International > International USLGE
International Affiliate Support
The AMHA has been involved with the market and promotion of the American Miniature Horse on a global basis for over 40 years. And today, the American Miniature Horse can be found in over 20 foreign countries.
To better serve the members and owners in these foreign countries the AMHA encourages the formation of a club to share common interests in the breed. These clubs can be affiliated with the AMHA and receive international recognition on this website and through various other media. To become an AMHA Foreign Affiliated Club, see the AMHA Approved Clubs page.
As a foreign affiliate of the AMHA, the club becomes eligible to participate in one of many different marketing and promotion programs being offered through a financial partnership with the United States Livestock Genetic Export (USLGE), by receiving funds from United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Marketing Service (USDA-FMS) for the marketing and promotion of the breed outside of the United States.
The AMHA - USLGE support program distributes funds from its annual USLGE budget for use in foreign related activities. The AMHA divides the funds to sustain, extend and expand the support to all eligible affiliated club activities. Therefore, the financial amount of support may be varied from year to year depending upon many different factors.
Some of the many activities that the AMHA - USLGE program can support in total and/or portion thereof are:
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Funds for transportation and related travel of AMHA approved judges to officiate at AMHA approved horse shows
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Funds for the printing and distribution of marketing and promotional literature in the native language
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Funds for the advertising of the AMHA in equestrian publications, print media and displays
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Funds for the participation in equestrian related trade exhibitions and shows
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Funds for display banners and photographic backdrops featuring the AMHA logo art
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Funds for educational clinics and seminars instructed and conducted by AMHA approved educators
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Funds for reverse missions for education of international directors and members to better represent the AMHA's interest
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Funds for trade missions supported by the USDA to promote American agricultural products and superior genetics
These activities are reimbursement programs. This means the AMHA affiliate must spend their funds on the activity, collecting receipts, documenting activities in writing and with photographs, and providing all possible supportive information to justify the amount of funds expended. The final requests will be audited prior to providing the funds as a reimbursement. The reimbursement takes 6-10 weeks from the time of submission.
Here is how the process works:
1. The foreign club must file an application to meet the standards for an approved International Affiliate - Club. See the AMHA International Approved Clubs page for application.
2. The foreign affiliated club must annually remain in goodstanding with the AMHA.
3. The foreign affiliate will file an annual request for financial support during the fiscal year running from January 1st through December 31st prior to the year of the activity. The request for funding must be filed prior to the activity not upon completion.
4. The foreign affiliate must provide details in their application for the funds such as:
a. Type of activity for breed marketing and promotion
b. The date of the activity
c. The location of the activity
d. The goal/objective of the activity
e. The expected outcome, including size of audience
f. The coordinator(s)/manager(s) of the activity
g. The budget and amount of support from the AMHA
5. The foreign affiliate must receive formal written approval before moving forward with a project as the funds may be limited due to annual budget constraints.
6. The foreign affiliate may proceed with expectation of the AMHA's support of their activity once the application and budget are approved.
7. The foreign affiliate must file within 30 days of close of the activity ALL of the necessary documentation to justify the legitimate expenses with the AMHA or lose the potential funding.
8. The AMHA formats all of the documentation submitted by the affiliate and makes a formal request to the USLGE for re-imbursement. The actual re-imbursement can take from 6 - 10 weeks.
9. The foreign affiliate will be notified of the pending payment with verification of banking information prior to release of the funds.
For more information about the AMHA - USLGE support program contact the AMHA Coordinator for International Programs, Wayne G. Hipsley at HipsleyandAssocs@aol.com