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World Show Qualification

Qualification point levels are announced for the 2013 AQHA world championship shows.

American Quarter Horse Association
January 11, 2013

Jessica A. Johnson and A Chanceof Blueskies win senior hunter hack

Points earned in Intermediate/Progressive- and Open-level classes will count toward 2013 AQHA world championship qualification. (Journal photo)

Editor's note: Effective April 3, 2013, the Intermediate and Progressive levels of the new leveling program will be temporarily postponed until the launch of AQHA's database upgrade. Learn more about the database upgrade.  

The points required to qualify for the 2013 American Quarter Horse Association world championship shows will remain the same as the qualifying points required for the 2012 shows

Performance halter world show qualifiers must earn 10 points in performance events during the qualifying period in addition to the required number of performance halter qualifying points. Horses competing in open performance halter must earn all 10 performance points in the open division. Horses shown in youth, amateur and Select amateur performance halter may earn their 10 performance points in any division. 

Points earned in Intermediate/Progressive- and Open-level classes will count toward 2013 AQHA world championship qualification.

“For the 2013 qualifying period, points earned in Intermediate or Progressive classes will carry the same weight as points earned in Open-level classes,” said Tom Persechino, AQHA executive director of competition and breed integrity.

Separate Intermediate/Progressive finals will not be held at the 2013 shows, but top-placing Intermediate- and Progressive-eligible entries will be recognized during the class finals

“Recognition of the top three Intermediate exhibitors and Progressive horses in each world show class will replace the previous Intermediate awards,” Persechino explained. In the past, Intermediate awards were presented to the top three exhibitors who had never been in the top 10 at a world show in the particular class in which they were competing. Now, Intermediate and Progressive awards will be based on level eligibility.

“The Intermediate and Progressive world show awards are incorporated with the new AQHA leveling program, which went into full implementation January 1, 2013,” Persechino said. While not too far-fetched from the previous competition system, the AQHA leveling program added a mid-level of competition for exhibitors, known as the Intermediate level, and enhanced the middle level for horses, the Progressive level. Learn more about the leveling program at www.aqha.com/leveling.

“With more levels, more horses and more competitors are recognized for their efforts in the show pen,” Persechino noted. “The goal of the leveling program is to improve AQHA member show experiences and add to the value of American Quarter Horses. The chance to win Intermediate and Progressive awards at the world shows help accomplish both goals.”

For the 2013 world shows:

  • Intermediate exhibitor status is based on points earned by the rider in the past three years; Progressive horse status is based on points earned by the horse in the past three years. 
  • An exhibitor or horse does not have to make it to the finals of his/her class to be considered for an Intermediate or Progressive award.
  • There is no entry fee or nomination procedure for an exhibitor or horse to be considered for an Intermediate or Progressive award. 
  • The awards will be called the AQHA first-place Intermediate, AQHA second-place Intermediate, AQHA third-place Intermediate, AQHA first-place Progressive, AQHA second-place Progressive and the AQHA third-place Progressive. 
  • Intermediate accomplishments also will appear on the exhibitor's official AQHA record and Progressive accomplishments will appear on the horse's official record. 

The Intermediate/Progressive recognition package will include an 8-inch clear globe for first place and 6-inch clear globes for second and third place. Each Intermediate/Progressive winner will also receive a specially designed patch that can be placed on a qualifiers jacket that can be purchased by the exhibitor or owner. The top three Intermediate exhibitors or Progressive owners will also have the option to purchase a championship buckle.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHAnews on Twitter, watch the AQHA Newscast and visit www.aqha.com/news.