PFHA BOD meeting and Convention

[LynnG]

Just got a call from Jose regarding to the PFHA BOD meeting:

Here are some highlights on rule changes that passed that he mentioned.......

VA PFHA is a new region
SR judges don't have to put their name in to judge Natls (effective immediately)
Metal allowed in all classes in headgear
Snaps allowed on reins in Open classes

all the new ethics hearing proposals failed
:lol:

someone else can add more that knows...

[Kerry W]

Thanks for the update..wonder how the tail thing went? :shock:

yikes - congrats to VA!

what about the tail? :-?

[SandyMM]

Metal allowed in all classes in headgear

Do you know what the actual rule change now allows? Covered/uncovered? Schooling only? Thanks for the report.

[LynnG]

it would allow now covered metal in pleasure schooling is the best of my understanding of the rule proposal that passed. That is not allowed under current rules for pleasure schooling. Would go in effect next show season, usally is the case with rule changes.

[CarolU]

The Tail rules all failed (after a lengthy discussion - where YES, it can be enforced, at a substantial cost. The AQHA does it, and it costs $10K to get the machine they use and it takes the agreement of two vets (judges and stewards do not make the determination). I might just put together a proposal for enforcement...we'll see.

BTW - It was announced that Confepaso judges at the recent judges clinic...all of them, including the U.S., Colombia, Dom. Rep., and Puerto Rico signed their names to a petition that they will NOT require altered tails or detract points from natural tails.

I think this change puts an end to any "requirement" people may feel to cut the tails.

Removing the Pleasure Gait requirements from the Pleasure Divison failed, as did our proposal to change Country Pleasure. They did not have a problem adding an Open class, but did not want to remove the 30-day no-trainer requirement. We also had a 'typo' in there and inadvertently made it A/O instead of just Amature. Next time. The Versatility change did pass and will now be a Pleasure class.

[Cindy]

Carol. to my knowledge, Quarter Horse tails are not cut as our tails are. They are deadened. What does this machine check for and how is checking for a dead tail the same as checking for a cut ligament?

[Ginger]

VA PFHA is a new region

Ok, wasn't it one area in Texas that wanted to become a region and couldn't? What's different about VA and Texas, besides a few more missing teeth and higher incest rate?

[CarolU]

The machine looks for scars. I believe it is the same as those used by pathologists during autopsies. It will find scars as small as puncture wounds..it would find cuts to ligaments. I honestly don't think the machine is necessary, since the ligament cut is quite a bit larger then a tiny puncture wound. But, I think the two-vet rule is a good one though, especially where it would end a horse's show career. That way it is not subjective and judges and stewards are kept out of it.

I think they would have to set a a "grandfather" date, and enforce from then on, so as not to penalize horses that already have had the procedure done. I also don't think it would be fair to penalize the horse farther then showing (i.e., registerable offspring), otherwise it would be a death certificate for the horse.

CJ also pointed out that it would have to apply to Paso Finos in every discipline, not just show horses. Good point.

[CarolU]

Crystal, to answer your question, Virginia tried before and was turned down too.

There are some things they have to do according to the rule book, to demonstrate that the new region would have enough members to be a cohesive group, and not unduly affect the group it seperates from. In this case the members came from either/both Mason Dixon and/or Piedmont. They were heard first before the BOD voted. Mason Dixon was against it, Piedmont was a split vote. Ann Howel gave a very good presentation that demonstrated that they had covered their bases. The motion passed.

[motorgypsy]

Hallelujah!!!!!

We'll have to work harder on the country pleasure thing. It's a great idea to pull a lot more people into the show scene without losing our really nice, natural, relaxed paso finos.

[CarolU]

Removing the Pleasure Gait requirements from the Pleasure Divison failed

I need to correct this. I was wrong. They did vote to remove the pleasure gait language from the Pleasure Division. It will no longer read "and gaits are especially suitable to trail and pleasure riding"

:cry: :cry: :cry:

Although this accurately reflects what is seen in the arena these days, it is the death of "real" pleasure horses in the Pleasure Division. I do think they should change the name to "Show Pleasure" so everyone knows these are not our "real" pleasure horses.

[stella]

Think I 100% agree with you on, Carol.....motion for next year!
Very glad about the tail thing, its above all, a matter of setting ourselves apart from the breeds that do similarly, which are for the most part, gaited, and come with plenty of extra negative "baggage."

[Boyd R]

I think the best way to enforce this rule is not at the show ring at all. But rather if you want to show in a PFHA show you have to have the tail inspected and certified non cut. Send it in to PFHA and put on the reg. papers. If a tail is thought to have been cut by a PFHA member and brought to a judges or stewards attention and is considered questionable, The PFHA could than require you to get it retested by a professional of their choosing. If it has been cut they face fine, Probation, horse gets reregistered as cut tail and non-showable. Looses all points between good to bad test. If not the Pfha pays for the test.
So you say what if I bought a horse that is determined to have been cut after a good test and papers say the tail is good. I would say it would be a prepurchase test that you would want done to protect you. And if you were to notify Pfha of someone trying to sell a horse as being good an your prepurchase exam says different then they could deal with that individual as if they were trying to show the horse themselves.
Personally I would think if it were going to hurt individuals in the pocket book in sales and not being able to show. It would stop quickly. But it comes down to enforcement. Put the financial burden of testing on the horse owner that wants to show.

And also I am saying this only from the pointe that if Paso Finos have natural J tails and it is a desireable trait. Than Artificial modification should not be allowed in the show ring.

[SandyMM]

IF 'j' tails are _so_ important to the breed (according to some) - why isn't it _bred_ for rather than cut?

[Cindy]

Enforcement would certainly curtail any imports from other countries.

[motorgypsy]

Give something like a one year grace period and grandfather all horses older than the final date. Make sure all our friends who breed in other countries and import are aware of the rules being enforced.

Obviously it won't have any effect on a breeding stallion or broodmare if they aren't shown buy why cut a tail if you aren't going to show.

The market place will rule and tail cutting will stop because the US is such a big market. The main thing is publicize it and stick to the rules.

As I mentioned - we really need only one machine - one at Nationals. Once the rule is in effect and adhered to it would be foolish to risk the large amounts of money a win at nationals can bring. As prices come down and they will, we can get more but at least it would let people know we're all serious at stopping this practice.

[Cindy]

You live in a dream world. Colombia is not going to stop tail alteration because WE say so. And who are we to dictate to them anyway. It's the American way or the highway. They'll just love us for that. And how about Venezuela. Chavez would probably make it law that ALL Paso Finos in Venezuela must have their tails altered if we even insinuated that they must abide by our rules.

lol @ Chavez and Venezuela sad part is it could really happen. Colombia has it as bad as it can get with the ELISA test.

[CarolU]

I don't know...I hear that all the time...but what we heard about Confepaso makes you think that things can change, even in the Caribbean countries where it first became popular.

I have to agree with the MGs....I think they would not cut tails of horses they hoped to sell or compete in the U.S. And, even horses with cut tails could be used for breeding.

This kind of highlights the problem with growth for our breed, yes, they can always sell each other, each other's horses, but that doesn't make the breed grow. You need to bring in NEW buyers, and to do that, you need to look beyond the Caribbean and Miami.