Board of Directors Meetings

 

8-24-09 BOD P 3   QUARTERLY BOARD MEETINGS

The Board will hold meetings a minimum of four (4) times a year. Meetings may be held more frequently if deemed necessary. Board members will be notified if the meeting is not to be held.

Standing Rule per 12.3.10 BOD meeting

Retained Standing Rule per 2.17.13 BOD meeting

2.20.2014 Board voted to retain

2.22.2015 Board voted to retain with change.

2.21.2016 Board voted to retain

2.25.2017 Board voted to retain

11.3.2017 Board voted to retain.

11.3.2019 Board voted to retain

11.14.2021 Board voted to retain with change

11.12.2022 Board voted to retain

11.11.2023 Board voted to retain

11.16.24 Board voted to move to 2025 rule book

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AMHA Disciplinary Actions

162 HEARING PROCEDURES 

A person who has been given notice of a Hearing will be afforded the opportunity to appear in person VIA Virtual meeting (with counsel if desired) to present evidence in his behalf and refute evidence offered against him.

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The AMHA has been using virtual meetings since 2022.  The rule change was submitted at the 2024 Annual Meeting and will go into effect when/if the membership ratifies at the 2025 Annual Meeting.

Standing Rule per 12.17.24 BOD Meeting

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170 RIGHT TO TAKE DISCIPLINARY ACTION

The Hearing Board Chairman will report the finding of the Disciplinary Action to the AMHA Operation Manager and the Treasurer stating the amount of the fine and the length of suspension. The Treasurer will create an entry into the AMHA accounting system stating the name of the member and the length of the suspension. The disciplined member will be notified by AMHA Operation Manager at the end of the suspension that the fine is due in full. Failure to pay the fine within 30 days will be assessed by AMHA Operation Manager a late fee every billing period until the fine is paid in full.

Standing Rule per 12.17.24 BOD Meeting

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Show Rules

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AOTE YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAM 

AM-01006-i

   i. AOTE Youth Mentoring Program

The AOTE Youth Mentoring Program would allow youth to be mentored by an AOTE with a declared AOTE horse without losing its AOTE status. The intent of this program is to get youth involved with AMHA horses who may not otherwise get involved.

1. An AOTE may mentor a non-related youth with an AOTE horse.

2. The AOTE would have to declare the youth and horse(s) by submitting an AOTE youth mentoring form (see fee schedule) to the office before the youth is able to handle the AOTE horse in any way that would normally disqualify an AOTE horse.

3. Any youth submitted by an AOTE on the mentoring form can ONLY show horses owned by that AOTE or AOTE Family (as described in AM-016-6-a) or owned or leased (see lease rules) by: the youth, either individually or jointly, the family (mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, legal guardian, grandparent, step-parents, step siblings, and step-grandparents) or family-owned corporation, ranch, or farm.

4. A declared youth may be removed from the AOTE youth mentoring program by submitting the AOTE mentoring Opt-Out Declaration form to the AMHA office. The AOTE youth mentoring Opt-Out forms must be on file with the Office prior to the youth showing any horse other than listed in AM-010-6-i. The Opt-Out Declaration will not be accepted during the course of any show. Fees – See Fee Schedule.

Standing Rule per 11.11.23 BOD meeting

11.11.23 BOD voted for 1 year trial

11.16.24 BOD voted for additional one year trial

12.17.24 BOD voted to change (see bold)

  

 

YD-010-D-d

 

d. Any Youth who is being mentored under the AOTE youth mentoring program is ineligible to show in YOTE unless their horse qualifies under YD-010-D

Standing Rule per 11.11.23 BOD meeting

11.11.23 BOD voted for 1 year trial

11.16.24 BOD voted for additional one year trial

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AOTE MEMBER OF HOUSEHOLD PROGRAM

AM-010-A-6-a

a. …….step-siblings, or member of household***. No one with a professional trainer in the household, or on the premises, may compete in the AOTE division.

***The Member of Household and horse(s) must be designated by the AOTE on member of household form (see fee schedule) and records in the office by January 1 of the year the AOTE/Member of Household plans to show the horse. AOTE and Member of Household must show proof of same address by a state issued ID showing the same address for both AOTE and Member of Household.

 

YD-010-D-a

a…..step-siblings or member of household*** in all divisions entered. Further, no one with a professional trainer in the household, or on the premises, may compete in the YOTE division.

