AQHA Welcomes Educational Alliance Partner AFA

American Farrier’s Association, AQHA team to educate horse owners on hoof care

Amarillo, Texas, December 12, 2005 – The American Quarter Horse Association is proud to team with the American Farrier’s Association, now the equine hoof care authority for AQHA’s educational initiatives, to create an educational marketing alliance. With the creation of this partnership, AQHA and AFA together will promote equine hoof care through educational clinics and demonstrations.

“The American Farrier’s Association is an important organization to join forces with and help AQHA members with more ways to care for their horses,” said AQHA Executive Vice President Bill Brewer. “Farriers play a vital role in keeping horses sound and this latest alliance will benefit our members and our horses.”

Through this educational alliance, AQHA and AFA will work together to create educational materials for horse owners addressing equine hoof care practices.

“AQHA has long been recognized as one of the premier equine breed associations in the world,” said AFA President Craig Trnka, CJF. “We believe this alliance will provide members of both organizations with enhanced knowledge of horseshoeing and farriery.”

AFA, an organization for men and women who make their living as professional farriers, is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, at the Kentucky Horse Park’s National Horse Center. The association was established in 1971 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with a small group of farriers who wanted to help organize their industry and provide some direction for the future.

Since then, the AFA has continued to grow into an association of international scope that is continuing to provide direction and growth for the industry.

Today, the AFA promotes the farrier profession and serves as a representative of farriery interests within the horse world. The AFA actively monitors legislation and showing rules, and acts as an advocate of farriers in relations with veterinarians, breed and sport associations, and state and federal government agencies.

Certification, education, research and communication projects promoted and administered by the AFA are designed to help farriers provide improved service to horses and horse owners.

For more information about AFA, visit www.americanfarriers.org or www.nofootnohorse.org. To view a complete list of AQHA Alliance Partners, visit www.aqha.com.