AQHA to Host FEI CRI2* at 2009 World Show

The American Quarter Horse Journal, October 8, 2009 – The American Quarter Horse Association World Championship Show will host an International Equestrian Federation, CRI2* (Concour de Reining Internationale) event November 16 at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.

The entry form is available at www.aqha.com/showing/shows/worldshow/. Entries for the event are due Friday, November 13, by 5 p.m. CST and are open to all breeds. The FEI competition will take place in conjunction with the senior reining preliminaries in the Performance Arena. Part of the USEF Open Qualifying series, United States Equestrian Federation Long-List Riders are required to show at three CRI qualifying shows between April 1, 2009, and May 1, 2010, to be eligible to enter the U.S. Team Selection Trial, which will determine the U.S. Team at international competitions in 2010, including the World Equestrian Games.

In 2002, American Quarter Horses appeared for the first time in a World Equestrian Games arena when reining was accepted into FEI and allowed to compete in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.

In 2010, reining will once again be a part of the World Equestrian Games, but this time it will not be in Europe, where it has been since its inception in 1990, but in the United States. And AQHA will be a major player at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which are September 25-October 10 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

AQHA is the Official Reining Breed Sponsor of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. In its role for the games, AQHA will assist with the promotion and coverage of reining during the entire event and will be featured in the Equine Village. In addition, on the opening weekend of the games, reining will be the main competitive feature element of NBC’s opening 90-minute broadcast coverage. The 14-day event will not only feature reining but also seven other disciplines: dressage, driving, eventing, jumping, vaulting, endurance and para dressage.

The two-star competition being held at the AQHA World Show on November 16 is a great opportunity to get a glimpse of the athletes who will be vying for a place on the American team. The competition is open to all eligible horses and begins at 8 a.m. in the Performance Arena in Barn 6 at Oklahoma State Fair Park. The veterinary inspection and jog will take place November 15 at 1 p.m. CST in Barn 3.

The Bank of America Amateur and FedEx Open World Championship Show is the largest single-breed world championship horse show in the world. The exciting competition begins November 6 and continues through November 21 at State Fair Park. For the latest information, including schedules and details of special events, visit www.aqha.com.

Tickets for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are on sale now. Reining is priced at $95 for each of the four team competitions as well as the qualifying competition and $120 for the individual final competition. Tickets can be purchased online at www.alltechfeigames.com.

NOTE TO EXHIBITORS: In addition to necessary health papers, horses entered in the FEI CRI2* at the AQHA World Show will need to have a current FEI or national passport. For questions or assistance in obtaining a passport, contact Horsepower Inc. at (720) 982-3574.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.