Nearly 1,000 AQHA Members headed into New Orleans, Louisiana for the 2014 AQHA Convention March 7-10. The Convention hosts the annual business meetings and elections of the association and its committees, as well as honoring 2013 year end award winners at the Saturday evening Awards Banquet, and the newest Hall of Fame Inductees during the Sunday evening dinner and ceremonies.

The convention festivities opened with the President’s Reception Friday evening, with plenty of food, drink and fun. Even though Mardi Gras was over, the party atmosphere of the city carried into the reception with masks and beads everywhere. A few committees had begun their business meetings in the morning.

The Membership General Meeting was held Saturday morning, with the Treasurer’s Report, Executive Vice President’s Report and President’s Address by Johne Dobbs. The various committees went to work Saturday afternoon on their agenda items, including member proposals for rule changes, as is done each year.

AQHA’s Political Action Committee hosted a reception to raise money to give us a voice in Washington, D.C. with our legislators and educate them about the horse industry. The PAC is funded solely by donations, with about $30k raised Saturday. Steve and Kathy Headley won the drawing for the 2015 AQHA Convention Package.

On Saturday evening, the 2013 Year End High Point Award Winners in Show and Racing took the stage. Also honored were Rob Meneely, the Most Valuable Professional; Kelley Roberts, Professional Horsewoman of the Year; and Clark Parker, Don Burt Professional Horseman of the Year.

Sunday continued the committee meetings. The Foundation Benefit Luncheon gathered supporters of the American Quarter Horse Foundation, with a silent auction and paddle auction raising $150,000 to push it past its $10M fundraising goal.  The Stud Book & Registration Committee hosted a Breed Forum in the afternoon.

Sunday evening’s banquet honored four men and five horses inducted into the Hall of Fame: A.B. Green, Ken Mumy, Donald “Curly” Smith, Leroy Webb, Dashingly, Leo San, Miss T Stuart, Mr Conclusion and Mr Bar None. Betty Flarida was presented with the Merle Wood Humanitarian Award for her many years of service as a youth adviser for the Ohio Quarter Horse Association. Following the banquet, a reception was held for the inductees.

The Membership Business Meeting was held Monday morning, with the committees presenting their recommendations for rule changes or reporting on their activities. The voting members voted on the recommendations by each committee to forward to the board of directors at their meeting that afternoon. Two particular rule proposals that entertained member comments included raising the junior age for the show division from 5 years to 6 years, with senior horses then being 7 years and older. The other proposal garnering member comment was to make the Hall of Fame Selection Committee a standing committee. President Johne Dobbs was presented with the bronze commemorating her year as our association president. Her sisters entertained with a musical tribute to Johne.

At the Board of Directors Meeting Monday afternoon, Ralph Seekins was elected to join the Executive Committee and Johnny Trotter stepped into the presidency.

The 2015 AQHA Convention will mark our 75^th Anniversary in Fort Worth, Texas.