1. AQHA Launches Journal, America's Horse Apps
You can now enjoy The American Quarter Horse Journal and America's Horse through apps for tablets and smart phones.
The free Journal and America's Horse apps are iOS and Android compatible, so tablet and smart phone users can enjoy the magazines on the go. Users can download the free apps through their respective app stores, or visit www.aqha.com/journalapp and www.aqha.com/americashorseapp for instructions.
Through the free Journal app, new issues arrive faster than the print editions, and handy alerts tell users when a new issue is available or when content has been updated. Plus the Journal is viewable on numerous devices, including iOS and Android. What's even better, subscribers can access their Journal library everywhere they go, and users have the opportunity to purchase single digital issues.
Current Journal subscribers can log in to the Journal app to access the digital Journal, or new customers can purchase a subscription or single issue from the app stores.
The free America's Horse app delivers the latest issue faster than the print edition; is viewable on numerous devices, including iOS and Android; plus is portable and convenient. Members will also enjoy bonus material.
AQHA members have exclusive access to the content in the America's Horse app. To access the America's Horse app's content, users must log in with their current member ID number and PIN. Access to the America's Horse app is one of the many great AQHA member benefits.
2. Integrity and Welfare Commitment
In recent years, AQHA has strengthened its commitment to safeguarding the integrity and welfare of American Quarter Horses, as well as the integrity and welfare of the entire horse industry.
In racing, this effort has included industry initiatives, such as supporting racing-centered equine research to increase knowledge and promote safety, but its major focus has been on addressing the use of illegal medications in the industry.
Another major AQHA push was to implement the Racing Equine Health, Welfare, Integrity and Research Subcommittee, which keeps a close eye on topics related to the health and welfare of the equine athlete.
The EqHWIR will monitor each situation and work with state racing jurisdictions involving medications, abuse and other issues concerning American Quarter Horses, and, at the appropriate time, recommend penalties to the AQHA Executive Committee against the offender(s).
AQHA has begun sanctioning trainers who have received medication violation penalties administered by racing jurisdictions. These violations are related to major Class 1 and Class 2 medication violations. AQHA's actions stem from these penalties issued by the racing jurisdictions. The suspensions issued by AQHA are pending final outcome of their cases. There are currently 19 trainers suspended by AQHA for Class 1 or Class 2 violations. The list of trainers who have been sanctioned can be found on AQHA's Racing Welfare and Medication page.
Beginning January 1, 2014, AQHA implemented the Multiple Medication Violations System. This system sets forth penalties for trainers, owners and horses subject of positive drug tests, and, in particular, is designed to assess penalties against trainers, owners and horses subject of multiple positive drug tests. Full details of the MMVS are available on the Racing Welfare and Medication page.
Sale companies will be encouraged to publish points in the catalog or past performance supplements for horses entered in the sale and in race training or of racing age.
A medication forum discussing MMVS will take place at 8 a.m. on January 24 at Heritage Place in Oklahoma City. The forum is open to the public.
3. Racing Champions
The 2013 AQHA racing champions will be revealed on January 22 at Heritage Place in Oklahoma City. The ceremony will be aired live via free webcast at 6 p.m. CST on January 22.
In addition to the champions announcements, the winners of the AQHA Racing Council Special Recognition Award and Gordon Crone and Mildred N. Vessels special achievement awards will be recognized.
4. Showing Deadlines
The entry form is now available online for the 2014 Zoetis AQHA Cattle Novice Championship Show, slated for April 17-19 at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. Entries are due February 28.
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