Amateur Division
Amateur Information

•  AQHA Amateur Division Web site

•  Amateur Division Constitution

• Our current amateurs: weekly updated list

26/02/13 - We have recieved many queries of late regarding Amateurs banding horses and being paid for it.

An Amateur/Select Amateur cannot receive remuneration or compensation for Showing a horse.

“Showing” means  “exhibiting the horse”

It does not include banding a horse and this is quite permissible under the current rules.

Requirements For Amateurs

62. AMATEUR AND SELECT AMATEUR
62.1 Permit
a) Amateur Permit - For those members of the AQHA, who are no longer eligible to exhibit in youth classes, who are not professionals in the horse industry and who ride their horses for the pleasure of competing against other members who are also not professional.
b) Select Amateur Permit – if a person has attained the age of 50 years and provides proof of age, which must be in the form of a copy of a drivers licence or birth certificate, then their Amateur Permit will be endorsed as to allow them to compete in Select Amateur classes.
c) When a show program offers Select Amateur classes and both Junior and Senior Amateur classes in Western Pleasure, Trail, Hunter Under Saddle, Western Riding and Reining, then a person with a Select Amateur Permit, may enter either the Junior Amateur or the Senior Amateur classes on a different horse to the one they ride in their Select class, as long as the age of horse rule applies and the Amateur, or their immediate family, own the horse. A horse will not be used more than once by the same competitor in any class. eg. A horse cannot compete in Select Amateur Trail and Senior Amateur Trail.
d) A Select Amateur choosing to compete in a Select class at a show is not confined to the other Select Amateur classes at that show. Eg. A person who competes in the Select Amateur Hunter Under Saddle can compete in the Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation on the same horse.
e) Points earned in Select Amateur classes only count towards Select ROM‟s and Select Annual Awards.
62.2 To Gain an Amateur/Select Amateur Permit
a) The Permit application form must be completed in its entirety and sent to the AQHA office, with the correct fees, for processing. These Permits are to be renewed annually.
b) The person applying for this Permit must be a current financial member of the AQHA and hold an individual membership in their own name, either a Full, Life, Hon. Life Membership.
c) The person applying for the permit must declare the following:
“I have not, in the previous 3 years from the date of application for my Permit, received remuneration or compensation for: Showing or training any horse or instructed any other person in riding, driving or exhibiting.”
You cannot show in an Amateur/Select Amateur class until such time as your application is successful and been processed.

62.3 Approval of an Amateur/Select Amateur Permit
Once a Permit has been approved the following rules apply:
An Amateur/Select Amateur cannot receive remuneration or compensation for Showing, Training any horse or instructing any person in riding, driving or exhibiting.
An Amateur/Select Amateur can only exhibit a horse owned by themselves or their immediate family in any class. (This is any class any discipline)
Separate legal entities, such as family corporations, trusts or partnerships, are also authorised owners of the amateur contestant‟s horse so long as all legal and equitable owners and beneficiaries of the legal entity are individuals specifically authorised by this rule (immediate family see Rule 62.6)
Ownership of horses exhibited by the Amateur/Select Amateurs must be evidenced by the records of the Association.
Amateurs/Select Amateurs need to be aware that until such time as a Transfer of ownership or Lease notification has been processed by the Association, the horse cannot be shown by the Amateur/Select Amateur who is transferring/leasing the horse into their name or their immediate family‟s name.
62.4 Prize money is not to be considered remuneration
Judges fees are not to be considered remuneration NB: If you are a Judge in Australia you cannot hold an Amateur Permit with the AmQHA.
62.5 Payment of fees for entries, stables, camping, bedding and any levies incurred at a show, by any person other than the Amateur/Select Amateur or the Amateur‟s/Select Amateur‟s spouse, Defacto partner, parents, child of the family, grandparents, brother(s) or sister(s) will be considered remuneration.
62.6 Immediate family – Spouse, Defacto partner, parents, child of the family, grandparents, brother(s), sister(s).
62.7 Horses owned in partnership or jointly with any person other than the Amateur/Select Amateur‟s immediate family do not fulfil the ownership requirements for Amateur/Select Amateur.
62.8 An Amateur/Select Amateur may ride the same horse in a different Amateur/Select class as that of another Amateur/Select Amateur where the rules pertain to Rule 62.6 are met.

PLEASE NOTE:
Youth members CANNOT apply for an Amateur Endorsement.

How To Become An Amateur

This procedure outlines how to become a Amateur of the Australian Quarter Horse Association.

Step 1: Refer to the the Requirements above to check your eligibility.

Step 2: Complete and sign an Application for Amateur/Select Amateur Endorsement.

Step 3: Check the current fee here.
             Please note that the AQHA Membership year runs from August 1 - July 31.

Step 4: Send the fully completed Application to
             Australian Quarter Horse Association
             PO Box 979
             Tamworth, NSW 2340  

From the Beginning

At the 1997 AQHA National Show a meeting  was convened for Amateurs. At this meeting a group of interested amateurs volunteered and later formed the committee of the Amateur Division of the AQHA.

The Amateur Division is very committed to working towards servicing the needs of all Amateurs by organising and subsidising such things as Training Clinics and Sponsorship  of Amateur Events.

In conjunction with the AQHA Board the Amateur Division is liaising with members nationwide to promote incentives aimed at  encouraging and supporting both new and current members.

The AQHA's monthly Quarter Horse Magazine has an Amateurs section with up-to-date news and information from the Amateur Division.

The Rewards

The AQHA records all points earned by registered Amateurs at all approved shows. This enables Amateurs to qualify for certificates of  achievement including Register of Merits, Superior Awards, Bronze, Silver and Gold Century Awards as well as AQHA Amateur Champions. These awards can be  earned in each separate event.

The highest points earner in each event and in each State  and Nationwide is then named The End of Year High Point and Runner-Up of that  event for that current year. These awards are keenly contested and are presented  at End of Year Presentation Nights.

To find out more, please email us.