The AQHA Racing Champions and AQHA Racing World Champion will be awarded annually by written ballot of a geographically diverse Champions Selection Subcommittee. Geographically diverse will be defined as no more than two members may reside in the same state or province.
Committee Members:
1. Eight Racing Committee members elected by the Racing Committee. 2. Eight AQHA Members (who may or may not be Racing Committee members) appointed by the Racing Council. 3. The Champions Selection Committee will be comprised of 16 members: a. 8 to be elected by the RAcing Committee that are members of the AQHA Racing Committee b. 8 to be elected by the Racing Council that are AQHA members at large. c. The Champions Selection committee will be elected at the annual AQHA Convention the year they will serve on the committee. d. All terms are 1 year. e. Voting and video review will take place at a location and date TBD each year. 4. Members of the Champions Selection Committee will be required to sign a code of conduct policy.
Prior to presenting the final ballot to the Champions Selection Subcommittee, the Racing Committee will be sent a list of horses that automatically achieve a place on the ballot. They may then nominate any horse that they feel merits the recognition.
Once the response date given to the Racing Committee has passed, the Champions Selection ballot will include:1. The Canadian provicial racing Quarter Horse associations and the Mexican Quarter Horse Association have asked that the Racing Committee handle the selection criteria and voting process for determining the yearly Canadian and Mexican Champion. Therefore, the top 10 money earning Canada foaled and Mexico foaled racing American Quarter Horses that competed primarily in Canada or Mexico respectively will be placed on the ballot.2. Winner of the Bank of AMerica South America race will be named the Champion South American horse until there are more AQHA approved races in South America.3. The following categories by current year money earned a. Top 5 distance horses (Based only on performances at distances of 550 yards or longer.) b. Top 10 two-yearold colts c. Top 10 two-year-old fillies d. Top 10 two-year-old geldings e. Top 6 three-year-old colts f. Top 6 three-year-old fillies g. Top 6 three-year-old geldings h. Top 5 aged stallions i. Top 5 aged mares j. Top 5 aged geldings4. Horses earning a Grade 1 open stakes win.5. Any other horse nominated by a member of the Racing Committee.6. Owner, Breeder, Trainer and Jockey of the year will be awarded annually also by written ballot of the Champions Selection Subcommittee. The five top ranked individuals with the best overall placing according to money earned, races won and points earned will be placed on the ballot. In the case of owners and breeders, partnerships and ownership in corporate or ranch names are considered separately. Therefore, an individual might not be listed in the top five because he or she owned horses in different partnerships.7. Data provided will be on one page per horse in an expanded past performance layout with graded stakes and corresponding fields identified and a modified Knorpp/Merrill index (TBD) provided.Voters will be instructed to vote for only one horse or individual in each category. From their selection by age and sex, they will be asked to select divisional champions; those being champion two-year-old, champion three-year-old and champion aged horse.They will also be instructed to select the overall World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse from their choices for the three age divisional champions. Only this horse will carry the title of World Champion. This title will be defined as the horse that would win a theoretical 440 yard race against other divisional champions.The Chairman of the Racing Committee will appoint a special committee to review the tabulated results from the balloting. The horse or individual receiving the majority of votes cast will be named the winner of the category.If no one earns a majority of votes, run-off elections will be held until one horse receives a majority of votes cast. The voting of each Champions Selection committee member will be made public after the announcement of the champions. The voting will be published on AQHA's Web site and in the press release announcing the champions.The Racing Council can appoint a replacement for anyone who is unable to vote.
How the Voting meeting will happen:1. All 16 members will meet in the location chosen.2. Voting information will be sent prior to the meeting to allow as much time as possible to review the information.3. Members also will be encouraged to review all races thru the Q-Racing Video archives.4. A maximum of 15 of the 16 voters will vote on each category. One persons name will be drawn for each category to sit out of the voting unless a person is going to abstain in that category. If the number of abstentions equals an even number of voters then one name will be drawn to sit out so the number always voting is an odd number. Example - if 2 of the 16 abstain, a third name will be drawn so there are only 13 voters.5. Voting and discussion will take place inthe following order: a. Canadian - discussion and vote b. Mexican - discussion and vote c. Distance - discussion and vote d. 2-year-old colts - discussion and vote e. 2-year-old fillies - discussion and vote f. 2-year-old gelding - discussion and vote g. 2-year-old champion - vote h. Tabulate votes and decide any ties/runoffs i. 3-year-old colts - discussion and vote j. 3-year-old fillies - discussion and vote k. 3-year-old gelding - discussion and vote l. 3-year-old champion - vote m. Tabulate votes and decide any ties/runoffs n. Aged stallions - discussion and vote o. Aged mares - discussion and vote p. Aged geldings - discussion and vote q. Aged Champion - vote r. Tabulate votes and decide any ties/runoffs s. Owner - discussion and vote t. Breeder - discussion and vote u. Trainer - discussion and vote v. Jockey - discussion and vote w. World Champion - vote
No results of any vote will be given to the committee. In the event of ties/runoffs only the people who voted for a horse(s) not involved in the tie/runoff will be allowed to discuss and vote.
AQHA CHAMPIONS SELECTION COMMITTEE CONDUCT POLICY
Diogenes, the ancient Greek philosopher, is said to have wandered the streets of Athens with a lantern lookoing for an honest person. Hopefully, his wanderings were not in vane. A definition of Personal Integrity is: a strongly held sense of commitment to openness, honesty, inclusiveness and high standards in undertaking a leadership role.
AQHA racing members expect a commitment to the highest levels of integrity from their Champions Selection Committee members. Further, they expect honesty and dedication to the leadership role in which Champions Selection Committee members have been asked to serve. To be appointed to this important and prestigious committee is to be recogniszed as a person of great honor and integrity; and one who can be trusted to accept the responsibility and uphold the obligation and mission of this Committee.
For this reason, the following Guidelines must be utilized when serving on the American Quarter Horse Association Champions Selection Committee.
1. At all times, uphold the dignity, standing and reputationh of the AQHA Champions Selection Committee. Do nothing that would undermine or dilute the prestige and importance, selecting only the finest for the honor of champion.
2. Share teh common goal of protecting the integrity of the voting process. Do and say nothing that might erode an AQHA member's faith and confidence in the awarding process.
3. Take time to thoroughly review all material related to each nominee that will be provided to you, and utilize that knowledge and your skill to select the most deserving candidate.
4. Be impartial in your selection. Make your decision on the merits of the nominated, free from partiality, prejudice or conflicts of interest, or because it is from your state or geographic area.
5. If your have a personal relationship, pecuniary interest or any private commitment that could return personal rewards and affect your independence of judgment, abstain from voting in that particular category. The existence or appearance of such conflicts can lead to suspicion about possible bias, and serve to discredit the selection process.
6. If you have questions regarding #5, ask for guidance from Chairman of the AQHA Racing Committee or AQHa Racing Council.
7. To ensure that the welfare of the American Quarter Horse is paramount and that every American Quarter Horse shall at all times be treated humanely and with dignity, respect and compassion.
8. Each person chosen for this committee is based on their involvement within the industry. Make all efforts to stay informed of horses and graded stakes races throughtout the year.
9. Make suggestions on ways to improve the overall balloting and voting process.
10. It is each person's responsibility to keep staff informed of where you will be during voting so you can be contacted and information can be sent and returned in a timely manner.
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