            ****The Member of Household and horse(s) must be designated by the YOTE on member of household form (see fee schedule) and recorded in the office by January 1 of the year the YOTE/Member of Household plans to show the horse. YOTE and Member of Household must show proof of same address by a state issued ID showing the same address for both YOTE and member of Household.

Standing Rule per 11.11.23 BOD meeting

11.11.23 BOD voted for 1 year trial

11.16.24 BOD voted for additional one year trial

12.17.24 BOD voted to change (see bold)

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GR-505-C CLARIFICATION

Add to Clarifications

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There is only one measurement allowed on Protest

Standing Rule per 12.17.24 BOD meeting

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GR-025-D1

D1 Hardship Show Approval

The following entities may apply for hardship approval:

A) All breed shows

B) Approved AMHA Clubs

C) Major stock shows/fairs/exhibitions

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Double Point Fair/Exhibition Show

1. Applications for a double honor roll point Fair or Exhibition show are to be submitted to the AMHA Office. 

a) Applications must be submitted with the show approval form. 

b) The AMHA Office shall award the Fair or Exhibition show for each AMHA Region. Only one double honor roll pointed Fair or Exhibition show will be awarded per Region with the largest fair or exhibition given priority.

2. Any Fair or Exhibition that includes all AMHA classes as required by the GR-025-D1 hardship show approval minimum class list, along with having an AMHA licensed judge for said show, will be awarded one set of double honor roll points per Judge, up to 2 Judges.

Standing Rule per 11.11.23 BOD meeting

11.11.23 BOD voted for 1 year trial

11.16.24 Membership ratified and moved to 2025 Rule Book

 

PA-015 Points

Add E. For Double Point/Fair/Exhibition Show points refer to GR-025-D-1-c

Standing Rule per 11.11.23 BOD meeting

11.11.23 BOD voted for 1 year trial

11.16.24 Membership ratified and moved to 2025 Rule Book

 

GR-030-D-4-f

A judge shall not appear on the show grounds prior to thirty (30) minutes before judging unless accommodations have been arranged by the show manager for the judge to be on the show grounds with their own RV, rented RV, or show facility’s overnight rooms. Judges may not converse or socialize with any exhibitors in the RV/accommodations area. A judge shall not visit the horse stall area, nor speak with owners, trainers, exhibitors, or owner’s representatives nor inspect or discuss a horse entered in the show before the judging, nor shall he/she review the program until after the judging has been completed. Violations of this rule will be subject to review by the LOC and may result in license suspension.

Standing Rule per 11.11.23 BOD Meeting

11.16.24 Membership ratified and moved to 2025 Rule Book

 

CL-25 J

J. Score sheets are available on the AMHA website for use in judging Showmanship, Halter Obstacle, Obstacle Driving, Hunter, Jumper, Versatility, and Liberty. These score sheets outline scoring rules, penalties, faults, pluses, etc. that must be used for scoring AMHA classes in addition to what is outlines in the AMHA Rulebook. Use of official AMHA score sheets is mandatory and must be turned in to show management.

Standing Rule per 11.11.23 BOD Meeting

11.16.24 Membership ratified and moved to 2025 Rule Book

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PROTEST PROCEDURE CONCERNING HEIGHT - 12/17/24

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PROTEST PACKET
 

_______ 1.Those who will be present during the protest

1. Steward/Measuring official who measured the horse into the show.

2. The steward/measuring official who will be measuring for the protest measurement.

3. 2 other protest committee members to be selected by the show manager.

4. The protestor or agent filing the protest.

5. The owner(s) or agent of the protested horse.

6. The owner may designate someone to handle their horse for the measurement as long as it is not an AOTE horse.

7. Two designated members of the show rules committee (if present on the grounds) to observe and serve as a Rule Book resource

8. . No spectators will be allowed in the protest measurement area.

 

 

_______2.The protest committee will meet with the above parties to go over the following:

1. GR-020

2. GR-050

3. WS-028 will also be reviewed if the protest is at the World Show.

4. A packet with the aforementioned rules and this procedure will be given to all involved.

 

________ 3.The protestor and the owner of the protested horse, unless handling their horse, will remain at least

10’ from the horse being protested.

 

________ 4.The protest committee has the right to remove anyone the protest committee deems disruptive to the

                    protest measuring process.

