AQHA CLARIFIES PROGRESSIVE WORKING HUNTER ELIGIBILITY

The American Quarter Horse Journal, December 23, 2008 – The American Quarter Horse Association show department wants to clarify the new progressive working hunter class eligibility.

The 2009 Official Handbook of Rules and Regulations includes rule 462(b), which states the following eligibility requirements for progressive working hunter:

Eligibility requirements are for horses of all ages who have no previous AQHA points in Open Working Hunter, Amateur Working Hunter, Youth Working Hunter, Amateur Equitation Over Fences, Youth Equitation Over Fences, Open Jumping, Youth Jumping and Amateur Jumping and who have not exhibited in a class 3’ and over in competition.

According to the rule, any horse competing in a class with the fence height at 3 feet or higher is not eligible for the Progressive Working Hunter class. Since this is a new rule, AQHA is making the following amendment, which is stated below:

Prior to January 1, 2009, a horse may be shown but no points earned in the above listed classes.

If a horse was shown in one of the above-listed classes with fences 3 feet or higher, that horse is still eligible in 2009 for Progressive Working Hunter, as long as no points were earned. However, beginning January 1, 2009, if a horse is shown in an over-fences class with 3-foot fences, that horse will not be eligible for progressive working hunter in 2010, whether or not the horse earns points.

The following classes have jumps of 3 feet or higher: all age, senior, junior, amateur and youth working hunter; open, amateur and youth jumping.

AQHA created the Progressive Working Hunter class as a stepping-stone for horses between the Green Working Hunter and the Open Working Hunter classes. The first Progressive Working Hunter world champion will be crowned at the 2009 AQHA World Championship Show.

If you have further questions about eligibility for the progressive working hunter class, please contact the AQHA show department at (806) 378-4341.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.