The Arabian sport horse community met, fell in love with, and lost a magnificent mare in 2012. Rakhassa Bey++++// (Sundance Kid V x Bonwood Splendor) earned the coveted top spot in the Achievement Awards program as High Point Horse, in addition to earning her Legion of Masters and Legion of Excellence in her first and only rated show season, a feat never before achieved. Sadly, "Kassie" was lost during colic surgery in October. Read more here. 

It's just about time for our youth members to start forming teams for the annual Regional Youth Team Tournament! Find all the info you need on the RYTT webpage, including the winners for 2012. The entry deadline is May 1, 2013!

 The Board of Directors and Executive Committee of AHYA will be in Denver, Colo. March 15-17 for their spring meeting. Convention will be the main topic of conversation, so be sure to send any ideas or comments you want the Board to address to youth@arabianhorses.org!

We're pleased to announce a new page in the Youth section of the AHA website dedicated to sponsorship opportunities for Youth & Family Programs. If you'd like to support youth activities throughout the year, from Creative Contest to Convention, check it out! Your help is always needed and we're happy to work with you on a custom sponsorship plan. To start the conversation, contact Shawna Strickland at (303) 696-4505 or shawna.strickland@arabianhorses.org.

The AHA One Day Show concept is simple. Areas of the country with a low show horse population and/or small club population have an opportunity to hold AHA-qualifying shows that are financially feasible for their circumstances. Fees and expenses remain low for the club or sponsoring group so that savings are passed on to exhibitors. One Day show venues can be simple and may not even require stalls. One Day shows offer Arabian horse exhibitors an affordable way to show their horses, earn qualification points, and get involved. Click here for more information, including required forms.

Don't forget - February 15 is the last day to enroll your in-utero foal into the Sweepstakes and National Halter Futurity Program.  The fee for a Sweepstakes Breeding Entry is now $500 and $160 per horse/per country for the National Halter Futurity enrollment.  Enrolling your unborn foals into these two prestigious programs is the only way to earn Sweepstakes and Halter Futurity prize money.  Please contact the Competition Department at AHA at (303) 696-4500, #4 with questions or to enroll.

Renominate your horse in the U.S. and Canadian Halter Futurity Program until March 31 for $135 per horse/per country (provided the 2011 renomination has been paid). Also, buyback into the Halter Futurity Program (horse must have been originally enrolled in-utero). The buyback fee is $535 per horse/per country/per year missed for purebreds and $285 per horse/per country/per year missed for Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabians.

Point enrollments for the Sweepstakes points program are due before your horse's first show of the season. Earn $10 per point for every horse you beat (including yourself).  Points are awarded in Sweepstakes designated point classes and are awarded through 6th place. Your horse must be previously enrolled as an Original Entry or Breeding Entry in order to participate in this program.  Please contact the Competition Department at AHA at (303) 696-4500, #4 with questions or to enroll.

Watch your mailbox!  Sweepstakes Prize Money for Sweepstakes Points, Breeder/Nominator and Nominated Sire Payback (for those that qualify) for the 2012 competition year is being issued. Your check should be arriving in the mail soon (provided all payout requirements have been met). Please review your check and if you have questions or a discrepancy in the payment, please submit your request in writing and either fax it to 303-696-4599 or email it to sweepstakes@arabianhorses.org.

There are several ways to qualify for Regionals and Nationals!

• In addition to points, you can now qualify for Regionals by obtaining a first or second place at an AHA Recognized local show.
• Remember, when qualifying for an Amateur (AT) or Amateur Owner (AO) class, you cannot use points and/or a first or second place obtained by a Professional. To compete in an AT class, an Amateur must have obtained the qualifications and in an AO class, the Amateur Owner must have obtained the qualifications. You may use AT and AO qualifications for an Open class. AO horses must have their owners listed as the "Recorded" owner on the front of the Certificate of Registration.  If your transfer has not been completed or you currently have a lease on the horse, you are ineligible to compete in an AO class.

A new rule was passed which states, if qualifications for National classes are waived, qualifications for that same Regional class will also be waived. Please refer to COMP 1201.10, located in Chapter 11, in the 2013 AHA Handbook.

Don't forget, if your horse is jointly owned, you must meet the "family" definition in USEF/EC to compete in Amateur Owner classes. John Doe cannot compete in an AO, JO or AAO class if his horse is jointly owned with Jane Smith and they are not related within the "family" definition.  Please see the 2013 Untied States Equestrian Federation Rule Book under USEF GR123.

Do you compete with your Arabian in the Open Circuit? Would you like to use your scores to qualify for the AHA Regional and National Championship events? The Open Qualifying Program is just $35.00 per year as long as you enroll before your first open event. This is available to members who participate in Cutting, Working Cow Horse, Reining, Reined Cow, Dressage, Eventing, Combined Driving, Carriage Pleasure Driving, Driven Dressage, Working Hunter, Jumper, Hunter Hack, Competitive Trail and Endurance. Call the Competitions Line at the Arabian Horse Association for further information at (303) 696-4500, # 4.

 

In addition to the Open Qualification program, AHA Members have the option to recognize the Arabian, Half-Arabian, or Anglo-Arabian who earns high achievement in the open circuit disciplines with the Open Competition Award. The horse must have received acknowledgement at the higher level of competition, such as regional championships, national competitions, and international competitions open to all breeds. The horse must also be publicly acknowledged and promoted as an Arabian in some form; publications, demonstrations or other public forums. If you or someone you know is the owner of an outstanding representative of the Arabian breed in the open circuit, nominations can be made at any time during the year up to September 31. More information on the Open Competition Award and past winners of this award can be found here, and you can call the Competition Department for further details at (303) 696-4500, # 4.