The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, February 9, 2009 – The American Quarter Horse Association will announce the 2008 AQHA Champion Racing American Quarter Horses and Horsemen on Tuesday, February 10, at noon CST via Webcast on www.aqharacing.com.
“The Champions Announcements was originally delayed to allow the AQHA Racing Council and Executive Committee an opportunity to consider the implications of the preliminary decision of the New Mexico Racing stewards regarding the results of the 2008 All American Futurity. Champion ballots, which were cast by the AQHA Champions Selection Committee during the first week of January, had already been counted by the time the stewards’ ruling was announced on the 8th of January,” said AQHA Executive Director of Racing Trey Buck.
The Champions Selection Committee is comprised of 25 knowledgeable persons selected and approved by the AQHA Racing Council from the AQHA Racing Committee, AQHA membership, racing media and racing officials.
“After due consideration of the circumstances surrounding this year’s voting, we felt the interests of American Quarter Horse racing would best be served by accepting the results of the vote and not further delaying the announcement of our 2008 champions so that the horses and their owners, breeders and trainers can be recognized at the 2009 AQHA Convention,” Buck said.
The Champions Announcement will include the naming of an overall champion in each age division and, from those three divisional champions, a World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse.
Each year, horses are selected for the ballot in their specific category by meeting one or more of the following requirements:
1. Earns a Grade 1 open stakes win.
2. Ranks among top year-end money earners as described below in each sex and age category.
- Top 10 2-year-old colts
- Top 10 2-year-old fillies
- Top 10 2-year-old geldings
- Top six 3-year-old colts
- Top six 3-year-old fillies
- Top six 3-year-old geldings
- Top five aged stallions
- Top five aged mares
- Top five aged geldings
- Top five distance horses
3. Any other horse nominated by a member of the racing committee.
The candidates for the AQHA Champion Owner, Breeder, Trainer and Jockey were people who were in the lead pack in categories in money earned, races won and points earned in 2008. The Broodmare of the Year and the Canadian and Mexican champions will also be announced.
The AQHA Racing Council approved 25 people from the AQHA Racing Committee, AQHA membership, racing media and racing officials to serve as members of the voting body for the AQHA Racing Champions.
The champions also will be recognized during the AQHA Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas, on March 8. The owner of the world champion will receive a $25,000 voucher from Sooner trailer, AQHA’s official trailer.
At 2 p.m. CST on Tuesday, February 10, the champions voting and press release containing the champions will be placed on www.aqharacing.com.
AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.