 

________ 5.The protest measurement will be videotaped by AMHA at any AMHA sponsored event.

1.  No personal videotaping will be allowed.

2. In the event an appeal is filed in the office, the official AMHA video will be available for members who were involved in the protest measurement procedure to view in the show office.

 

________6. Due to the tense atmosphere of a protest measurement, a ¼” allowance will be given (ie. a horse that  

Originally measured 32” and measures 32¼’ will be considered a valid measurement to qualify for 32” and under class)

 

________ 7.When the horse is presented to the protest committee officials, the horses name, owner name and

                    The person’s name protesting will be recorded in the show records and announced on the AMHA

                    video.

 

________8. The measuring stick will be calibrated in the presence of all people in #1 above right before the

                    measuring commences.

 

_________9. The protest committee will do a soundness check per GR-050 C 5 ____­­_,                      

check for signs of sedation per GR-020 I _____ and confirm the last mane hair ______. 

At all other times everyone with the exception of the handler and the measurer will stay at least 10’ from the horse.

________10.The protest committee members not measuring will determine if the horse is standing according to GR-020.

 

________11. Once the single protest measurement is taken and the stick is locked in position, barring no objections from the Measurer and protest committee, the height will be announced, and the stick shown to all parties involved as well as the official AMHA video when being videoed as described in #5 above.  This one measurement will be final.

 

 

____________________________      _____________________________   _____________________________

Protest committee member #1             Protest committee member #2            Protest committee member #3

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GR-020 HEIGHT VERIFICATION

1. No Miniature Horse shall exceed 34 inches in height. Weanlings must not exceed 30 inches.

Yearlings must not exceed 32 inches.

Two-year-olds must not exceed 33 inches.

The show age of the horse is determined from January 1 preceding its birthday.

 

1. Horse’s height must be verified on a hard, level surface, preferably concrete or paved, in a public place, by a show official and witnessed by a recording official of the show.  The cross piece or arm of the stick must slide up and down freely until the standard is placed on the ground. The cross piece or arm must then be lowered on the horse’s last mane hair.  No person with horses being shown competing in the show may be a measuring official at the show.

(Amended 02-11, effective 01-12)

(Amended 11-23, effective 01-24)

 

The measuring device used to measure the first horse must be used to measure all the horses. A standard measurement stick is a straight, stiff, unbendable stick (metal) that is equipped with a bullseye, plumb bob or a spirit level to make sure that the standard is perpendicular to the ground and that the cross piece or arm is parallel with the ground surface.

 

1.  Management shall announce the time and place for height verification.

 

 

1. To receive an exhibitor’s number, the horse must be measured and have height recorded on the entry sheet by the person measuring horses or by his designee.

 

1. The height verification of the Miniature Horse shall be determined by measuring the vertical distance from the base of the last hairs of the mane to the ground with the front two (2) legs vertical and in line with or parallel to the measuring device, and the back of the hocks in a vertical line with the horse’s fetlocks. The last hairs of the mane refers to the last coarse (longer) hair of the horse’s mane. Any softer body hair, left longer so as to be considered as an extension of the mane, should be differentiated from mane hair and should not be included as part of the mane when measuring. The horse’s head and neck shall be in a natural position, facing forward, with the nostrils lower than the eyes. The animal must stand squarely on all four (4) feet. No height allowance will be made for excessive foot. After the horse is set up for measuring by the handler, said handler may not touch the horse, i.e. stretching the head up forward, moving the feet; touching the back or pressing down on any part of the back until the measurer removes the measuring stick.

 

(Amended 02-03, effective 01-04) (Amended 02-10, effective 01-11) (Amended 11-21, effective 01-22)

 

 

CLARIFICATION 12-05-09: “The Official Show Measurer will not attempt to measure the horse until the handler has set the horse, per Show Rule GR-020, and is positioned near the horse, in a kneeling or standing position, not touching the horse with any part of his/her body, and advises the measurer the horse is ready to be measured. The Official Measurer will then attempt to measure the horse. During the measuring process, if the handler touches the horse, the attempt to measure will be stopped, and the handler will be advised the horse cannot be touched during the measuring process.”

 

 

 

1. Any horse showing evidence of the use of any drugs, sedatives or stimulants to produce deceptive height will be refused measurement until such time as the Measurement Team sees no sign or effects of said drugs or stimulant use.

