Rule 14 · USPA 2026 Arena Rules
Unsportsmanlike conduct
What counts as unsportsmanlike conduct in the arena, and how yellow and red cards, penalty-box time and suspensions work.
What is unsportsmanlike
Unsportsmanlike conduct, including but not limited to the following, shall not be permitted. • Appealing to the Umpires or Officials • Unwelcome talking to an Umpire • Vulgar or abusive language • Disrespectful attitude toward any official, player, coach, or spectator • Arguing with Umpire(s) or other officials • Inappropriate behavior by any member of a team organization • Unnecessary tack time out • Swinging the mallet in a windmill or helicopter type fashion as in appealing for a foul • Dangerous riding as described in Rule 13 • Improper use of the mallet • Rough or abusive play • Deliberately striking another player or a mount • Violation of the excessive artificial aids rule (Rule 14.f, above) • Hitting the ball after the whistle or horn has sounded • Intentionally striking a ball during play in such a way that it may cause injury to a spectator or official, or damage property
The Umpire will follow the procedure outlined below:
Yellow cards
Yellow Card: The Umpire shall immediately assess a yellow card against a player who demonstrates unsportsmanlike conduct as described above.
The player’s first yellow card (offense) in a game will result in a penalty and may increase or decrease an existing penalty’s severity. Any subsequent yellow card or red card will also result in a penalty and may increase or decrease an existing penalty’s severity.
A second offense will be a second yellow card and the player will sit out until the first play stoppage (including a goal) that occurs following the next two minutes of play at a location designated by the Umpire and/or the Host Tournament Committee.
A third offense will result in a third yellow card and the player will sit out until the first play stoppage (including a goal) that occurs following the next two minutes of play at a location designated by the Umpire and/or the Host Tournament Committee, or a third offense may, if sufficiently severe, result in a red card and suspension for the remainder of the game with no substitute allowed until the first play stoppage (including a goal) that occurs following the next two minutes of play.
Leaving the penalty box early
If a player leaves the penalty box for any reason before his or her suspension is concluded, an appropriate penalty will be assessed against that player’s team and that player will be returned to the penalty box to sit out the remainder of his or her original suspension and until the first play stoppage (including a goal) that occurs following the next two minutes of play with no substitute. A yellow card may also be assessed that player if the Umpire(s) in their discretion determine that he or she deliberately left the penalty box prematurely.
Red cards
Red Card:
A player’s third offense, if sufficiently severe, may be a red card, as described in subparagraph (1)(iii) above. A player’s fourth offense shall, without exception, be a red card. A red card in a game will result in suspension for the remainder of the game with no substitute allowed until the first play stoppage (including a goal) that occurs following the next four minutes of play. After that, a substitute will be allowed for the balance of the game and the player will remain suspended for the player’s next game of equal or higher handicap for the same team with a substitute allowed. All substitution rules apply. This penalty may be increased by the Host Tournament Committee and/ or the Association. The Umpire(s), in their sole discretion, may assess two or three yellow cards or a red card with imposed penalties as described above for a player’s first, second or third offense.
Cards after the game
If a player demonstrates unsportsmanlike conduct after the game ends, the Umpire(s), in their sole discretion, may award that player either two yellow cards, three yellow cards, or a red card, depending on the severity of the unsportsmanlike conduct. If the player is assessed two yellow cards for unsportsmanlike conduct after the game ends, he or she must sit out until the first play stoppage (including a goal) that occurs following the first two minutes of play in his or her next game of equal or higher handicap for the same team with no substitute allowed for the time he or she is required to sit out. If the player is assessed three yellow cards for unsportsmanlike conduct after the game ends, he or she must sit out until the first play stoppage (including a goal) that occurs following the first four minutes of play in his or her next game of equal or higher handicap for the same team with no substitute allowed for the time that he or she is required to sit out in that game. If the player is assessed a red card for unsportsmanlike conduct after the game ends, he or she shall be suspended for the entirety of his or her next game of equal or higher handicap for the same team with no substitute allowed until the first play stoppage (including a goal) that occurs following the first four minutes of play in that game.
