2005 Racing Champions to be Named Next Week

Amarillo, Texas, January 11, 2006 – The 2005 AQHA Champion Racing American Quarter Horses and Horsemen will be announced on Wednesday, January 18, 2006, at 8 p.m. CST at The Embassy Suites in Oklahoma City. This precedes the Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale that will take place Thursday through Saturday.

In each of the age divisions an overall champion will be named. From those three divisional champions, the World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse will be selected. The distance title is for horses that have excelled in races at 550 yards or longer.
Horses are selected for the ballot in its specific category by meeting one or more of the following requirements for the year:
1. Earns a Grade 1 open stakes win.
2. Ranks among top year-end money earners as described below in each sex and age category.
· Top 10 2-year-old colts
· Top 10 2-year-old fillies
· Top 10 2-year-old geldings
· Top 6 3-year-old colts
· Top 6 3-year-old fillies
· Top 6 3-year-old geldings
· Top 5 aged stallions
· Top 5 aged mares
· Top 5 aged geldings
· Top 5 distance horses
3. Any other horse nominated by a member of the racing committee.

The candidates for the AQHA Champion Owner, Breeder, Trainer and Jockey are the people who lead the categories in money earned, races won and points earned in 2005.
The AQHA Racing Council approved 25 people from the AQHA Racing Committee, AQHA membership, racing media and racing officials to serve as members of the voting body for AQHA Racing Champions.

The announcements can be seen live on TVG, and will air on ESPN2’s“Wire to Wire” January 24 at 12:30 p.m. CST and January 25 at 4:30 a.m. CST.
The Champions also will be recognized during the March 3-7 AQHA Annual Convention in Seattle, Washington. The owner of the World Champion will receive a three-horse gooseneck Sooner trailer, AQHA’s official trailer.

To see a complete list of 2005 AQHA Racing Champion contenders, visit www.aqha.com/racing/news/05racingchampioncontender.html. For more information about the selection and announcement of the 2005 Champions or to schedule an interview, call the AQHA Marketing Department at (806) 376-4888 ext. 4327.

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