This is the letter I received:
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Dear AMHA Members,
It is sad that we have to start a common letter of interest with a disclosure but here we go. The following statement and thoughts are strictly my opinion and as I see things that are happening in the AMHA today.
As many of you know, I am a big advocate on measuring our horses correctly. Our existence in the equine world is based on being known as a breed of horse that measures 34" and under. If you read our rule book and the articles of incorporation, it is plain to see that the forefathers of this association declared that an AMERICAN MINIATURE HORSE is 34" and under. This is what sets us apart from other registries and helps produce a market for legitimate Miniature Horses. It also helps to ensure higher prices when it come to supply and demand. We all know that a smaller supply creates a larger demand and that is what forces a thriving market. Our official rule book outlines very clearly the procedure on how each horse is to be measured. It is not rocket science nor is it brain surgery. It is called common sense, integrity and most of all, morality.
If you were at the 2007 world show, you had the chance to witness the rape and pillage of AMHA rules and the total disrespect of our association and its honest members. Measuring, not only at this world show, and many before it has gone totally to a criminal level. I, myself protested three horses that I new were in violation of the measuring rule. Two of the horses were entered in the 32" and under class and I knew that they both were past champions in the 32"- 34" class in previous years. One of the horses is listed at 33" on his permanent papers which you can view on the AMHA stud book When they were remeasured by the protest committee, one was 33 1/2" and the other was 33 3/4" and I repeat, they were both entered and measured in the 32 and under class.
. Lets now stop and look at where the problem is. Everyone’s first thoughts are that it is the handler that is cheating the horses into the wrong class, darn them trainers. Well, that is part of the equation, but it is not the most important one. This falls back on our, and I stress the point OUR association. It starts with the leadership, the management and the person doing the measuring. They are allowing this to go on. It all boils down to money and numbers! The more illegitimate horses that show, the more money the association makes. The bigger number of horses that show, keeps us in the contest with the AMHR. What our leadership is not looking at is, by letting these oversize horses illegally compete at our World Show, we are ticking off our legitimate breeder / exhibitor and they are not coming back until this issue is solved. We can look back over the past years and count the number of oversized horses that are representing our breed as champions. They are imposters, They should never have had the honor to show at the World show. By allowing these horses to show, they just cheated a legitimate horse and his owner, out of maybe one of the greatest moments in their horse experience. It is criminal, immoral and bratizes the integrity of OUR AMHA! If the person in charge of measuring our horses at the World show is off by 1 3/4", then that person has no right to measure at all. A blind person could get closer than that. I do not know if this person was instructed to be lenient and not to measure any horse out or if she thinks she is doing everyone a favor by letting them all show. This method is totally destructive to the future of our association and it has to stop!
It is up to us, as members to insist that the measuring of our horses be done by the book and that it doesn’t matter who you are, we will all be treated equal. As it is right now, there are some of our board members that are the biggest violators. They are using their high position to get favors, I think that is illegal. If not, it should be. They are suppose to lead by example. They are to be the ones that we respect for their knowledge and praise for donating their time to make a better AMHA for all of us. I’m not sure how they sleep at night, but it is hard to force someone to have a conscience. Its hard to swallow knowing that a person holding a board position can be a deciding factor in suspending a member for breaking a rule when the board member is just as guilty. Go figure that one out! We need leaders that are held to a higher standard and can be counted on to do the right thing. We have board members that are measuring horses for hardship registration that are either blind or corrupt. They should be held accountable for their actions along with others. It is time to stop hardship in the AMHA. Our supply is now greater than the demand and we know what that does to our market.
Here is another example, I protested a horse that I knew was over 34". I followed the protest procedure and posted my $50.00. The owner and his horse were instructed to appear for measuring by the protest committee. The owner had gotten wind earlier that his horse was going to be protested and told the protest committee that the horse had mysteriously become ill and it was no longer on the grounds and it had been taken home. It is of my knowledge, that the horse never left the grounds other than to be put in a trailer in the camp grounds. Shame on them and shame on the management for not checking to see if the horse truly was sick. What should have happened is that if the horse was not presented for measuring, his papers should have been revoked until he was measured..He wasn’t sick when they measured him at 34" the day before. Again, the system has been cheated and our leadership has allowed it to happen. NEWS FLASH!!!! There was another so called high profile controversial horse that the owner and trainer left unmeasured standing in the stall. I wonder why? Does the word guilty sound familiar. If the shoe fits, wear it.
In the near future you will be hearing about a group of people that are trying to overturn a new rule that has already been voted on and passed by the membership. The new rule states that a horse may be protested at any time up to 2 hours after the show. Our management states that this rule will cause havoc with the show and that it may be abused just to avenge rather than to make things right. I say to our leadership, If you measure our horses correctly the first time, then you will have no problem. The problem is we are not doing it right and that is causing the problem. This new rule is designed to get people to put their horses in the right class and if they are to big, then they should leave them home. The board is going to try and overturn this rule. I have bad news for them, they set a presidence with the futurity committee when they wanted to enhance the futurity with some good ideas. Our legal council advised that what ever the membership has voted for is how it has to be. This rule went through all of the correct channels, it was voted on, passed and now will come into effect on Jan 1 of 08. A large number of people that are against this rule are the violators, there again, go figure.
We should all be for the betterment of our association and it is time to put the violators on notice. As of Jan 1 /08, every show manager should be held liable to measure the horses correctly. They should be held accountable along with our leadership and management. Please help to put us back on a constructive track to better our association. Before long, none of us will be proud of the outcome if we don’t act soon.
Yours respectively
Ed Sisk
AMHA Member 23 years
edited to add the part at the top saying I received this letter.
