Education is the key to success. That is why the APHA completely revamped and reformulated the former European Judges Seminar into a bigger and better opportunity to learn—the European Education Summit sponsored by APHA and the Deutsche Quarter Horse Association and approved by AQHA, ApHC and NSBA. Whether you are an exhibitor, trainer, aspiring or carded judge, show manager or secretary, there’s something for everyone at this event taking place March 15-18, 2018, near Frankfurt, Germany.

New this year, the American Quarter Horse Association is offering a third way for amateur, Select and open exhibitors to qualify their halter horses for AQHA world championship shows*.

Horses are included as “livestock” in the MAP-21 bill, and operators hauling horses are subject to the ELD Mandate if they meet the following conditions:
Using a commercial vehicle; this is the case if:
– Your truck/trailer is used for business
– Your truck/trailer is used as a business expense
– You collect payment for hauling non-personal horses
– You can win money competing with your personal or client horses
– You are sponsored, which might include having stickers/emblems on your trailer
– Your vehicle has a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of more than 10,000 pounds and is used for your business or the intent to make a profit, or is involved in interstate commerce (USDOT and state DOT numbers might also be required)

C.R. Bradley, Collinsville, Texas
Nancy Cahill, Madisonville, Texas
Cynthia Cantleberry, Paso Robles, California
G.R. Carter Jr., Oklahoma City
Ryan Cottingim, Thompson’s Station, Tennessee
Shelley Fitzgerald, Yukon, Oklahoma
Mike Jennings, Round Hill, Virginia
Teddy Johnson, Whitesboro, Texas
Luke Jones, Allerton, Iowa
Holden Jung, Farmington, Utah
Whitney Lagace, Higganum, Connecticut
Bobby E. Lewis, Overbrook, Oklahoma
Josh Little, Mebane, North Carolina
Gretchen Mathes, Harwinton, Connecticut
Tom McBeath, Union, Mississippi
Jonathan Meilleur, Hamburg, Pennsylvania
C Davidson ‘David’ Miller, Boerne, Texas
Keith Miller, Reidsville, North Carolina
Carli Pitts, Newburgh, Indiana
Ricky Ramirez, Millsap, Texas
Tom Robertson, Saline, Michigan
Marty Oak Simper, Ogden, Utah
Stephen Stephens, Weatherford, Texas
Dan Trein, Seville, Ohio

Luke Castle of Wayne, OK, owns and operates Castle Ranch along with his wife, Abbi, and children, Cash, 17, and Coralee, 14. He developed his interest in the livestock industry while growing up on a cattle ranch in Columbia, MO. and started showing horses at the local level when he was 16 years old.

Reining Rider of the Month: Noel Meadows, UT-Martin:
– Recorded a 2-0 record in Reining for the month of November with one MVP honor.
– Averaged a score of 69 in the month of November and defeated her opponents by an average margin of 2.5 points.
– Helped UT-Martin as a team defeat Fresno State and fall by one point to No. 2 SMU.

Lifetime Achievement Awards—no time limit to earn

Register of Merit: Certificate awarded for 10 points earned in one class/division; offered in all divisions.
Superior Event: Certificate awarded for 50 points earned in one class/division; offered in all divisions except Youth Walk-Trot.
APHA Champion: Certificate, custom plaque and PHJ announcement awarded for earning 40 total points (minimum of 16 earned in halter and 16 in performance) with at least five points earned in two categories; offered in Open, Solid Paint-Bred, Amateur and Youth divisions.
Performance Versatility Award: Certificate and custom frame awarded for five Registers of Merit earned in four categories and one Superior; offered in Open, Solid Paint-Bred, Amateur and Youth divisions.
Superior Amateur/Youth Champion Award: Certificate, special trophy, $2,500 cash and PHJannouncement awarded for earning 270 total points (minimum of 30 halter and 240 in performance events), four Superiors and four Registers of Merit in four performance categories; offered in Amateur and Youth divisions.

“EuroPaint” welcomed exhibitors from across Europe, and to be eligible for the special Paint Horse Championship classes and awards, both exhibitors and horse owners must reside in Europe, and the horses had to meet other eligibility criteria. The European Paint Horse Championship was the largest APHA show in 2016, excluding the APHA World Show, and the show was reportedly even larger in 2017.