APHA Board of Directors Pass New Rules at 2015 Convention

With more than 35 rule change proposals brought out of committees, the APHA Board of Directors passed all rules presented for voting at the 2015 APHA Convention on March 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. National directors are elected by their fellow APHA members to serve two-year terms and provide a voice for their respective areas’ members.

Below is a summary of some of the major rules passed at Convention, followed by a brief description of each rule passed by the directors.

Color Requirements
National directors voted to amend the color requirements for horses with two Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred parents. Previously, these “cropout” horses had to meet more stringent color requirements regarding white skin than horses with at least one Paint parent in order to be eligible for registration; APHA MemberCare estimated they were rejecting an estimated one cropout registration per day because the existing color requirements were so restrictive. This amendment to RG-070 makes color requirements for Regular Registry consistent for all horses. This new rule was designed to reduce confusion, expand APHA’s tent and bring these obviously marked horses into the Paint Horse family. 

National Directors approved early implementation of this rule, and APHA MemberCare is altering its registration process to begin accepting horses under these new guidelines as soon as possible. 

International Clubs
Three rules were amended to better accommodate international Paint Horse clubs’ needs and circumstances. For example, rules regarding mileage between shows hinders European exhibitors due to country borders or language barriers; the amended rules allow for further growth of the Paint Horse breed outside of North America. 

APHA Classes
Rules governing non-pointed, group halter classes—Get of Sire and Produce of Dam—were amended to encourage further participation. Horses of any age may now be shown as Produce of Dam or Get of Sire. Additionally, both Regular Registry and Solid Paint-Bred horses may be used, so long as at least one Produce of Dam and at least two Gets of Sire are Regular Registry. The actual entries judged in Get of Sire and Produce of Dam classes are the sires and dams themselves; horses shown in the classes are representations of the entries’ ability to create quality horses. 

Ranch-Related Classes
Directors passed the addition of Novice Amateur and Novice Youth divisions for Ranch Horse Pleasure. 

In addition, an emergency rule recommendation was brought before the directors regarding modification of the exiting Working Ranch Horse class that would break its four components into separate, approved events. These classes are:

-Ranch Pleasure
-Ranch Trail
-Ranch Cow Work
-Ranch Reining

National Directors voted in favor of early implementation of these classes by May 15.

To read the full list of rule changes on APHA.com, click here.