AOT Open Forum at ASHA Convetion

[brookridgeasb]

Any AOTers going to the AOT forum at ASHA this year? I'll be attending meetings on Thrusday and Friday in support of AOTers and would love to have some support present from other regions. We have a lot to discuss this year. If the AOT classes are to continue to grow, we need support from trainers, show managers, and ASHA/USEF to better define who is an AOT and standardized guidelines for us all to follow. I'm very interested in your thoughts and idea's that I can take with me for presentation.

Pam Quick
ASAC AOT Club Pres

[HeirASB]

I'll be attending Friday for the AOT forum. I'm from Louisville, KY.

[Monaco]

I will be attending I'm from PA and I'm an AOT.
Do we have some guideline already in place? I can't rememeber. I attending the AOT fourm 2 years ago and stated my opinion for rules and guidelines. Who would be incharge of this?

Amy

[barngirl35]

I will also be attending the AOTR forum. I'm looking forward to it. :)

[brookridgeasb]

Monaco,
The only guidelines recognized currently by ASHA/USEF for AOT Saddlebreds is that you have to meet the specifications listed in the USEF GR 808 for amateur status and that the horse must not have been trained by a professional 90 days prior to the horse show participation. However, the ASAC AOTs follow the same guidelines as specified for AOTers showing the Morgan breed. We adopted the same guidelines to follow because it helped us to eliminate a lot of grey area's. It has worked for us here in the Carolina's. Our goal is to get other AOT clubs up and going throughout all regions. Once there is some sort of organization of other AOTers, we can get started on standardization of our guidelines to follow at all ASB shows throughout all regions. ASHA and USEF has to hear from a lot of us before any type of standardization of rules/guidelines will ever be set into place. I think AOTers are an asset to the ASB industry, it shows that your first horse can be a backyard horse and still still have a place to show and then move onto professional training if or when situations change. I've done both!

I'm looking forward to the AOT forum, I have a lot of question for them!

Pam Quick

[barngirl35]

This is just a general AOTR question. Do they have AOTR classes at the Morgan championships? Has Louisville ever considered having an AOTR division? I would think as long as we had some type of regional championship it could be really good for the breed.Thoughts??

[wstrngrl]

The AOTR classes at the local shows would have to get MUCH stronger (and more consistent) entries to ever have a hope of getting a class added to Louisville.

My mom has to practically fight to keep the AOTR class at our IL 'B' shows every year at the board meeting. Why? Because the entries are miserable. This year, of the six classes offered through the year, I think the average # of entries was 2.... And that's a pretty "open" class, it's open to Show, Country, and Classic Pleasure; and to horses showing under either Saddle Seat or Hunt Seat tack.

Though, I think the AOTR classes at the bigger 'A' shows (those that actually have the class) have had more entries than that in the past couple years LOL

The AOTR classes at the 'B' shows use to be stronger, but it seems like the AOTRs around here (IL/WI) have decided to skip the 'B' shows and go mostly to "A" shows. And for the most part they have the horses/know how to be competitive...

But without more consistent entries, it would be very hard to get the class added to Louisville; there are other classes with more consistent entries that would, or atleast should, be considered first...

When there was a National Pleasure Championship show, there were AOTR classes there...

[barngirl35]

Pam- I forgot to mention I am from Ohio. I would very much like to meet you and discuss how you started your AOT club. There are many AOT's up here in NE Ohio-so there is definetly a need.

Donna