AQHA members and board of directors approved bylaw changes and registration-related items at the 2018 AQHA Convention.

Modifications to AQHA bylaws, as well as nine registration-related items, were approved by AQHA members and the AQHA Board of Directors at the 2018 AQHA Convention, March 2-5 in Jacksonville, Florida. Per the Association’s bylaws, the board of directors has the final authority when it comes to AQHA’s bylaws and rules of registration. Rule-change recommendations from all of the other standing committees were reviewed and approved by the board of directors. Those recommendations go to the AQHA Executive Committee for review, modification and/or approval at its April meeting.

Nominations and Credentials Committee
Four bylaw changes were considered by the AQHA Nominations and Credentials Committee at the 2018 convention. Here are the committee’s recommendations that were approved by AQHA Board of Directors:

1. To deny proposals to modify Article III of the Bylaws to (a) create a 10-year term limit for elected directors, international directors and appointed international directors and (b) create a new category of directors (directors cum laude). Instead, a group consisting of the members of the Nominations and Credentials Committee at the 2018 convention shall study Article III for purposes of recommending potential solutions to address AQHA’s growing board size and accessibility to new candidates. Such group shall report its initial solutions to AQHA by August 1, 2018. The group’s final recommended solutions, if any, shall be placed on the Nominations and Credentials agenda for the 2019 AQHA Convention.
2. To approve recommendation to modify Bylaw Article III Sections 1(c)(d)&(f) to require all directors with voting privileges to timely submit their Year-End Directors Survey and IRS Form 990 Board of Directors Annual Reporting Questionnaire, failing which they shall be automatically removed from the board (if they are an elected director or international director) or lose their voting privileges (if they are a director emeritus, director-at-large or honorary vice president).
3. To approve adding a new provision to Bylaw Article III Sections 1(c)(d)&(f) specifying that directors emeritus, directors-at-large and honorary vice presidents do not have to serve on an AQHA standing committee if they so choose.
4. To approve request to modify Bylaw Article III Section 1(f) to rename the international district “Oceana and Others” to “Australasia-Africa.”

Stud Book and Registration Committee
The following Stud Book and Registration Committee agenda item approvals were adopted by AQHA Board of Directors:

1. To approve the Executive Committee developing a business plan to move forward with microchip identification implementation.
2. To approve task force’s recommendation that the rules not be changed to allow the registration of offspring resulting from the breeding of an Appendix to Appendix.
3. To approve member’s request to amend REG102 as follows: In regard to involuntary transfers pertaining to an unregistered horse, including, but not limited to court judgment, stableman’s lien or security interest foreclosure, AQHA may accept the signature of the interested party or stableman on a foal application for registration in lieu of the record mare owner at time of foaling and on a transfer report if: (1) the interested party had possession of the unregistered horse and its dam at time of foaling, (2) the judgment or foreclosure was made against the owner as reflected on AQHA records, (3) the stallion owner at time of breeding provides a breeder’s certificate, (4) the foal is parentage-verified through DNA testing, (5) all other registration requirements are satisfied, and (6) the interested party signs an indemnity waiver releasing AQHA from all future claims pertaining to the horse. In the event an interested party did not have possession of the mare and foal at time of foaling, the interested party will need to provide a court judgment as evidence of ownership being awarded to the interested party. AQHA may accept the signature of the party awarded ownership by the court on a foal application for registration in lieu of the recorded mare owner at time of foaling and on a transfer report so long as: (1) the judgment explicitly identifies the horse, (2) the judgment was against the owner reflected on AQHA records for the mare at time of foaling, (3) the stallion owner provides a breeder’s certificate, (4) the foal is parentage-verified through DNA testing, (5) all other registration requirements are satisfied, and (6) the interested party signs an indemnity waiver releasing AQHA from all future claims pertaining to the horse.
4. To approve the Executive Committee creating a task force to evaluate criteria for inclusion of additional tests in the genetic panel test.
5. To approve the recommended changes to REG102.3 and REG110.5 with regard to listing a Thoroughbred on AQHA records since The Jockey Club is eliminating printed certificates beginning with the 2018 foal crop. (Previously, AQHA rules required a photocopy of the Thoroughbred’s registration certificate when registering a foal by or out of that Thoroughbred.)
6. To approve the recommended changes to REG112 to clarify the requirements for oocyte and embryo permits, while also approving the concept of allowing a stallion owner to sign an embryo permit application without releasing the breeder’s certificate.
7. To approve the recommended changes/deletions to rules REG108.2 and REG108.3 so as make them consistent with rules that require all mares and stallions to be DNA-typed before foals can be registered.
8. To approve removing REG108.4 since all breeding stallions are now required to have a genetic panel test on file with AQHA.
9. To approve adding REG109.8.7 as follows: For determining the above defined marking limitations, an inspection of a horse, including a horse in a standing position, may be conducted from any angle or distance from the horse, and the person conducting the inspection may be in a standing, crouching or any other position.

What happens to the board of directors’ recommendations after convention?
After convention, the board of directors’ recommendations (except changes to AQHA’s bylaws and rules of registration) then go to the AQHA Executive Committee to consider during its April meeting. The Executive Committee can approve, modify, table, deny or send a recommendation back for consideration at the next year’s convention. There are various reasons for the Executive Committee’s decisions – feasibility of implementing, programming conflicts, budget and many other reasons are taken into consideration.

Watch the video or read more about AQHA’s rule-change process.

As a reminder, AQHA and The American Quarter Horse Journal are the official source for all Association news. Any updates or rule changes will be posted after the April Executive Committee meeting.

For more information on convention, visit www.aqha.com/convention.

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