Thousands gather to pay their last respects to AQHA Past President Frank “Scoop” Vessels III, who was killed in a private-plane crash on August 11.

AQHA Past President Frank "Scoop" Vessels III, 1952-2010

More than 2,000 people showed up on Monday at Vessels Stallion Farm to honor Scoop Vessels.

On August 11, Frank “Scoop” Vessels III, a former AQHA president and owner of the stallion farm that stands all-time leading sire First Down Dash, was killed in a plane crash in Oregon. Five days later, his family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances and people who had just met him or in some cases simply knew of him, paid their last respects to the giant of the industry at a memorial service at the ranch. 

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View the 2010 art show and sale, benefiting the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum.

View all the artwork for sale below, including the signature piece, "A Bright Future," by Wayne Baize.

America’s Horse in Art returns to the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum August 14-November 13, 2010.

The public is invited to the America’s Horse in Art opening, which will take place Saturday, August 14. Many of the talented artists will be at the opening and available to discuss the inspiration for their art work. The opening will be 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum and will feature live music, hors d’œuvres and cocktails.

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Check out the top-10 most popular FREE reports from America’s Horse Daily.

Fall is right around the corner. Brush up on all kinds of tips and tricks with America’s Horse Daily’s FREE reports. Here are the top-10 most popular reports right now!

1. How to Make a Rope Halter: Follow these easy steps to create your own knotted rope halter for your horse.
2. Horse Color and Markings Chart: This quick guide helps you identify horse colors and markings.
3. Judging Halter Classes: Learn what AQHA Judges look for in a halter class winner.
4. Tying the Mecate: How to get your bosal out of the tack trunk and into use.
5. Halter Breaking Your Foal: Training your foal to accept a halter doesn’t have to be a struggle.
6. The Ultimate Guide to Showing: The perfect introduction to horse showing is FREE to you!
7. How to Tie a Rope Halter: Learn the correct way to tie a rope halter.
8. Showmanship Basics: Learn the fundamentals of showmanship so your next pattern is perfect.
9. How to Build a Mounting Block: Ease aboard your horse with a homemade mounting block.
10. Chubby Horses: Keeping your horse from being fat will help her avoid a number of problems.

The 2010 Adequan Select World Championship Show is right around the corner — get the facts on the Farnam All-Around Amateur Award.

The 2009 Farnam All-Around Amateur winners Susan K. Johns and Majestic Scotch.

AQHA Corporate Partner Farnam, a company dedicated to horse care, has teamed up with AQHA as the title sponsor of the Farnam All-Around Amateur Award this year’s Adequan Select World Championship Show. The Adequan Select World Show is August 29 – September 4 in Amarillo.

The Farnam All-Around Amateur Award goes to the top Select amateur exhibitor-and-horse team earning the most points in three or more events in two categories during the Adequan Select World Show. The winner of this award receives $10,000 cash, plus $1,000 of Farnam product and a WeatherBeeta blanket; the reserve all-around amateur receives $2,500 cash, plus $500 of Farnam product; and the third- through fifth-place finishers each receive $1,000 cash and $250 of Farnam product.

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AQHA announces the beta launch of the redesigned aqha.com. We want your feedback!

AQHA’s Web team is pleased to launch the public beta release of the new-and-improved aqha.com, located at beta.aqha.com.  This is only a preview of the future site and is in the public testing phase.

Please note that much of the functionality is still in progress. To conduct regular AQHA business, please continue to use aqha.com.

AQHA members and users are encouraged to take a moment to visit the beta site at beta.aqha.com, and use the comment feature at the bottom to tell us what you think about the overall design and navigation.  Or simply e-mail us at beta@aqha.org with your comments and suggestions.

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AQHA’s Facebook fan page has reached a milestone, and everybody gets a prize to celebrate!

Check your Facebook to see if you've won this saddle bag or a Journal subscription!

If you’ve been to AQHA’s Facebook page lately, then you know what a busy place it is! AQHA’s Facebook page is bustling with activity, from the latest industry news to tips and tricks to help you enjoy your horses to the fullest.

