With more than 30 rule change proposals up for discussion and vote, the APHA Board of Directors passed 28 new rules at the 2014 APHA Convention on February 24 in Irving, Texas. Approximately 115 national directors are elected by their fellow APHA members to serve two-year terms and provide a voice for their respective areas’ members.

New Classes

Among the actions was the creation of several APHA-approved events: 2-Year-Old Longe Line, Timed Team Roping; Ranch Horse Pleasure; Competitive Trail Horse; and Youth and Amateur Limited Working Ranch Horse. Changes were also made to the class eligibility criteria for Novice Amateur and Novice Youth Working Ranch Horse and Novice Youth and Novice Amateur Working Cow Horse.

The directors also approved early implementation of several of those changes; rules affecting the following go into effect April 1, 2014:

– Ranch Horse Pleasure

– Youth and Amateur Limited Working Ranch Horse

– Novice Amateur and Novice Youth Working Ranch Horse

– Novice Youth and Novice Amateur Working Cow Horse

Points earned in Youth and Amateur Limited Working Cow Horse will also count toward all APHA Youth and Amateur awards as of April 1. The remaining three classes—2-Year-Old Longe Line, Timed Team Roping and Competitive Trail Horse—go into effect January 1, 2015.

Directors also passed an immediate measure that permits Amateur Walk-Trot Division classes to be held at the 2014 APHA World Championship Show.

Leases

Two rules governing the leasing of horses for APHA-approved competitions were also passed by the directors. Beginning January 1, 2015, show lease certificates will be issued annually to individual Amateur or Youth members who file a show lease form with APHA; the lessee’s immediate family members are also allowed to exhibit the horse. The lessee must be responsible for all expenses relating to the horse. All leases expire on December 31, unless terminated before that date, and must be renewed annually. An annual performance lease fee will be set by the Executive Committee.

Added Recognition

Creation of several new awards were also approved by the directors. Beginning January 1, 2015, Novice Youth will be eligible to earn Superior and Zone Champion awards; Youth Walk-Trot points will count toward Registers of Merit and Superiors and zone awards; and Amateur Walk-Trot exhibitors will have a Top 10 year-end award category and zone awards.

Defeated Proposals

Two rule change proposals were defeated because they had already been addressed by the Judges Task Force’s modifications to the 2013–2014 Official APHA Rule Book. SC-270 permits the use of Western or English bits in roping, speed events, team penning and ranch sorting; SC-290.B.5 changes measurements of the barrel racing pattern to standardize and simplify course set-up.

Rule change proposal Control AM-300—which would prohibit cross-entering of showmanship events by Amateur Walk-Trot cardholders—generated much discussion among the directors, but they ultimately defeated the proposal.

Full text of the passed rule changes will be available on the APHA website by March 1; passed rule change proposals include the following:

– Control SC-075: APHA agrees to accept suspension rulings pertaining to cruel or inhumane treatment of horses from other recognized equine-related associations and state racing commissions
– Control SC-160: Permits show management to announce names of horses, owners and/or exhibitors prior to judging being completed in a class
– Control SC-160-3: Requires horse owners to be current APHA members in order for their horses to show in APHA-approved classes
– Control SC-193: Creates a 2-Year-Old Longe Line class; if the horse is ridden at an event where APHA-approved classes are held, he will no longer be eligible to be shown in 2-Year-Old Longe Line for the rest of the year
– Control SC-276: Revises ranch sorting rules to make them consistent with industry standard
– Control SC-284: Creates a timed team roping class
– Control SC-285: Eliminates the use of a head loop in judged heeling in the Open division, unless there are five or fewer entries
– Control SC-285-1: Permits heelers age 60 or older and adult women of any age to tie on
– Control SC-302: Creates a Ranch Horse Pleasure class
– Control SC-312: Creates a Competitive Trail Horse special event
– Control SC-325: Requires all approved shows to select grand and reserve champions in each sex division for Solid Paint-Bred halter classes
– Control AM-020-1 and YP-015-1: Permits Amateur and Youth exhibitors to show leased horses and be eligible for all points and awards
– Control AM-145: Creates an Amateur and Youth Limited Working Ranch Horse class
– Control AM-205-3: Permits renewed eligibility for Novice Amateur status for exhibitors who have not earned 10 or more APHA performance points or revalued performance points in other associations in the 10 years prior to their re-application.
– Control AM-255: Changes class eligibility criteria for Novice Amateur and Novice Youth Working Ranch Horse
– Control AM-300-2: Creates Amateur Walk-Trot Top 10 and zone year-end awards
– Control AM-300-3: Revises ownership requirements for Amateur Walk-Trot exhibitors
– Control YP-110: Allows Youth Walk-Trot points to count toward ROM, Superior and zone awards only.
– Control YP-152: Permits Limited Youth and Limited Amateur Working Cow Horse points to count for all APHA Youth and Amateur awards
– Control YP-205: Denies Novice Youth eligibility to Youth who have received remuneration for training horses or those who have solicited for training
– Control YP-220: Permits Novice Youth points to be eligible for Novice Youth awards
– Control YP-221: Creates a Novice Youth Superior Award
– Control YP-224: Creates a Novice Youth Zone Award
– Control YP-245: Permits Novice Youth exhibitors to show horses of any age in a snaffle bit or a hackamore in Zones 12–14
– Control YP-250: Modifies the cow work portion of the Novice Youth and Novice Amateur Working Cow Horse classes to boxing only instead of going down the fence.
– Control RA-000: Revises registration requirements for Solid Paint-Bred horses participating in stakes races
– Control RA-060: Outlines year-end award rules for horses that advance from the Solid Paint-Bred Registry to the Regular Registry during the current year.