Divisions
Riders in both hunt seat and stock seat are put into divisions based on the extent of their previous experience with horses and these are the divisions that the riders must compete in until they have qualified to move up into the next division.

Points
Riders earn points by placing in the top six of their class.  First place is worth 7 points, second is worth 5, third 4, fourth 3, fifth 2, and sixth 1.  The rider's individual points are accumulated up to 35, then the rider has qualified for the regional show and also has to move up into the next division.  The points carry over from year to year.  Riders who start showing in the highest division cannot carry points from year to year and therefore must only earn 28 points to qualify for the regional show.
The points from one rider from each team in each division go toward the overall point total of the team.  The points of each team are then totaled for all of the divisions at the end of the show.

Regionals, Zones, & Nationals
Once a rider has qualified for the regional show by accumulating points, they can qualify for the zone show.  This is done by winning first or second place in their class at the regional show.  Once a rider has qualified for the zone show, they must earn first or second place in their class at the zone show in order to qualify for the national show.