22/ JANUARY 2011 THE RIDER INSIDE


Patti Carter Named AQHA Executive Director of Shows.......................22 Clenbuterol.......................22 AQHA Rule Changes.......22 OQHA News....................23


AREA 3 News..................24 EOQHA News..................25 Urging of Horse...............25 Importing Equine Semen..25 QROOI News...................26 G.A.T.E.S. Program .........26


The Canadian Quarter Horse Association is an affiliate of the AQHA. Annual membership is free to current members of AQHA. To enroll on-line, visit the CQHA web site: www.cqha.ca, and choose


“Membership” section. Choose “Affiliates” to link to provincial Quarter Horse & Racing Association sites. Contact: Marnie Somers, President (204) 834-2479 or email: marnie@horsescoops.com


Patti Carter-Pratt Joins AQHA as Director of Shows


By: Lynda Harrison Sisson


The American Quarter Horse Association has widely announced, through a variety of media, the appointment of Patti Carter-Pratt to the new posi- tion of AQHA Executive Director of Shows. Carter-Pratt will truly bring a wealth of knowledge to this challenging task.


ing at the past two FEI World Cup events. An early member of the AQHA Professional Horseman’s Committee she was the 2005 AQHA Professional’s Choice Horsewoman of the Year. Patti now chairs that Committee as well as the Pro- fessional Horseman’s Council.


The daughter of horse professionals, Pat and Joe Carter, Patti “can’t remember a time when horses weren’t a part of my life”. She does recall, “I started riding seriously when I was nine years old and entered my first competition when I was ten. It was an Open All Youth Show in Burling- ton, Ontario and I rode my sister’s horse, Johnny Yuma”.


Such was a relatively modest beginning to what became a stellar youth exhibitor career in the Quarter Horse world. After she left youth compe- tition, Patti started training for others and built up a solid and successful client base over the ensuing years.


Along the way she continued to work to improve her skills and also worked closely with AQHA as a volunteer.


Patti became an AQHA Judge in 1998 and has since judged at major shows though out North America, South America, Europe and Australia. She is also well known as a top clinician, teaching both riding students and judges. She holds a num- ber of other judging cards and has judged the rein-


She was first elected to the AQHA Board of Directors as the Ontario Representative in 2003. In 2008 Patti headed up the hard working and dedicated committee that produced that year’s AQHA Youth World Cup, held in London, Ontario. This spectacularly successful show saw the Quarter Horse world’s attention drawn to the top quality Canadian/Ontario bred and owned Quarter Horses and the variety of horse related products available through Canadian sources. When agreeing to take on the challenges of this new position, Patti was very happy to have the encouragement of her whole family: husband, Doug Pratt, daughter, Paige Carter Fleetwood and her parents, Pat and Joe Carter. She notes, “their unconditional support is what makes this whole move possible”.


Amarillo and we’ll decide on how she’ll continue her education”.


“A major concern was our current clients. Fortunately, they’ve all been very understanding and supportive. There are a number of very good trainers here in Ontario and we’ve tried to suggest matches between some of them and our cus- tomers.” Patti notes, “Doug and I wish them all continued successes. They’re not just customers, they’re friends”.


Selling their house in St. George, Ontario and finding a suitable property in the Amarillo area, as well as dealing with all the usual issues of a long distance move, have been keeping the couple quite occupied.


Many other changes will be taking place for both Doug and Patti. As an employee of AQHA, neither Patti nor her husband will be able to exhib- it at AQHA shows, although Doug will continue to train and show in other sanctioned events such as NSBA.


Patti Carter-Pratt AQHA Studies


Clenbuterol Abuse, Recommends Action


The American Quarter Horse Journal - Veterinary medical professionals and horsemen gathered at the American Quarter Horse Association’s annual rac- ing conference on November 18 in New Orleans to consider the use - and misuse - of drugs and medications in racehors- es. Topics included laboratory testing and procedures, out-of-competition and pre-race examinations, therapeutic and illegal medications, joint injections, acceptable threshold levels and with- drawal time, zero-tolerance policies, public education and the Racing Medi- cation and Testing Consortium. Once the panelists and attendees started talking, the discussion focused primarily - indeed, almost exclusively - on clenbuterol.