Cards carried into the next game
Cumulative effect of yellow or red cards: A player who is in the penalty box at the end of a game for a two-minute or four-minute suspension shall begin his or her next game of equal or higher handicap for the same team in the penalty box for the unexpired time of his or her original suspension. If the Host Tournament Committee has chosen the Arena Rule 5.c(2) option, a player with remaining time in the penalty box at the end of regulation play may not participate in any shootout, but if he or she is excluded from a shootout, he or she shall be deemed to have served his or her time in the penalty box. A player who receives three yellow cards during a game without receiving a red card shall begin his or her next game of equal or higher handicap for the same team with the status of a player who has already received a yellow card. Yellow or red cards assessed for unsportsmanlike conduct after the game ends are separate from, and not to be added to, yellow or red cards assessed during the game for purposes of determining whether there should be a partial or full suspension from the player’s next game of equal or higher handicap for the same team. However, if the player is required to be partially or fully suspended from his or her next game of equal or higher handicap for the same team as a consequence of yellow or red cards assessed during the game and that same player is required to be partially or fully suspended from his or her next game of equal or higher handicap for the same team as a consequence of yellow or red cards assessed after the game ends, the two suspensions shall be served in sequence with the most severe one to be served first, even if that requires partial or full suspension from the player’s next two games of equal or higher handicap for the same team. For the avoidance of confusion, substitutes do not acquire the yellow card status of the player for whom they are substituting. However, the suspension of any player from all or part of any game as the result of that player being assessed one or more yellow cards or a red card may not be avoided by the substitution of another player for that player.
Leaving the arena
A player may not leave the arena during the course of a period without the permission of the Umpires except to change a pony, a mallet, or for a legitimate reason. Unauthorized departure from the arena (automatic red card) will result in suspension for the next game of equal or higher handicap for the same team.
Team not entered in a further event
Notwithstanding that this rule limits suspensions from all or part of any next game to the suspended player’s “next game (or two games) of equal or higher handicap for the same team,” if any suspension from all or part of any player’s next game (or two games) under this rule is imposed on a player whose team in the game in which the suspension is imposed is not at the time officially entered or participating in an as-yet uncompleted event or series of events of equal or higher handicap, the suspension from all or part of that player’s next game (or two games) shall be served during the player’s next game (or two games) of equal or higher handicap for any team, as the case may be. The same is true with respect to a player’s yellow card status in his or her next game of equal or higher handicap for the same team under subsection 14.i(3).
Which game counts as the next
Definition of “next game (or two games) of equal or higher handicap”. As used in this Rule 14, the meaning of the terminology “next game (or two games) of equal or higher handicap” depends on whether the incident precipitating the suspension or yellow card status in question occurs during or after a Club Event or during or after a USPA Event, as those terms are defined in the USPA Tournament Conditions. When a player is suspended for all or any part of his or her next game (or two games) of equal or higher handicap or receives an enhanced yellow card status for that game as the result of one or more yellow card(s) or a red card issued him or her during or after a Club Event, that suspension (including any unserved time in the penalty box) or enhanced yellow card status must be served or accepted in the player’s next game (or two games) of equal or higher handicap in a Club Event or a USPA Event that is not a consolation game, the first round game in a subsidiary event, or a shootout. When a player is suspended for all or any part of his or her next game (or two games) of equal or higher handicap or receives an enhanced yellow card status for that game as the result of one or more yellow card(s) or a red card issued him or her during or after a USPA Event, that suspension (including any unserved time in the penalty box) or enhanced yellow card status may only be served or accepted in the player’s next game (or two games) of equal or higher handicap in a USPA Event that is not a consolation game, the first round game in a subsidiary event, or a shootout.
Appealing for a foul may be by voice or action. A demeaning comment or gesture is an appeal. The raising of the mallet in an attempt to draw the Umpire’s attention to a play is an appeal.
Protecting the horses
Umpires are to take positive action to protect players and the sport from the perception of animal abuse. The Umpires must award a Penalty, which not only penalizes the fouling side, but recognizes any advantage the fouled side lost when the play was stopped. If a mount is deemed physically unfit, showing blood, exhaustion, distress, lameness, excessive sweating and/or labored breathing, the Umpires should remove the mount from the game and allow a maximum of 5 minutes for its replacement. If any player abuses a mount, play should be stopped immediately and the appropriate penalty awarded. A mount may return to the game later if its condition permits.