This is the time of the year when AQHA convention agenda items create a stir amongst the horse show crowd. Ideas are bantered back and forth, awards and buckles are passed out for year end high points and meetings behind closed doors seal deals on all sorts of business including rule changes, nominations for directors and executive committee members.
This year’s roster of agenda items was no different than other years. In fact, 2015 saw the return of some of items that were reviewed and denied at the 2014 convention. The majority of the items were sent in by AQHA members then sent to the various committees to argue their merit.
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and kindly taken by Kelly Boles Chapman, Lauren Diaz, and Hayley Saul
For the second year in a row, a recommendation to add a Performance Hunter Under Saddle class was denied. The concept was accepted and a task force to explore the possibilities was requested. 2015 also saw the return of a recommendation to raise the age of the Select riders. This too was denied in committee. And once again, after changing twice in the last eight years, the use of lip chains was revisited.
The lip chain was rumored to be the hot topic and both sides were geared up for a battle that never appeared. The recommendation from committee was to leave the lip chain rule as it stands which is to allow its use with stallions a year and older and for youth and amateurs with geldings and mares that are a year and older. The proposal went through the subcommittee, the general Show and Professional Horsemen’s Committee, the general membership meeting and the Board of Director’s luncheon meeting with nary but one member speaking against its passage. The rule now falls to the Show Council who will take into consideration the recommendations from the animal welfare commission then send a recommendation to the Executive Committee for a final ruling in April.
New fines and penalties will be added to the violations rules against animal abuse. There was overwhelming support for rules to be more strictly enforced, for higher penalties and for a more public communication of violations. Clenbuterol was also added to the list of forbidden substances. The animal welfare commission met in a closed meeting on Thursday and took into account recommendations from both the show and race side. Results from that commission will likely not be heard until after they are reviewed by the EC.
Those who boycotted watching the AQHA World Championship Show because they had to pay for the live stream video will be happy to hear the recommendation to stop charging for live viewing passed. Shoot out procedures for exhibitors in Equitation Over Fences were recommended to be in line with current procedures for Horsemanship, Showmanship and Equitation staff will be working on a new schedule for the 2015 AQHA World Championship Show to group classes closer together and to put open classes before the amateur when possible excluding halter classes.
Riders who have depended on tying their stirrups to the girth to gain security and proper position will have to learn to ride without the crutch. The Show and Professional Horsemen’s Committee voted to not allow fenders or leathers to be tied to the girth.
A recommendation to require all amateurs to wear ASTM/SEI approved helmets in all English classes was denied as was a recommendation to add a class entitled “Hunter in Hand”. Paddock boots and half chaps of smooth leather, black or brown, was approved for legal equipment. If accepted by the Executive Committee they would become legal equipment in 2016.
Other rules committees are hopeful to have in place by 2016 include a few new classes. Walk-trot classes were on the wish list and committee members are pressing to have amateur and youth walk-trot classes ready for implantation in 2016. Classes discussed include Hunter Under Saddle, Trail and Western Pleasure. In addition, ranch riders asked for a larger platform and pushed for implantation in 2016 even though committee members recommended classes not be put in place until 2017. New classes would include Ranch Trail and Ranch Rail.
Halter members have asked that a four year-old halter class be added and once again, it was recommended horses with excessive white be allowed to show in performance halter classes but not be eligible for Grand and Reserve. Halter exhibitors may also soon see a “trot-to” cone. A recommendation was made and passed to ask halter exhibitors to trot a true L with a third cone designated as a destination after trotting around the left turn.
Dressage made an appearance in many categories one of which was in regard to year-end awards. The recommendation to allow dressage horses to earn year-end awards in any given level more than one time was passed. This proposal would keep the class rules in line with those of all other AQHA classes.
And speaking of awards, amateurs will be happy to hear that a recommendation was sent to the Show Council to disallow select amateurs to win both the select and the amateur all-around award at the same show. The recommendation to structure half points throughout the placings was denied as was the recommendation to allow incentive fund money caps to be 200 per division rather than the current system of combining the points earned in both amateur and open divisions.
Some other rules that were denied in committee included recommendations to allow owners of leased horses to show in addition to the lessee, allowing horses to be shown in more than one youth or amateur subdivision of any type of event and allowing Level 1 horses to show in Senior classes with two hands.
All show related items will now go to the Show Council for vetting and review. The Show Council will then send their recommendation to the Executive Committee for a final ruling to be made sometime in April.
Change was in the air and the mood was upbeat. Even with the ever-present threat of controversy, coups and heated disputes, one thing is for certain – horses bring out passion and this year’s convention was evidence of the passion horse people have for their industry.
CLICK HERE to check out the candids sponsored by Prince Farm,LLC and kindly taken by Kelly Boles Chapman, Lauren Diaz, and Hayley Saul
