Vice-President, shall have authority to call additional meeting as he/she/ deems necessary.

Section 4: A majority of the Board of Directors may jointly, in writing, request the President to call a meeting of the Board of Directors and the President shall forthwith cause such a meeting to be held.

ARTICLE VI: Voting

Section 1: At the Annual General Meeting of the Association, all members have the right to vote.

Section 2: At the meetings of the Board of Directors only the members of the Board of Directors have a right to vote.  In the event of a tie, the Acting President will cast the deciding vote.

ARTICLE VII: Signing

Section 1: The President and Vice President shall have signing authority on any written document or instrument of the Association.

Section 2:  Signing Authority for Checks shall be extended to include the Secretary/Treasurer and 2 Directors.

ARTICLE VIII: By-Laws and Rules

Section 1: The Board of Directors shall have authority to amend the By-Laws as may be necessary to implement the by-laws effectively and not inconsistent with it to ensure the smooth functioning of the association.

Section 2: If a decision of some urgency must be made and the By-Laws or related rules do not seem to cover the matter adequately, the Officers shall have authority to take such action as it deems necessary and shall report such action at the next meeting of the Association.

Section 3: In the event of conflict of opinion about the interpretation of these By-Laws or any of the related rules, the decision of the President shall prevail unless and until the matter can be referred to the next Annual General Meeting of the Association.

ARTICLE IX: Dissolution

Section 1: On dissolution of the OBRA, its properties and assets shall, after payment of all liabilities, be donated to an organization approved by the Board of Directors by a 2/3 majority vote, or to the body that absorbs the OBRA and follows the aims and objectives of the OBRA.

Rev 3/21/2010

SECTION I-General Competition Rules

1.      An OBRA barrel race is a timed event with three identical barrels set in a cloverleaf pattern.

2.      Competitors must be a member in good standing to compete in an Outback barrel race or pay a $10 nonmember fee.  Nonmember fees may be waived for members of an arena sponsoring club or organization.

3.      Classes are defined as Open, Youth Age 17 and under, Pee Wee age 8 and under, and Senior Age 45 and older as of January 1 of the competition year.

4.      Open class will accumulate and payout in a 4D format with  ½ second splits between 1D, 2D & 3D; 1 second split between 3D & 4D.   Senior Classes will accumulate and payout in a 3D format ½ second splits. Youth Classes will accumulate and payout in a 3D format ½ second split between 1D & 2D, 1 second split between 2D & 3D. The fastest time of a contestant in the class, whether or not a member of the OBRA will determine the time brackets. The Pee Wee class will accumulate points and payout as a straight jackpot with no separate divisions.

5.      The starting gate or gates must remain the same throughout the entire event.  If more than one gate at the end of the arena where riders enter, riders may be given a choice of starting gates.

6.      The start/finish line and the barrel positions must be permanently marked and must remain the same throughout the entire event.

7.      Time begins when a contestant crosses the starting line.

8.      Contestant will be given a no time for missing the pattern (one right turn and two left turns or 1 left and two right turns in a cloverleaf pattern), running out of turn, knocking over a barrel, or if the rider falls off the horse.

9.      Contestants must attempt to make the fastest run possible. Any obvious
attempt to "pull up" or pace their run may result in the following
penalties - 1st offense - Warning,  2nd offense –Disqualification on the run and loss of all accumulated points to date.

10.  A horse may not be shown by more than one person in a class, a horse cannot compete against its self.

11.  Entries for a class close when the first horse in that class runs or earlier as specified.

12.  Only one horse in the arena at any time during competition.

13.  Reruns shall be granted if the timer fails to work properly or if the barrels are not placed properly on their markers.

14.  All draws will be done in a random manner.  Once set the draw may not be changed except to accommodate entries with the same rider that have drawn up close together.  If the same rider draws up in the same rake on different horses, the second horse will be moved to the same position in the next rake.  The draw may not be changed to give preference to any rider or to accommodate another commitment of a particular rider such as work or another event.

15.  A minimum of  80% of all entry fees must go in to the jackpot.  Additional fees may be charged for timer fees, arena fees, award fees, etc.

16.  The total jackpotted entry fees for a 3D class are to be divided 50% to 1D, 30% to 2D, and 20% to 3D.  The total jackpotted entry fees for a 4D class are to be divided 35% to 1D, 30% to 2D, 20% to 3D and 15% to 4D.

17.  Added money may be divided the same ratio or split evenly among all division.

18.  All prize money must be paid out.

19.  If no riders qualify in a division, the prize money for that division shall be equally divided among the other divisions of that class.  If not enough riders qualify in a division, the money which is unaccounted for shall be divided equally among those who have placed in that division.

20.  Dress code:  Western attire is required and is to include long-sleeve western shirt, a cowboy hat and cowboy boots.  Shirt-sleeves must be rolled down and buttoned or snapped.  Shirttails must be tucked in.   Dress code may be waived or altered by an executive decision of the Board of Directors. Will be advertised if dress code is required.

SECTION 2-Saddle Series additional rules

1.       The Saddle Series will begin no sooner than April 15 and end by the last day of September.  If the last day of September falls in the middle of the week than the finals may be run during the first weekend in October.

            a. To be eligible to run at the year end finals membership must be paid by July 1st of the competition year or a member must have competed in three races prior to the finals.

2.      Race dates will be advertised at least 21 days prior to the show date.

3.      To earn and maintain points, a competitor must be a member in good standing of the OBRA.

4.      Points will be awarded in all classes and divisions on a 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 basis for 1^st place through 6th place with at least 1 participant point will be given to all OBRA members that receive a time (do not tip a barrel) regardless of the number of entries or paying places.  If two or more riders tie, the points for the tied positions will be added together and divided equally among the riders who tied.  You may only receive points for one place in any one division per race.   If a rider qualifies in more than one place in a division in a race points will only go to the highest placing horse in that division, as well if you have more than one horse that receives a time in a division you will only receive points on one horse.  (So if you do not place in the top 5 on either of the horses you are running that fall in the same division you will only receive one participant point)

5.      Ties for year-end awards will be broken by a runoff at the final show.  If a runoff is not possible then the contestant with the greater number of first places shall be the winner.  If a tie still exists, the next place in that division i.e. 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, shall be used until the tie is broken.  If the tie cannot be broken, duplicate awards will be given.  Only one saddle will be given in each division. 

6.      In the event there is a tie for the Youth or Senior Saddle, which is awarded to the overall highpoint in any one division:  

a. If the tied contestants are tied in the same division, # 5 shall be used to break the tie.

b.      If the tied contestants are tied in different divisions, the contestant with the greater number of first places in the qualifying division shall be the winner.  If a tie still exists, the next place in the qualifying division i.e. 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, shall be used until the tie is broken.  If the tie cannot be broken, the money that was to be put towards the saddle will be split evenly and duplicate awards will be given.  Only one saddle will be given.

7.   Divisions with less than 30 total points at year end will not qualify for year end awards.