Approved for veterinary use in horses with allergic respiratory disease and for medical use in humans with asthma, clenbuterol acts as a bron- chodilator. The problem, however, is how the drug is being misused - both in horses and humans: While it is not an anabolic steroid, clenbuterol has some of the same effects, increasing muscle mass and enhancing performance. The consensus was that something has to be done to control the use of clenbuterol and other drugs. The AQHA Racing Committee and Racing Council


voted on a number of recommendations, each of which would then go for final approval to the AQHA Executive Com- mittee for final approval. Final regula- tions and rules will be based on facts supported by research and science, though the studies could take several months or even years. In addition, the Racing Committee will take input from the newly formed Equine Health, Wel- fare, Integrity and Research Committee. Among other recommendations sent to the AQHA Executive Commit- tee, the Racing Committee requested that the American Association of Equine Practitioners and RMTC adopt a priority status on therapeutic use of clenbuterol and that the two groups pro- vide information, if possible, on the appropriate levels in accordance with approved recommended dosages. “Solving this issue is a top priority, and by working with AAEP and RMTC, we hope to come to a swift resolution,” stated AQHA Executive Vice President Don Treadway Jr. “AQHA must always keep the welfare of its horses at the forefront, while insuring the integri- ty of the sport.”


AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications: The American Quarter Horse Journal and America’s Horse.


Patti laughs, “Doug is an American and he really likes the Amarillo area so us moving there is great for him”. She adds, “Paige is in her senior year at high school and really involved in a num- ber of committees and projects there, so she’ll stay with my parents and finish out her school year. After that, we hope she’ll spend the summer in


Patti will also give up her seat as AQHA Director for Ontario and put her numerous judges cards on leave of absence status.


As AQHA Executive Director of Shows, Patti Carter-Pratt has the extraordinary opportunity to help shape the future of AQHA shows through- out the world. Fortunately, her life long and var- ied experience in the industry has made her uniquely suited to this considerable responsibility.


2011 Rule Changes New Rules


New rules took effect January 1.


At the 2010 AQHA Con- vention, many showing rules were voted on that took effect January 1, 2011. Check out which rules have changed before next year’s show season starts.


More Horses


Previously, only two hors- es could be shown per exhibitor in classes that are worked indi- vidually. Beginning January 1, exhibitors can show three hors- es in individually worked class- es.


“If the open classes are combined into an all-ages class at a weekend show, then it goes back to four horses total,” according to Charlie Hemphill, AQHA senior director of shows and new events.


In grouped classes, such as horsemanship, Select exhibitors can show one horse in the amateur class and a dif- ferent horse in the Select.


All-Around Events


Cotton or ear plugs in horses’ ears will be legal as well as the use of slip-on easy- care boots. In the past, this


decision was left up to the dis- cretion of the judges.


“The show committee made the recommendation to allow them, and they are now legal,” Hemphill said.


Novice youth are now eli- gible to show any horse without filling out a novice permit. The novice and the horse’s owner can show the horse at the same event, as long as it’s not in that same youth class.


Reining


For reiners, a new pattern has been added to AQHA’s approved list.


New Class


Green jumping is a new class that will follow the rules of AQHA’s other green classes. The horses will show at lower heights.


Cowboy Mounted Shooting The Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association has teamed up with the American Quarter Horse Association to allow American Quarter Horse owners to earn points begin- ning in 2011. A limited number


of CMSA shows will have approved AQHA-approved classes, including Battle in the Saddle, July 4-9 in Oklahoma City.


Leasing to Show


Beginning in 2011, any youth or amateur exhibitor can lease a horse to show in AQHA events. To show a leased horse, an exhibitor needs two pieces of paper: a showing lease form from AQHA and a copy of the detailed agreement or contract between the horse’s owner and the lessee.


Learn More


Members can get the Offi- cial Handbook of Rules and Regulations online at aqha.com in January.


To learn more about the new changes, be sure to read the December issue of The American Quarter Horse Jour- nal.


AQHA news and informa- tion is a service of AQHA pub- lications: The American Quar- ter Horse Journal and Ameri- ca’s Horse.


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