{"id":4125,"date":"2010-10-19T03:21:27","date_gmt":"2010-10-18T20:21:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/?p=4125"},"modified":"2010-10-19T03:23:13","modified_gmt":"2010-10-18T20:23:13","slug":"blue-ribbon-task-force","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/industry\/blue-ribbon-task-force\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue-Ribbon Task Force Created to Examine Shows"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The American Quarter Horse Journal\u00a0\u2013 It should come as no surprise that horse show numbers are down. The question is: What can be done to increase participation and to accommodate all ability levels?
\nEarlier this year, the\u00a0American Quarter Horse Association Executive Committee<\/span> appointed a task force to review and address AQHA\u2019s show initiatives, with an eye toward increasing participation in AQHA-approved events.
\n\u201cBased on anticipated recommendations and subsequent approvals, most especially from the AQHA Show Council, we expect to begin managing more closely the number and types of approved shows in 2011, with an approved leveling program tested and retested throughout 2011, with implementation in 2012,\u201d said Tom Persechino, AQHA executive director of competition and breed integrity.
\n\u201cIn 2007, several demographic research projects identified three types of show participants: entry-level, mid-level and top-level,\u201d Persechino said. \u201cThe research proved that the mid-level show participant is the most vulnerable, as these show enthusiasts seldom win classes, earn points or receive other forms of recognition. These mid-level show participants often leave us after sampling our approved shows, and we want to change that.\u201d
\nWith that information in mind, the Blue-Ribbon Task Force, which met in early September, evaluated:
\n\u2022\tThe numbers and types of shows
\n\u2022\tThe opportunities and fairness of competition to include levels classes based on abilities of the horse and\/or rider
\n\u2022\tThe quality and integrity of AQHA points
\nThe members of the task force represent the show industry and are stakeholders who understand the current situation and see the need to increase participation.
\nBased on the 2007 research, a \u201cfive-point plan\u201d was implemented to address the decline in participation:
\n1.\tSolidify the top-end (known as \u201cBlue Exhibitors\u201d)
\n2.\tEnhance the long-term value for mid-level exhibitors (known as \u201cYellow Exhibitors\u201d)
\n3.\tProvide an entry-level AQHA show venue
\n4.\tReinvigorate the youth division
\n5.\tUnderstand\/support the growth and vitality of the horse training profession
\nHowever, a downturn in the economy has hampered the overall success of these initiatives. The downward trend continues, especially in AQHA\u2019s youth division. As a result, several show task forces have been assembled in the past year to discuss the following topics:
\n\u2022\tVersatility ranch horse
\n\u2022\tIntroductory shows
\n\u2022\tAQHA champions\/performance halter
\n\u2022\tTriple-judged\/quadruple-judged shows
\n\u2022\tClassifying shows
\n\u2022\tEnglish\/over fences
\n\u2022\tHalter
\n\u2022\tEthics
\n\u2022\tShow managers
\n\u2022\tStock show managers
\n\u2022\tRanchers
\nIn early July, the AQHA Executive Committee and staff met with more than 20 ranching representatives in Oklahoma City. Their talks focused on enhancing AQHA\u2019s registration process; continuing to work with the various ranch horse competition groups \u2013\u00a0Ranch Horse Association of America<\/span>,\u00a0Stock Horse of Texas<\/span>,\u00a0National Versatility Ranch Horse Association<\/span>,\u00a0American Stock Horse Association<\/span> \u2013 by exploring consistency in rules and possibly co-sanctioned events; and investigating the concept of a Ranching Heritage Breeder Program, which likely could be an extension of the\u00a0AQHA Breeder Referral Program<\/span>.
\nLater that same month, several stock show managers met with the Executive Committee. Discussion focused on the changing demographics of the stock show\/state fair audience, which is typical of the changing demographics of horse industry enthusiasts. In previous years, spectators at stock shows and rodeos were “in tune” with agriculture-related events and had a knowledge of livestock events. Today’s audience strictly wants entertainment.
\n\u201cOur hope is that from all of these meetings will come recommendations designed to increase participation in a logical, methodical way with stakeholder buy-in,\u201d Persechino said.
\nAQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on\u00a0The American Quarter Horse Journal\u00a0or\u00a0America\u2019s Horse, visit \u00a0www.aqha.com\/magazines<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

-30-<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The American Quarter Horse Journal\u00a0\u2013 It should come as no surprise that horse show numbers are down. The question is: What can be done to increase participation and to accommodate all ability levels? Earlier this year, the\u00a0American Quarter Horse Association Executive Committee appointed a task force to review and address AQHA\u2019s show initiatives, with an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aqha","category-industry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4125"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4125\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4127,"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4125\/revisions\/4127"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ebarrelracing.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}