The AQHA Name Rule
May 30, 2011
All the ins, outs and in-betweens of naming your American Quarter Horse.
AQHA helps with the process of naming your new foal.
I find myself intrigued most days about some of the names owners and breeders come up with for their American Quarter Horses. I’ve seen plays on words; made-up-on-the-spot-for-the-occasion names; we-must-have-let-that-one-slip names; cliché names; and the ever-popular pedigree names. I get a chuckle each day wondering, “How in the heck did they think of that? I never, in a million years, woulda thought of that name!”
What and how an American Quarter Horse can be named is a common question. AQHA does have rules that tend to change from time to time regarding naming a horse. I’ll explain these rules, plus tell you how to change your horse’s name if you decide you don’t like it, or didn’t pick it in the first place. Check out the AQHA Rule Book for a complete look at AQHA rules and regulations.
Naming Your AQHA Foal (Rule 103):
- The horse can be named anything you like. Although many people prefer to, you are not required to name your AQHA foal according to pedigree.
- The name cannot be longer than 20 characters (this includes blank spaces and numbers and is simply because AQHA computer systems are not programmed to allow more).
- Arabic numerals (1234…and so on) are permitted at the end of a name so long as there is a space between the name and number placed on the end.
- Punctuation marks are not permitted (so if you are looking at DASHS DIGIT, there is no apostrophe in the word ‘dashs’ because it is not allowed per AQHA rules).
- Keep the name clean. (We do attempt to red flag anything that seems inappropriate.)
- You have to have written permission from John Wayne to name your horse John Wayne. (The same goes for every celebrity.)
There are your basics when looking to name your AQHA foal. If you have a name in mind, and you’re a current AQHA member, you can login to Member Services and use our Research Foal Name tool located in the Horse Research menu at the top of the page. If you’re not a member, join or renew to take advantage of this and other awesome tools and benefits available to you as and AQHA member. You can also contact AQHA Customer Service to have a name researched. Like loopholes? Me too. Keep reading to find out how to reuse a name that is taken and how to change a name you don’t like.
Reusing a Name (Rule 103.4):
- The horse must be deceased, and that must be reported by the current record owner of the horse.
- The horse cannot have competed in any AQHA-approved event (This confuses many people – by ‘not competed,’ we mean cannot ever have raced, even if it came in dead last and cannot ever have even set foot in the ring of an AQHA-approved show.)
- The horse cannot have any offspring with a performance record (show or race).
- The horse cannot have earned a special achievement award. (Horseback Riding Program is considered an award/achievement on the horse’s part, so the name cannot be reused. Incentive Fund or Challenge nominations are not considered awards/recognition, so that name could be reused so long as the horse – as stated above – was never shown or raced.)
- The horse cannot have any produce or get younger than 10 years of age, and the horse’s produce or get cannot have received any of those awards/achievements or special recognitions.
That seems like a lot of exceptions, but I see a lot of names that are eligible for reuse. With more than 5 million horse names in our database, you’re bound to come across one if you ever need to!
Now, have you ever purchased an American Quarter Horse, looked at his certificate and went bug-eyed at his name? Drove away with your new horse in tow wondering how on earth you are going to take a horse called ‘Pick My Booger’ to a show and live through it? No boogie, I mean biggie. Just change his name!
Changing a Horse’s Name (Rule 118):
- The horse cannot have competed in any AQHA approved event (show or race – same as reusing.)
- The horse cannot have earned a special achievement award. (see Rule 440)
- The horse cannot have earned any money or award with an AQHA affiliate as shown on AQHA records.
- The horse cannot have ever appeared on any breeding document submitted to AQHA or have any registered offspring. (This means that if said horse is a mare, said mare cannot even have been on a breeding report – even if the breeding was five years ago and didn’t result in a foal.)
Those are the rules. If you want to change your horse’s name, we need a signed statement requesting the change and your name choices. You may send one name choice or 10. Just be sure to number them. One is your favorite, two the second favorite and so on. The fee for name change is $55 ($95 if your membership is not current). And, before you ask, yes, you can send a name change request with your transfer when you purchase the horse, and we’ll take care of you!
So there you have it. Your horse’s name in a nutshell. It’s about that time. Spring foals are on their way. Good luck naming your babies!
Have any questions about your horse’s name? Have a great name you want to share? Have a funny name? Post a comment!
As always, at your service…
Kayla Randall
AQHA Customer Service
Comments
30 Comments on “The AQHA Name Rule”
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April 2nd, 2009 at 12:58 pm
I love the new personal approach to explaining the rules and regulations! It is so much friendlier and makes navigating the steps for registration, name change, etc. easier and fun! Thanks for the changes! Kathleen
April 3rd, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Nice write up. Makes it easy to understand. Now if there was a magic way to get a good foal pictures for their registration papers. LOL!!
April 5th, 2009 at 8:25 am
nice way to make it easier to understand how to name the new baby and explaining rthe registration steps.thanks on the personal approach.
April 5th, 2009 at 8:27 am
nice way to make it easier to understand how to name the new baby and explaining the registration steps.thanks on the personal approach.
