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Contact: Marnie Somers, Chair
Membership & Communications
Box 1122, Carberry, MB R0K 0H0
Telephone: (204) 834-2479
Fax: (204) 834-3999
marnie@horsescoops.com

www.cqha.ca

 

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News from the 2013 AQHA Convention  
in Houston, TX

March 19, 2013 --Congratulations to Gene Graves on a great year as the 63rd president of AQHA. He is succeeded by 2013-14 AQHA President, Johne Dobbs; First Vice President, Johnny Trotter; Second Vice President, George Phillips; member, Dr. Glenn Blodgett, and newly elected member, Sandy Arledge. Like her Executive Committee peers, Arledge brings a wealth of knowledge to the committee with her years of involvement with American Quarter Horses and her service to AQHA on various committees. Georga Sutton, South Dakota, was named an AQHA honorary vice president. The 2013 Convention had almost 1,200 voting attendees.
  
New directors elected to AQHA's board: Carol Cooper, California; Dr. Jerry Black, Colorado; Darlene Chase, Idaho; Jeff Mellott, Kansas; Cheryllee Sargent, Kentucky; John Trafton, representing Maine/New Hampshire/Vermont; Jim Dudley, Missouri; Karl Bauer, New Jersey; Larry Jaynes, New York; Connie Armstrong, North Dakota; Jim Hunt, South Dakota; Dr. Eleanor Green and Kay Helzer, Texas; Kathy Schroeder, Wisconsin;  Steve Schiestel, Alberta; Haidee Landry, British Columbia;
Kenny Knowlton, Brazil; Michele Pfender, France. Joining these new directors is first-time international elected district director Bernhard Flesch of Germany.

Also honoured at the 2013 AQHA Convention was CQHA's Vice President, Gayle Pawley-Wilson of Surrey, BC, who elevated from elected AQHA Director to AQHA Director-At-Large, having served 15 consecutive years representing British Columbia on the AQHA's Board of Directors. 

Gayle Pawley-Wilson and AQHA President Gene Graves  
Gayle Pawley-Wilson receiving her plaque from AQHA President, Gene Graves 
photo courtesy: Jennifer Horton, H Bar C Photography   
 
During Pawley-Wilson's 15 year term as an AQHA Director, she has been involved with the reactivation of the CQHA since 2001; a committee member hosting the successful 2008 AQHA Youth World Cup in Canada; a representative to the Industry Division of Equine Canada; Director At Large with Equine Canada (2004-06); a member of the Equine Canada Horse ID Task force; managed the first AQHA Test Ride in BC; committee member to initiate the AQHA Regional Experience in Region One, continued as an executive with AQHA Region One Affiliates and as a committee member to host the only AQHA Regional Championships in Canada in 2010 & 2011; and with Haidee Landry, co-hosted the first AQHA Corporate Sponsors tour in BC.

Pawley-Wilson said, "As a voting Director with AQHA, I will continue to work as a team member to progress with the continuing changes in the Horse Industry for the welfare, protection, advancement and legislation changes for horses and stakeholders."

 

A vacancy for an elected AQHA Director representing BC, was created as a result of Pawley-Wilson's elevation.  Haidee Landry of Langley, BC was nominated for this vacancy by the BCQHA Affiliate.   

  

  photo of Haidee Landry, CQHA President
Haidee Landry, newly elected AQHA Director  

 

Landry's involvement in the AQHA and the Horse Industry locally, provincially, nationally and internationally, impressed the AQHA Nominating Committee and her election was subsequently ratified by the general membership. The AQHA members and horse owners of BC, as well as throughout Canada as she is in her second term as CQHA President, will be well served by her extensive association and horse industry experience. In addition, Landry was recently appointed to Equine Canada's Industry Division Council, representing Canadian Quarter Horse breeders and owners.  

  

photo of new AQHA Director Steve Schiestel  

Steve Schiestel, newly elected  AQHA Director     

 

Schiestel may be best known in the horse world as the cartoon-drawing announcer having announced many large shows and futurities and having had cartoons published in many magazines and web sites. However, his day job is as a certified general accountant and partner at Summit Strategies Professional Services providing accounting, tax and business advisory services. He served 12 terms on the Board of Directors of the Quarter Horse Association of Alberta; seven terms on the Executive Committee and two terms as President. 
  
 

Schiestel was a member of 4-H for 12 years and spent his teenage years working in his Dad's saddle and harness shop in Lacombe, AB. He did some team roping and steer wrestling in his youth and now shows horses as a non-pro with his wife, Lisa Schiestel, an AQHA Professional Horsewoman. The Schiestel's foal out a very small group of mares, and their foals have achieved may futurity wins, Canadian Nationals champions, high point winners and, as of last year, an All American Congress Finalist. They farm roughly 1,000 acres, calve 140 cows and background grass feeders.   

  

   

   During the CQHA Board of Directors meeting held on March 7th in Houston, in conjunction with the AQHA Convention, the 2013-14 CQHA Executive Committee was elected by the Board, consisting of:  

 

President, Haidee Landry, BC   
Vice President, Gayle Pawley-Wilson, BC  
Secretary, Sherry Clemens, SK   
Treasurer, Stephen Maltby, NS   
 Past President, Marnie Somers


photo of Haidee Landry presenting to Marnie Somers
CQHA President, Haidee Landry presents token of appreciation to Marnie Somers

Past President, Marnie Somers received an embossed leather portfolio from the CQHA Board of Directors to recognize her eleven years of service and numerous accomplishments as CQHA President (2001 -12). The CQHA was reactivated in 2001 under her leadership, and has since grown into a progressive association with strong ties to the AQHA and to the Canadian provincial/regional AQHA affiliates. One significant accomplishment she treasures is when Canada successfully hosted the 2008 AQHA Youth World Cup in London, ON.
    

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To view all CQHA-circulated media releases, please visit the CQHA news archives on our website.

 

The mandate of the CQHA, a national affiliate of the AQHA, is to address issues of concern to Canadian owners of American Quarter Horses; to be a communications vehicle for and with Canadian owners of American Quarter Horses; and to promote and market, both globally and within Canada, Canadian-bred
and/or Canadian-owned American Quarter Horses.     

The Canadian Quarter Horse Association is an Affiliate of the AQHA. Annual membership is FREE to current AQHA members. For more information, or to enroll as a member on-line, visit the CQHA website