36 Rule Change Proposals to be Considered at 2025 APHA Leadership Gathering

By Jessica Hein, PHJ News:

The following 36 rule change proposals will be considered by their respective advisory committees at the 2025 APHA Leadership Gathering, taking place February 27–March 2, 2025. The related advisory committees will determine which proposals will pass out of committee for voting by elected APHA state directors.

To be eligible for voting privileges, state directors must be present for live roll call at both 2025 Leadership Gathering state director meetings, which take place March 1 and March 2. Leadership Gathering events—including most meetings, parties and other social gatherings—are open to all APHA members and Paint enthusiasts.

Register for the 2025 Leadership Gathering online and find more information at apha.com/leadershipgathering.

Rule Change Proposals for Consideration

A summary of each rule change proposal under consideration appears below. Read the full rule change proposal details online at apha.com/rulebook.

• CONTROL #GR-040—Broadens the areas under which a reply to a reasonable request is required to aid in research and investigations of matters outlined in the rulebook.
• CONTROL #GR-060—Allows the association to take action against members who have been indicted and/or convicted in a court of law of an offense involving inhumane treatment or cruelty to animals.
• CONTROL #RG-105—Updates verbiage and eliminates the need to apply for an Enrollment for Breeding status on APHA stallions.
• CONTROL #SC-015—Simplifies the language regarding qualifying age and eliminates point caps on yearlings for perpetual awards.
• CONTROL #SC-090—Decreases the mileage restriction for APHA shows from 250 miles to 200 miles.
• CONTROL #SC-095—Removes minimum required classes from 1- and 2-judge shows held in conjunction with other shows and reduces the number of minimum required classes for shows with three or more judges.
• CONTROL #SC-105—Changes the number of allowed Paint-O-Ramas hosted by a regional club from two PORs to four PORs per year.
• CONTROL #SC-105-1—Limits the total number of judges at an APHA event to six.
• CONTROL #SC-105-2—Allows recognized livestock shows and state fairs to hold one 4-judge POR per year without APHA regional club sponsorship, instead of being limited to 3-judge PORs.
• CONTROL #SC-105-3—Prohibits show management from running timed events under each judge.
• CONTROL #SC-105-4—Allows ancillary judges to judge any class at a show instead of being limited to individual work classes, as long as they are aligned with the same primary show judge throughout the event.
• CONTROL #SC-110—Removes the requirement to line up in order of placings under each judge to follow current practices, but still requires that shows recognize placings.
• CONTROL #SC-145—Removes the Show All-Around Award from the section of the rulebook governed by the state directors and moves it to the back of the rulebook.
• CONTROL #SC-150—Removes the Show High-Point Performance Award from the section of the rulebook governed by the state directors and moves it to the back of the rulebook.
• CONTROL #SC-155—Provides guidance for shows in awarding ribbons to participants.
• CONTROL #SC-185-1—Increases the maximum number of horses an exhibitor can show in a class from five to eight in the Open division, three to five in the Amateur division, and two to five in the Youth division. This also removes the exceptions for longe line and in-hand trail, so the maximum allowed for those classes simply follow their division rules.
• CONTROL #SC-204—Adds English Versatility Pattern class.
• CONTROL #SC-247—Adds Western Versatility Pattern class.
• CONTROL #SC-283—Adds Breakaway roping to the Open Division.
• CONTROL #SC-286—Changes the acceptable barriers in steer stopping from only a rope barrier to a rope barrier or an electric eye.
• CONTROL #SC-290—Failing to lope for a minimum of ¾ of the pattern will be a disqualification in speed events.
• CONTROL #SC-309—Removes Ranch Horse Reining Pattern #3.
• CONTROL #AM-080—Removes combining Amateur classes from show management’s responsibility; if either age division has less than six exhibitors, the divisions will be combined.
• CONTROL #AM-085—This rule change reclassifies showmanship at halter from a group class to an individually worked class, allowing Amateur and Youth exhibitors to show multiple horses in showmanship.
• CONTROL #AM-105—Eliminates the line up in showmanship for Zone 12, 13 and 14 in the Youth and Amateur divisions, making it possible to show up to two horses in showmanship.
• CONTROL #AM-110—Eliminates the line up and the rail work in hunt-seat equitation for Zone 12, 13 and 14 in the Youth and Amateur divisions, making it possible to show up to two horses in hunt-seat equitation.
• CONTROL #AM-115—Eliminates the line up and the rail work in Western horsemanship for Zone 12, 13 and 14 in the Amateur and Youth divisions, making it possible to show up to two horses in Western horsemanship.
• CONTROL #AM-117—Creates new green horse pattern classes to allow green horses to compete on an entry-level field with horses of the same level of experience in showmanship, horsemanship and/or hunt-seat equitation.
• CONTROL #AM-205—Limits the points and titles that count toward APHA Novice eligibility to APHA, AQHA and NSBA.
• CONTROL #AM-205-1—Changes the current reinstatement rules to allow points to be adjusted after 10 years, regardless of whether the individual has become ineligible for Novice status.
• CONTROL #AM-300—Creates the option to split Amateur Walk-Trot into two divisions: Amateur Walk-Trot and Masters Walk-Trot.
• CONTROL #JU-000—Removes the class restrictions on ancillary judges.
• CONTROL #YP-075—Requires automatic combining of Youth 18 & Under and Youth 13 & Under when there are not three entries in the 18 & Under, and allows show management the option to combine if one division is not a 2-point-earning class.
• CONTROL #YP-075-1—Reduces the 13 & Under classes required at shows with three or more judges from five classes to three classes, and removes 13 & Under classes from being required at standalone 1- and 2-judge shows and at shows held in Zones 12, 13 and 14.
• CONTROL #YP-205—Removes the ownership requirement for youth exhibitors in Novice classes, while allowing them to keep their points.
• CONTROL #RA-000—Modifies the registration requirements for stakes race eligibility in racehorses.