(Amended 02-10, effective 01-11)

 

 

GR-050 PROTESTS

1. All protests shall be handled according to the following:

1. All protests must be made by an owner/agent of a horse entered in the show and owner must be present or have an agent present at the show. (Amended 11-23, effective 01-24)

2. The protest shall be accompanied by a $200 deposit. If a protest is not sustained the $200 protest fee shall go to the profits of the show. (Amended 11-23, effective 01-24)

3. Protests shall be adjudicated by a protest committee of

three (3) show officials not involved in the dispute.

1. The Protest Committee shall promptly meet and adjudicate the issue, make effective its decision upon the parties in interest and report its determination to all parties. A show Protest Committee may disqualify a person and/or his/her entries for the duration of the show.

2. The decision of the Protest Committee may be appealed to the AMHA Show Rules Committee with an additional $150.00 and all copies of paperwork sent to the protested by the protestor. A second appeal may be made to the AMHA Board of Directors with an additional $150 fee. (Amended 11-23, effective 01-24)

3. No protest of approved show rules or Show Rules Committee’s previous interpretations of any rule will be allowed on show level.

 

1. Horses involved in a protest shall upon request:

   1. Be presented within one hour of notification.

   2. Remain in full view of at least one show official, or designated person, until protest is finally resolved.

   3. Horse may not be trimmed, medicated, ridden, exercised, or otherwise altered prior to final resolution of the protest. Horses may be lunged for up to 15 minutes. Any such alteration will result in the disqualification of the animal for the remainder of the competition with forfeiture of all prizes and entry fees paid by the owner.

(Amended 11-23, effective 01-24)

1. Protest concerning height:

   1. The measurement of a horse may be protested at any time prior to the end of the show so long as the horse is present on the show grounds. The protest must be made in writing accompanied by a $200 deposit.

(Amended 12-07, effective 01-08) (Amended 11-23, effective 01-24)

1. The horse shall be re measured by a show official other than the show official that measured all animals at the show, and in the presence of the original measurer and at least two (2) other show officials.  If another qualified show official measurer is not present at the time of protest, the original measurer can remeasure with the supervision of at least two (2) other show officials. (Amended 11-23, effective 01-24)

2. If there is no discrepancy in measurements from the first measurement to the measurement after protest, the original measurement stands as official.  There will be a one-quarter inch (1/4”) over height qualifications for the protest measurement only. Example: Horse ‘A’ is protested as being too tall in a 30 to 32 class. Its original measurement was 31 ¾. The horse measures 32 ¼ by a protest measuring team. It meets the allowance authorized under the protest rule. It is therefore a legal horse at that show. (This ¼ inch amnesty only applies to Protest Measurements and not to regular measurements) The one quarter (1/4) in allowance is to be applied to all height categories. All points, placings, awards will be relinquished by any horse who fails to meet height requirements under protest for that show only. If the measurement is within legal height limits for the AMHA, but out of class height constraints, only the awards pertaining to effected height classes will be relinquished. Example: Horse ‘B’ was exhibited in a 30 to 32 inch Senior Halter Class. Horse ‘B” wins Grand. It is then protested, Horse ‘B’ measures 32 ¾ inches. Horse B forfeits the Grand Champion award along with the 30 to 32 inch halter class placings, but may keep any award that is not height related, such as youth halter, halter obstacle, color, etc. (The horse must forfeit the Championship Award, as a result of disqualification from the original height class). If the horse measures above AMHA height requirements at its respective age it then loses ALL awards, points, and placings for that show. 2/22/2015 BOD voted to retain 12/8/2020 BOD voted to retain (Amended 12-22, effective 01-23)

3. All measurements must take place in direct view of the owner/trainer of protested animal, and the individual who filed the protest.

4. Any animal submitted for an official measurement must show no evidence of lameness. If lameness is determined by the show veterinarian, this shall result in disqualification of the animal for the balance of the competition, and the owner of the animal forfeits fees and winnings for the entire show for the protested animal.

 

CLARIFICATION

“An AMHA horse that does not measure within required height constraints for its age group at a show cannot be protested in attempt for further measurement to enter the show. GR-050 pertains to horses in a show and does not apply to horses that do not meet qualification. Under GR-050 horses that have qualified and been accepted in a show can only be protested one time, per show, for a height challenge.”

 

The rule above is clarifying that if a horse measures out of the show, it is not considered in the show; therefore, it cannot be protested. 

There is only one (1) measurement allowed on Protest

12.17.24 BOD voted to retain with change (bold)

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