April/May 2008

Alabama Quarter Horse Association:

From Ronnie Jones, President

     Well Spring is finally close at hand and pastures are beginning to green up and anxiety over having to buy hay may be fading a little.   I do not know when I have looked forward to my first cutting of hay as much I am this year.  Anxiety over finding and buying hay is being replaced with anxiety over paying $500.00/ton for fertilizer.  Hopefully 08’ will produce more hay and pasture than 07’. 

     Thank you Julia Caro for putting together our Booth at the Horse Fair in Montgomery this year.  Again the membership we took in and the folks that came by our booth the theme was and questions were about Trail Rides and Cattle Events.  We are trying to listen to what the Quarter Horse owners in Alabama and making our event offerings meet the interest of Alabama horse owners.

     Due to a business conflict I did not get to attend the Affiliate Conference this past February in Amarillo, but Julia Caro, Donna Casey, and Lynn Reed were there and represented us well.  Again this year the theme of the Conference was Trail Ride, Novice Shows, and the Split Combined qualifications.  On that point we have been granted S/C status for our new show that is slated for October.  More on this new show to come later.  We will hold our 08’ Spring Trail Ride at Heart of Dixie the last weekend in April.  We had a great time and turn out there last year.  Our first of 2 Novice shows will be held in June at Pioneer Saddle Club in Arab.  Our Youth Show was a huge success in 08’ with some 800 entries.  Again our main fund raiser shows will be in the fall with the new October Show, and the Fall Classic in Andalusia.  Sponsorships are critical and the push is on now to gain sponsors for the Fall Classic.  Please call David Hare if you would like to participate in this effort.

     Congratulations go out to the Auburn Equestrian Team for their winning the Hunt Seat National Championship and coming in 3^rd overall out of some 20 Teams represented from across the country this past weekend in Waco, TX..  Over the years ALQHYA has been represented well.  AU has taken a ALQHYA exhibitor the last 3 years with Anna Beck the latest fall of 08’, Jessica Jones in 06’, and  Mary Casey in 07’,  This has really given our Youth a goal to shoot for to take their riding skills to a different level. 

     O8’ is going to be challenging in that we are increasing our slate of ALQHA Sponsored events with Novice Shows, Trail Rides, and with two ALQHA Shows.  In a time when there is tremendous outside pressures on the Quarter Horse Industry we look forward to new events for 08’.  I challenged our Board to “Think Outside the Box” and that is what we are doing trying new things to stimulate our membership and member participation. 

     All for now,  check out the calendar of events in this newsletter.  We hope to see you at an ALQHA Sponsored event in 2008’.   

Happy Trails,