AQHA’s Facebook page offers:

• “Guess That Horse.” Each Wednesday, enjoy this fast-paced game with a great prize up for grabs to the person who is the first to correctly guess the horse in the photo.
• Monthly contests with AQHA corporate partner prizes. AQHA’s generous corporate partners provide a hefty prize package each month.
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The 2010 Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show is right around the corner. Check out all the exciting facts before you head to Oklahoma City.

In a three-way tie during the reining finals at the 2009 Ford Youth World, Emily Winegar and Red Berry Wine triumphed as the reining world champions in a fierce run-off.

The 2010 Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show comes to the Oklahoma State Fair Park July 30-August 7, 2010. The best cowgirls and cowboys 18 and under will vie for dozens of coveted world championships, plus they’ll have a great time in the process.

We’ve organized some details to help you enjoy the Built Ford Tough Youth World to the fullest!

The Breakdown

• Number of Entries: 2,402
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Massive media coverage of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will introduce new people to horse sports.

By Christine Hamilton

“It’s an unprecedented opportunity for our sport in the United States.”

Marty Bauman, director of media services and operations for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, made that statement speaking at the American Horse Publications annual seminar June 17. That date marked 99 days away from the Games’ opening ceremonies in September.

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He’s a superhero speed-event horse with a personality to match.

"Teddy" and Jessie Ford at the 2007 All American Quarter Horse Congress. Photo by Jeff Kirkbride.

The 21-year-old Teddy Terrific has competed in speed events at the All American Quarter Horse Congress every year since 1992 and has earned 10 Congress championships and nearly 40 top-10 finishes. He has also earned two AQHA reserve world championships, more than $100,000, 10 trophy saddles and 21 trophy buckles – just to name part of his accomplishments, and he’s still running strong. So, you’d expect “Teddy” to be all business, right?

You obviously don’t know Teddy.

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A dude ranch offers a great getaway to reconnect with family and enjoy the great outdoors.

Consider a dude ranch for your family reunion this summer. Dude ranches offer the opportunity to share your love of horses with family.

USA Today recently offered up some suggestions for a unique family reunion — and we couldn’t agree more with one of the suggestions. A family reunion set at a dude ranch might be the chance for horse lovers to share their passion for horses with kinfolk who don’t often experience the thrill of being horseback.

Most dude ranches have horses to suit experienced riders, as well as beginners, and the accommodations range from no-frills to luxurious. Many dude ranches also offer additional activities to keep the whole family entertained, such as nearby golf courses, river rafting and fishing.

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Check out the top-10 most popular FREE reports from America’s Horse Daily.

We all have great expectations for a fun summer with our horses. Brush up on all kinds of tips and tricks with America’s Horse Daily’s FREE reports. Here are the top-10 most popular reports right now!

1. How to Make a Rope Halter: Follow these easy steps to create your own knotted rope halter for your horse.
2. Halter Horse Expression: Insider tips for getting expression from your halter horse.
3. Color Coat Genetics: Learn all of the approved American Quarter Horse colors and the infinite possibilities for your future foals.
4. How to Build a Mounting Block: Ease aboard y Read the rest of this entry »

Several Certified Horsemanship Association instructors share their pet peeves.

Protect you and your horse from potential harm with day-to-day safety practices.

1. Letting Loose

Walking a horse through a gate and just turning him loose as he walks off is very unsafe and instills terrible manners in him. When turning horses out, this may lead to the horse taking off as soon as you go through the gate, and he may kick up his heels as he departs, kicking right toward the handler. Whenever a horse is led through a gate, he should be turned around toward the gate before letting him loose. This will prevent him from running off as soon as you enter the gate and also turns his rear-end away from you before he is let loose.

Ardith Turpin, CHA Instructor, Horsemanship
Director YMCA Camp Manitou-Lin, Middeville, MI

2. No Rubbing Read the rest of this entry »