Overview:

Sports-related dispute referred by agreement of the parties – eligibility for NZ Rodeo and Cowboys Association’s “All Round Rookie of the Year” award – whether competitor (K) who was Second Division in some rodeo events but had achieved Open status in other rodeo events in a previous season and held an Open card at the start of the season, was eligible for the All Round Rookie of the Year award – Association’s Rules stated that “The only contestant eligible for this award shall be a Second Division contestant at the start of the season” – in 2004, a remit qualifying this was passed and ratified which included a rule stating: “The only contestants eligible for this award shall be Second Division Cardholders at the start of the season” – remit not included in current published Rules (2012) – while Association regretted that this rule hadn’t been included in the published Rules, it said that didn’t affect the validity of the rule which had been applied in previous years – Tribunal stated that in 2004 a valid remit was passed and subsequently ratified which limited participation in the All Round Rookie of the Year award to a contestant holding a Second Division card – fact that the remit was not accurately published in 2012 did not affect the validity of the rule – it was accordingly a valid and applicable rule that had been applied by the Association over the succeeding years – Tribunal therefore concluded that K, as an Open card holder at the start of the season, did not qualify for the award.