The American Quarter Horse Association has announced that starting
January 1, 2010, AQHA rules regarding the eligibility for Performance
Halter classes have changed. Originally it was announced after the AQHA
Convention in March, that showmanship points would not count toward a
horse’s Performance ROM. AQHA has now softened that stance just a bit.
AQHA states that the rules reflect a renewed commitment to ensuring the versatility of the American Quarter Horse by highlighting the beauty, conformation and athletic ability of the breed as seen in performance halter classes.
All horses that have earned a performance Register of Merit in any division (youth, amateur or open) will be able to compete in any division of performance halter regardless of whether the ROM was earned in youth, amateur or open.
With the breed’s roots as a race horse, all horses earning a racing
Register of Merit will now be eligible to compete in any division –
youth, amateur or open – performance halter class.
However, horses earning their performance Registers of Merit after January 1, 2010, will have to earn at least five or more of their AQHA points in performance classes other than showmanship at halter, thus ensuring that the horse must have earned points in a riding event (or pleasure driving) prior to competing in performance halter.
To be eligible for performance halter classes, the horse’s performance ROM or required performance points must have been officially recorded on AQHA’s records.
Horses having earned registers of merit prior to January 1, 2010, will be grandfathered in under the previous performance halter rules.
In addition, AQHA clarified rules concerning the halter requirements to earn an AQHA Champion title. Beginning in January, the halter requirement for an AQHA Championship will be 15 points in halter classes with at least two performance halter championships or halter grand championships.
First-place horses in performance halter classes with more than five entries will be considered a “Performance Halter Champion”. First and second-place finishers in performance halter classes will be eligible to compete for grand and reserve in each sex division.
For complete eligibility rules for performance halter classes, please consult the 2010 AQHA Handbook of Rules and Regulations.
To order your handbook, call AQHA Customer Service at (806) 376-4811 or log on to www.aqha.com.
