Online Amateur Application Form

By filling out this form you are agreeing to the below conditions:

Under the AQHA-NZ Amateur Rules and requirements, I am eligible for Amateur Status and agree to abide by the AQHA-NZ Amateur Rules and Regulations, and any additions or alterations in the AQHA-NZ Rule Book. I also agree that my name may be published on any AQHA-NZ Amateur List.  Application for Amateur Status with AQHA-NZ is necessary to receive AQHA-NZ Amateur points and lifetime and/or end of year amateur awards and to compete in Amateur classes at shows that are sanctioned by AQHA-NZ but not sanctioned by NZWRF. These include AQHA-NZ National show, and any shows restricted to Quarter Horses only held in either the North Island or the South Island. At any Show Approved by NZWRF, amateur riders will also require amateur cards to compete.

OBJECT: The amateur division is designated for the non-professional exhibitor who owns and shows his/her own horse
AMATEUR ELIGIBILITY
1. a) The application for amateur membership must be true and correct in each detail. Be a financial member of AQHA-NZ. A false statement shall be grounds for possible disciplinary action under AQHA-NZ disciplinary procedure, which includes having AQHA-NZ membership status, rights and/or privileges suspended. This may include suspension of rights to, compete at AQHA-NZ sanctioned shows, lodge breeding certificates, have points recorded in amateur or all categories, receive lifetime and/or end season awards. A person is eligible for an amateur card, and maintains eligibility, when he or she:
  i) no longer eligible to compete in AQHA-NZ youth classes: must be 19 years of age on or before 1 August of the year of application.
  ii) has not shown, trained or assisted in training a horse for remuneration, monetary or otherwise, either directly or indirectly, not received remuneration for instucting another person in riding, driving, training or showing a horse for three (3)    calendar years previous to application for amateur card: An exception exists with respect to an amateur competitor certified as an instructor in Riding for the Disabled or similar organizations. Such approved organizations shall be compiled and maintained by the AQHA-NZ Amateur Department. The excepted instuctor shall teach only students enrolled with an approved organization or prescribed such rehabilitation by a licenced medical doctor. Any amateur competitor accepted under this provision shall file such certification with the AQHA-NZ Amateur Deparment prior to any competition by such individual:
  iii) must not exhibit in amateur AQHA-NZ classes horses owned by any third party, but shall only exhibit horses solely owned by the applicant or the applicants family, which is the applicant’s spouse, child, stepchild, legal ward, father, mother, stepmother, sister, brother, stepparent or legal guardian. Separate legal entities, such as family corporations, family tursts, or family parnerships are also authorised owners of the amateur exhibitors horse so long as all legal and equitable owners and beneficiaries of the legal entity are individuals specifically authorized by this rule. “Owned” means, in addition to other legitimate methods of acquiring ownership, the bona fide legal ownership obtained for adequare consideration in reasonable relationship with the actual market value of the horse. For example, a $5 payment for world championship quality horse does not meet the required character of required ownership for competition in AQHA-NZ amateur divison. The relationship of the amateur to the owner of the participating horse must be evidenced by submitting legal documentation (i.e. copies of marriage and/or birth certificates):
  iv) cannot hold membership accreditation in a professional association for those events or classes which are the same events or classes the individual competes, or desires to compete, in AQHA-NZ amateur competion. For example, a person who competes in a PRCA roping event may not compete in amateur calf roping, dally team roping (heading or heeling) but may show in any other amateur classes. A permit holder is not considered as one who has membership accreditaiton in a professional organization and may compet in any AQHA-NZ amateur class
  v) has not, nor during the period of amateur status cannot, show, train or assist in the training of a horse for which a spouse accepts remuneration, monetary or otherwise, either directly or indirectly, for training, assisting in the training, or showing of said horse
  vi) has not, nor during the perion of amateur status cannot, show a horse for which the person’s spouse has previously received remuneration for training during the twelve month period preceding the showing of the horse by the amateur in AQHA-NZ amateur competition.
  vii) has not, nor during the perion of amateur status cannot show a horse in any class restricted to or designed to promote trainers, professional riders, and/or non-amateur riders.
b) As a condition for the issuance of amateur card, the applicant, and/or the family member who actually owns the horse with which the amateur will participate, agrees to provide upon request, such documentation or other proof as requested to support the representations of sole economic ownership of the horse of horses exhibited by the amateur in amateur events, and the other criterion set forth above. Failure to promptly furnish such documentation upon request may be cause for immediate termination of amateur status and be ground for possible disciplinary action by the Executive Committee under AQHA-NZ disciplinary procedure for failure to respond to request for information.
c) To become eligible for amateur status, or become eligible for reinstatement to amateur status, the individual must wait three years from the date of the last incident which rendered the individual ineligible. Violation of AQHA-NZ’s rule requirement for truthful application for amateur status may be cause for more severe sanction than such waiting period.
d) Payment of entry fees and/or expenses by anyone other than the amateur, his/her immediate family, or a corporation, partnership or other business entity in which the amateur and/or a member of his/her immediate family are the sole and only owner, shall be considered remuneration except for demonstrations, exhibitions, or international team competitions, where the amateur is a member of the nationally sponsored team.
e) Every person competing in an amateur class must be listed as a current individual AQHA-NZ amateur member. A list of AQHA-NZ amateur members may be published from time to time in the AQHA-NZ News.
f) Show management(s) will be provided with a list of current AQHA-NZ Amateur members on request and this list must be inspected on receipt of entries to determine AQHA-NZ amateur eligibility prior to competition at every and any show entered.
g) Upon revocation of amateur card because of ineligibility, all earned amateur points from time of violation of eligibility rules, shall be revoked.
2.    Horses under lease to, but not owned by, any of the named persons do qualify for amateur events. Horses owned in partnership or jointly with any person other than those listed above are not considered as fulfilling ownership requirements for amateur classes.
3.      No horse may be shown by more than one contestant in any one class. An amateur may exhibit a maximum of 3 horse in individual working events (refer SHW400.5 in the AQHA handbook).
4.      Junior horses may be ridden in open amateur classes with two hands with a snaffle bit or bosal.
5.      A person wishing to relinquish professional status to return to the amateur status is required to inform the AQHA-NZ in writing of the date they ceased to be professional. Three (3) years from this date they will be eligible to apply for an amateur member permit.
6.      Events to be run under the rules recognised by the AQHA_NZ rule book.
7.      Applications for amateur status must be made annually. The AQHA-NZ will issue letters of acknowledgement to successful applicants.