UPDATE: GoHorseShow Report and Candids from AQHA Convention

Here are some highlights from different meetings on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

• AQHA Executive Vice-President Don Treadway discussed the new in-house trophy program. AQHA will now be making their own trophies and expanding it where affiliates may also buy trophies from Awards Recognition Concepts (ARC) and this hopefully will give the state and other breed affiliates the ability to buy trophies for their awards at a lower cost. According to Treadway, one-hundred percent of the net proceeds will be put back into the Association to help with operating costs.

• During the IMPACT meeting, Executive Director of Shows, Patti Carter-Pratt did a presentation on the leveling program and discussed the success of the first pilot show held during the Redbud Spectacular. The next pilot show will be held this week during the Silver Dollar Classic in Las Vegas. Patti discussed that the IT department will be creating an app for smart phones where individuals can look up what levels they are eligible to compete in, in relation to the leveling program.

• Treadway also discussed the Animal Welfare Commission (AWF) and the equipment issue. It is of note that Gil Galyean and Pete Kyle have been added to the list of commission members. There will be several issues discussed by the AWC in April– many coming from the recommendations during the convention.

• In the IMPACT meeting, AQHA Director of Youth Development Todd Branson discussed the future implementation of the Digital Oats website for young child to learn about horses before they get distracted by other sport activities.

• AQHA Treasurer Trent Taylor discussed the decline of registrations, transfers, and memberships but said that this is expected during this difficult economic time and that AQHA is still the largest breed registry in the United States and the market share compared to other breed associations has actually increased. He also discussed the new genetic disease test panel that AQHA is offering to its members. Taylor also said that for last year, AQHA underwent a successful audit and had a net profit of $390,000.

• On Saturday, GoHorseShow attended the General Membership meeting where the owner of South Point Casino an avid horse lover spoke about his casino’s involvement with AQHA. AQHA also had returning guest speaker Red Steagall, Treasurer Report by Trent Taylor, the Executive Vice-President’s report and the President’s Address by Peter J Cofrancesco, III which was the highlight of the meeting.

• AQHA President Cofrancesco choked up several times during his speech when he discussed his late father, wife and children, mother, and friend Jenny Frid. He showed pictures throughout his speech and a video presentation of an adorable Q&A with his children about what they like about horses, their father, his job, etc. Peter also showed a video montage of the movie, War Horse, that illustrated why we love horses. Cofrancesco said that one of his proudest achievements was getting the leveling program off the ground. The now former AQHA president received a well deserved standing ovation at the conclusion of his speech. 

• The Executive Committee was also introduced including the incoming president Gene Graves. It has been reported that Gene Graves of Nebraska has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but, at this point, Graves is still planning on taking on the responsibilities of our next president and being inducted at the end of the convention. 

• After the general membership meeting on Saturday morning, the committee members attended their individual meetings starting at 2pm.The committee members met back up on Sunday morning to go over the recommendations discussed by each committee. The bullet points shown below represent some of the rules from the Show and Professional Horseman’s Committee that will be presented to the Board of Directors where they will also vote on the potential rule changes. The rules that pass will then be submitted to the Executive Committee in April to be discussed. These recommendation ARE NOT set in stone–this information is provided for our readers’ benefit.

The Show and Professional Horseman’s Committee Recommendations:

• The 90 members of this committee recommended that the three rider rule be reinstated. This was recommended by the committee last year, but it did not get through the Board of Directors.

• As far as the equipment controversy GoHorseShow discussed in an extensive article a few weeks ago, the committee recommended that a task force be created to discuss appropriate equipment that should be allowed on the show grounds as well as the potential penalties for someone who breaks the rules.

• There was also a recommendation by the committee to modify the green rules where horses that are eligible to compete cannot have won more than $1,000 in any equine organization and association, in these events as of January 1 of the current show year. Points from all divisions will count and are cumulative in determining the eligibility. Novice points will not count.

• In the Select roping classes (50 and over), the ropers will not be required to re-throw the calf.

• Recommend adding a five point penalty in Trail to be consistent with the Western Riding and Reining rules when exhibitors use either hand to instill fear or praise.

• Adding a rule regarding substitutions to show at the World Shows where a horse has been injured was passed and it has been recommended to use the existing deceased horse guidelines.

• Passed the idea of adding the open classes to the amateur and select amateur participation qualifications that they implemented last year for the World Shows.

• Recommended to add the Hunter Derby finals at the AQHA World Show

• Passed the idea of having a Super Select division at the Select World Show starting in 2013 where the awards would recognize the top three riders 70 and over—a lot like the intermediate awards that were presented this year at the World Shows.

• Recommended implementing a Youth All-Around Award at the AQHYA World Show. 

• The committee recommended that horses with excessive white that are geldings and spayed mares may be able to show in the Performance Halter classes only– so it would not compromise breed integrity.

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