1967-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1967 February Voice RS | Page 8

Walking Horse Figure Prominently
In 50th Annual American Horse
Shows Association Meeting
According to Albert E. Hart, Jr., President of the
American Horse Show Association, the Tennessee Walking
Horse made some important progress during the past year.
He singled out our breed in a speech to the convention
but tempered his praise with notations that there was still
room for improvement.
The golden anniversary meeting of the American Horse
Shows Association was held at the Waldorf Astoria Jan­
uary 11-14 in New York City, and from the attendance
and enthusiasm that was exhibited, the horse show ac­
tivity of the nation is still on the upswing. That association
is the governing body of the vast majority of the nations
larger and more prestigious horse shows and represents
an area of important contact for Walking Horse enthusi­
asts everywhere.
A note of progress was indicated by the official ap­
pointment of Mr. H. Karl Yenser of Jessups, Maryland,
to the Board of Directors of the AHSA. Mr. Yenser judges
a lot of shows and has an active interest in the breed. We
have worked with Mr. Yenser on several occasions and
he will be an able representative of our breed.
Several items of interest came before the conference
on Tennessee. Walking Horses held on Thursday at 4:00
p.m. The forum was handled by Mr. Yenser and Mr.
Cebcrn Lee of Oaks Corners, N.Y., also a member of tHc
Walking Horse Committee of the AHSA. Among the items
most actively discussed were Pleasure Horses and the re­
quirements for “shoeing”. Several recommendations were
made to the committee regarding this and were to be sub­
mitted for the consideration of AHSA Board. There were
30 people in attendance at the Tennessee Walking Horse
Conference.
The only major changes in 1967 rules that effect Ten­
nessee Walking Horses have to do with boot regulations.
Rule XXXIII was amended as follows:—“Part 1 (a)
Change to read: a) Regulation Tennessee Walking Horse
Quarter Boots or Regulation Saddle Horse Boots. The
heel portion of either of these boots must not exceed 2
inches in height. The bell portion of either must not exceed
3y'2 inches in height. The bell portion must be attached
ml a hinge with a maximum length of 1 inch. Part 1, (b)
—change to read: (b) Leather or unlined rubber bell boots
mav be used. (NOTE THAT NO REFERENCE IS
MADE TO THE LEGAL WEIGHT OF BOOTS. IT
IS NOW PERMISSIBLE TO USE BOOTS OF ANY
WEIGHT MORE SUITABLE FOR THE BEST PER­
FORMANCE OF YOUR HORSE).
A considerable amount of discussion was held regard­
ing the ruling which states—“Any horse foaled after Jan­
uary 1st. 1965. (two-year-olds this year) with scars in the
coronet or pastern area is ineligible for competition”. An
effort was made to clarify the definition of a “scar” so
that a better understanding as to the enforcement of this
rule could be maintained. This too was to be submitted
for consideration of the AHSA Board.
Nothing specific was done with regard to the usual
“boot ritual” from within the ring. This is a ruling that
many Walking Horse enthusiasts have desired to have re­
moved from the rule book. As it now stands, boots will
WALKING H ORSE REPRESENTATIVES—This group ap­
pears to be a “Round Table” of Walking Horse enthusiasts at
the Awards Banquet during the AHSA recent AHSA convention.
SERIOUS BUSINESS—During the conference on Walking
Horses, Mr. Karl Yenser and Mr. Cebcrn Lee handle the
chores of moderator.
still be dropped in official AHSA Shows. It was suggested
and strongly considered by the committee that the Associ­
ation submit a “script” to be used by officials and an­
nouncers regarding the “dropping of boots in Walking
Horse classes”. Announcers should state that “boots are
dropped in Walking Horse classes in the purpose of check­
ing the equipment to sec that they are of the proper con­
struction and material”. This, it was pointed out, would
do much to eliminate the accusations of unfair descrim-
ination of Walking Horse exhibitors and their horses.
It should be emphasized here that these rules are en­
forced by the AHSA and will be in effect at those shows
that are official American Horse Show Association Shows.
It is generally understood that the rules of the Tennessee
Walking Horse Breeders Association will apply elsewhere.
Another item of interest suggested by Mr. Yenser was
the prospect of merging the recognized Judges of the
Breeders Association with the Judges of the AHSA. It was
t ought that recognition by one should be considered auto-
Tm-1C reC°Snition
the other, by mutual agreement.
h)s was taken under consideration by the representatives
ot the Breeders Association and will be presented to the
031
^at orgamzation for consideration.
(Continued on Poge 10)
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VOICE of the Tennessee Walking Horse