You might or might not know, but seven years ago the Show Council was formed for the purpose of expediting show related matters on behalf of the Show Committee. The Council consists of 14 members and includes an AQHA Executive Committee member (Peter Cofrancesco); the chair of the Show Committee, Dr. Jim Heird; four members of the Show Committee, John Pipkin, John Trafton, Peg Edmondson, and Jan Bruner; two Youth Committee Members, Michael Jung, and Nancy Cahill; two Professional Horsemen Committee members Stephanie Lynn and Patti Carter-Pratt; two Amateur Committee members, Dona Johnson and Sherri Tearney; and two Judges Committee members, Joe Carter and Larry Little.

A recommendation was made by the Show Council and then approved by the Executive Committee to allow novice competitors to participate without permits in the novice division at AQHA approved shows. The reasoning behind the decision is to bring more exhibitors to the AQHA show ring.

Beginning July 1, 2010, an exhibitor may show a horse in a novice youth or novice amateur class, with the owner and their immediate family still retaining the ability to show the horse in any class other than the same class as the novice exhibitor. Exhibitors will be required to have a novice amateur or novice youth membership to participate. Memberships can be purchased at the show or prior to the show through AQHA.

All novice eligibility rules still apply.

If novice permits are allowed at one of the top-10 show circuits (listed below), the novice exhibitor can use novice permits to show a non-family owned horse. This ensures a more level playing field at these top circuits. Top-10 circuits are determined by the total number of entries the previous year.




2009 Top-10 Circuits