Qualifying Rules for the National Championships

To qualify for the NASTAR National Championships participants must compete on one or more race days. 

Participants can qualify throughout the season with the last day of qualification on April 7th. NASTAR participants will qualify when they race on one or more race days.

Racers will be placed in their ability division based on the Divisional Placement Rule.

Participants that do not have an opportunity to race and qualify by April 7 can request a discretionary entry by emailing, bmadsen@outsideinc.com. Participants that have a NASTAR race history will be placed in the division where they most recently earned a NASTAR ranking. Participants without a history of racing NASTAR will qualify by racing in the Bronze Division race.

Racers that earn a silver, gold or platinum level handicap in the Bronze Division race, will advance to the Silver Division race. Participants that earn a gold or platinum level handicap in the silver division race will advance to the Gold Division race. Participants that earn a platinum-level handicap in the gold division race will advance to the Platinum Division race.

All competitors have an opportunity to qualify for the Finals within their division. The top 32 adults (21+) and the top 32 junior (20-) within each division qualify for the Race of Champions Finals. The Finals take place the day after the divisional races and qualified male and female racers compete together with their handicap in dual, head-to-head, single elimination races. Pro style horse gates are used at the start to handicap the racers and the first person to cross the finish line wins. Competitors that advance through four rounds of competition compete for prize money.