2006 Racing Champions to be Named This Week

Amarillo, Texas, January 15, 2007 – The American Quarter Horse Association will announce the 2006 AQHA Champion Racing American Quarter Horses and Horsemen on Wednesday, January 17, at 8 p.m. CST at The Embassy Suites Hotel 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 their 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 six 3-year-old colts

·        Top six 3-year-old fillies

·        Top six 3-year-old geldings

·        Top five aged stallions

·        Top five aged mares

·        Top five aged geldings

·        Top five 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 2006.

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 the AQHA Racing Champions.

The announcements can be seen live on TVG. The champions also will be recognized during the March 2-6 AQHA Annual Convention in Houston, Texas. The owner of the world champion will receive a three-horse gooseneck Sooner trailer, AQHA’s official trailer.

To see a complete list of 2006 AQHA Racing Champion contenders, visit http://racing.aqha.com/racing/champions/index.aspx. For more information about the selection and announcement of the 2006 Champions or to schedule an interview, call the AQHA Marketing Department at (806) 376-4888 ext. 4327.