Behind-the-Scenes at 2015 AQHA Convention With Scott Trahan

EC Blog by: Scott Trahan

I attended the 2015 AQHA Convention on Friday the 6th of March. Many Halter competitors and trainers attended the session on Halter for the anticipated “lip chain” discussion. While many of us were thinking this was a topic of the past, it seems to have resurfaced.

While I was hoping to see the proponents of wanting to do away with lip chains, [in order] to understand their position, they were not in the meeting room and no one spoke on their behalf. With many Halter competitors in favor of keeping the rule as is, several people spoke about why they believe AQHA should [continue to] allow lip chains.

As a whole, what I gathered is that Halter competitors see the lip chain as an aid to control their animals. With such a wide age group showing now, many described their concerns of having older competitors and youth showing without having this aid. As a father of a 12-year-old, I voiced my concern that, in the show pen, we have seen what can go wrong at any given time. I personally believe the lip chain aids the exhibitor in the control and safety of not only the horse but the exhibitor and others around the show.

I also voiced my concern that [the Association] can’t put enough rules in place to limit equipment that’s used at horse shows for the various disciplines. It all comes down to how you use these tools, training the users, and if an abuse is observed, deal with it as an abuse with subsequent fines and penalties.

This topic will move on to the Executive Committee for a vote today.

The use of lip chains in Halter competition is just one of the many items up for discussion at the 2015 AQHA Convention currently taking place in Fort Worth, Texas. Within the Halter Subcommittee of the 2015 Show Agenda, three of the ten items listed relate to the use of the lip chain in some manner, ie. (#6- Allow a stallion which has bred five or more mares to be allowed to use a lip chain. All other horses would not be allowed to use a lip chain.” #9- Disallow the use of lip chains, #10- Allow the use of lip chains.)

Click here to download the 2015 Committee Agendas. Items of interest include topics ranging from a clarification of bit use in Green classes, placing and point structure for leveled classes, animal welfare concerns, and raising the amateur select age limit to the addition of more Ranch Horse classes, adding a third fence in Hunter Hack, and discussion about the announcing of scores in the finals at the World Show as well as the current Shootout format.