ASHBA Special Release
Friday, March 8, 2024
The American Saddlebred Horse and Breeders Association (ASHBA) is disappointed that we were not invited to participate in the World’s Championship Horse Show (WCHS) town hall meeting yesterday. On behalf of our members, who submitted 637 questions to us, we sent a consolidation of 105 questions. Most of the questions, which can be found HERE, remain unanswered.
Further, ASHBA would like to clarify statements made during the town hall meeting by the panelists.
•During the meeting it was stated that ASHBA had prior knowledge about the Kentucky State Fair Board’s (KSFB) plan to change governing bodies. As we previously stated publicly, the KSFB, WCHS and its representatives did not at any time solicit input or in any way communicate its intention to change governing bodies to ASHBA. By letter dated February 21, 2024, KSFB informed ASHBA for the first time of the change in governance. The letter can be found HERE.
•During the meeting it was suggested that the ASHBA prize programs (futurities and sweepstakes classes) would continue at the WCHS with or without ASHBA’s involvement at the show. While we have no immediate plans to move any classes, these classes are owned and administered by ASHBA and we do have the right to move the classes to another location if we choose to do so.
•While it is true that all requests to add classes at the WCHS go through ASHBA first, the KSFB and WCHS management are the only ones with the authority to add classes. Each year, ASHBA submits directly to horse show management a list of the largest classes, from over 10,000 classes across the country that are currently not at the WCHS or would warrant additional qualifying classes. These classes include Walk/Trot Pleasure 12 and Under, Open Park Pleasure and Hunter Country Pleasure, all of which we believe would help grow our breed. None of these classes have been added.
As we previously stated publicly, we are working with the United States Equestrian Federation, the WCHS and the KSFB to determine how we will proceed considering the newly announced governance changes at the WCHS. And, we continue to meet with our partners at the American Hackney Horse Society, American Road Horse and Pony Association and United Professional Horsemen’s Association, all members of the reconvened Joint Leadership Council.
ASHBA exists for the promotion and protection of the breed we love, and the members who share that passion. We are eager to find a prompt and satisfactory resolution to this situation. As always, we are committed to transparency and will keep our members updated on future developments.
Thank you,
Allen Bosworth, President
David Mount, Executive Director
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