April 5th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
This article takes the pain out of trying to name the new foal. Sometimes this could be applied to naming a new human baby too.
April 16th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Beth,
Get down on your knees to take the photos, I have found they come out much better. Doesn’t make your foal look like they have a big head and no chest… less chance of catching shadows as well.
We have 2 new 2009 fillys on the ground so far… now begins the “name game”!
Good Luck with the photos.
Donna
April 22nd, 2009 at 9:07 pm
This was very helpful and easy to understand. I found out what I needed to know about re-naming.
April 23rd, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Does the AQHA have a Register of names already used like the APHA so that owners of foals needing registration could refer to it prior to submitting names already chosen?
Might already exist; just couldn’t find it on your site.
Many thanks.
April 26th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Hi!
How do we find out if a name is taken?
Marcie Michael
April 27th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Lorraine and Marcie,
AQHA does have a program located in the Member Services area of our Web Site that allows a possible foal name to be verified. You may type in the name you want for the foal, and the system will check to see if the name is already in use. You must be a member to utilize this feature. If you are, and have your PIN number, log into Member Services on http://www.aqha.com and click on Horse Research at the top of the page, then Research Foal Names. AQHA Customer Service will also look up a possible name for you over the phone.
Pleas feel free to contact AQHA Customer Service at 806-376-4811 Monday-Friday 8-5 CST with any questions you have.
Kayla Randall
AQHA Customer Service
June 25th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
i need to transfer ownership of a mare. not sure how to do this? she may be double registered, not sure?
can you help?
thank you,
linda
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:21 am
What form is used to change a horse’s registered name? Do all Novice Shows count as an AQHA approved events?
Thank you!
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:41 am
Meggan,
Thank you for your comment! AQHA does not have a form to change a horse’s name. Simply write and sign a request containing the current registered name/number of the horse and your new name choices. You may include more than one name choice if you wish, just be sure to number them in order of preference. AQHA needs your request, the horse’s current Certificate of Registration and the $50 name change fee.
Even though Novice points are not necessarily part of a horse’s acheivement record, Novice exhibition still prohibits a horse’s name from being changed.
If you have further questions, please leave another comment or contact AQHA Customer Service at 806-376-4811 Monday-Friday 8-5 CST.
Kayla Randall
AQHA Customer Service
January 27th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
I want to reserve an “untaken” name for my 2010 foal that has not yet arrived. I thought there was a way to do this, but I can’t seem to find any information about the procedure.
Insight?
Thanks,
Tracie
March 17th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
how do i find out if my horse is registered?. i have been told he is a registered quarter horse and have his breeding records but not the registered papers.
June 21st, 2010 at 10:49 am
The perfect addition to this article would be a pointer or link to the names database. This would help in checking to see if a name had been taken, and possibly get “inspiration” from similar names as that being considered.
July 12th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
when running a business, the first thing you should do is always establish a good customer service”:’
October 10th, 2010 at 10:17 am
customer service should be put first with any kind of business,.”
November 5th, 2010 at 4:02 am
[...] everything he had into his operation to his longevity. I remember the hours we spent thinking of names for the horses and how this fun mission brought our entire family together. I, as the rest of my [...]
December 6th, 2010 at 4:02 am
[...] of coming down the alley hearing ‘Doctor In My Pants,’ so I paid the $50 to AQHA to have her name changed,” Dena says. The name, she adds, is also reminiscent of one of the great ones she had a chance to [...]
December 12th, 2010 at 10:40 am
some stores have really bad customer service while others have topnotch custmer service “,-
January 29th, 2011 at 1:54 pm
There is obviously a whole lot to know about this. I think you made some good factors in Functions also.
Keep working , excellent job!
May 20th, 2011 at 10:13 pm
I just bought a 10 month old fillie off of a guy who named her Debbie Does Dallas and I could not believe it when I saw her name. I am calling her Angel and I am changing her name to
“Gotta Have Faith”. She is such a sweet girl and I just could not let her go through shows and events having that kind of a name..
August 25th, 2011 at 6:17 pm
Where do we send the new name choices for changing the horses name?I have a registered 5 yr old gelding and I want to change his name. also do we need to have cash, or can we have a cheque?
December 2nd, 2011 at 11:22 am
Is there a special form for renaming a horse?
December 2nd, 2011 at 11:24 am
Oh just read the other commment. Nevermind. Thanks!
February 15th, 2012 at 11:22 am
What is the address I need to send my AQHA show name change to, and does the certificate of registration have to be the original or could i make a copy?
Thanks
March 15th, 2012 at 10:47 am
Why do I want to pay for a membership when I can’t even look up a name to see if it’s registered? Don’t you guys think you’re being kind of cheap on people that don’t have much money, but might eventually pay for a membership in the future?
November 18th, 2012 at 8:37 am
@Jay. I think because my horses are members, I should be able to access the data with out buying a membership. After all, I think If my horse had thumbs, They would be in here posting a comments, tweeting their friends and making a facebook account.
January 20th, 2013 at 12:10 am
If I was sending in the name change with my transfer, which includes the fee that makes me a member for 12 months, would it be the $55 fee or the $95 considering I will techinically not be a member when they get it, unless they put the transfer in first?