AQHA Partners with Reining Horse Sports Foundation on Expanded World Equestrian Games Television Coverage

The American Quarter Horse Journal, July 24, 2009 – The American Quarter Horse Association, the official Breed Sponsor of Reining at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, announces its partnership with the Reining Horse Sports Foundation to expand television coverage of reining on the opening weekend of the Games. Reining will be the main competitive feature element of NBC’s opening 90-minute broadcast coverage. Additionally, reining will be the first medaled sport, positioning the discipline to be the premier event in front of a worldwide audience.

Reining team competitions take place Saturday, September 25, and Sunday, September 26, 2010. NBC coverage, which includes the team reining event, runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. Eastern on September 26.

Individual reining competitions take place Tuesday, September 28, and Thursday, September 30. NBC will feature individual competition during its coverage on Sunday, October 3, which is slated to air from 1-4 p.m. Eastern.

“We are proud to have reining in such a prominent position for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games,” said Reining Horse Sports Foundation President Frank Costantini. “Having reining as part of the 2010 WEG will bring many new competitors and spectators to this exciting discipline, and with dedicated television coverage, more people across the globe will have the chance to experience the excitement of reining.”

Reining was added to the FEI as a discipline in 2000 and was featured for the first time in 2002 at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain. The reining competitions at the 2006 Games in Aachen, Germany, launched the discipline and its athletes into fame, with sold-out performances and loud, fanatical crowds.

“The breed of reining champions is the American Quarter Horse,” said AQHA President Jim Helzer. “We are looking forward to some great days of competition in 2010 and know many people throughout the world will appreciate seeing such great equine and human athletes compete. We’re excited about our sponsorship with WEG and our partnership with the Reining Horse Sports Foundation on the expanded television coverage.”

The Reining Horse Sports Foundation was established in 1999 as a supporting organization for the National Reining Horse Association, the international governing body for reining. The Foundation’s mission is to develop and enhance the sport of reining worldwide. RHSF accomplishes this through their five core programs: Reining Hall of Fame, Crisis Fund, Research, Development & Education, Youth Programs and International Development.

The American Quarter Horse Association is the world’s largest single-breed equine registry and membership organization, with more than 5 million American Quarter Horses registered worldwide and AQHA membership numbering more than 330,000. AQHA’s mission is to record and preserve the pedigrees of the American Quarter Horse while maintaining the integrity of the breed and to provide beneficial services for its members which enhance and encourage American Quarter Horse ownership and participation.

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are the world championships of eight equestrian disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale. Her Royal Highness Princess Haya is the current president of the FEI. The Games are held every four years, and this will be the first occurrence in the United States. The Games run for 16 days in 2010, Saturday, September 25 – Sunday, October 10.

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