Realized I was learning a lot as I read back through this thread. I'm going to summarize what I've been learning. However, first, perhaps some might find some quick numbers interesting.
From this thread ....
1) Not a single "Shetland" person has come on here promoting you need a Shetland to win in AMHR
2) Not a single "Shetland" person has come on here noting they have dozens of critters to hardship into AMHR now.
3) Nearly 20 "miniature" people have noted they are glad to see this is as they have numerous "straight" miniatures to hardship. I stopped counting the exact number of animals when it it neared 3 dozen ... and that was well before I stopped counting the number of breeders.
4) Exactly ONE person who does Miniatures and is interested in double-registered ASPC/AMHR has specifically referred to going out to find some ASPC ponies to hardship. (To that I say, good luck. Personally, from experience, I am not as convinced they are as plentiful as some say.)
5) Although nearly 20 miniature people noted that they had "A" horses to hardship, only one person here has noted they plan to use the sale on an ASPC pony. Of course, that one example can't possible hurt a breeding program as the pony noted was a gelding.
I hadn't really kept up with this thread, but I am glad I read back through it quickly. I learned some amazing things!
From this discussion, I have learned a few things...
First, some papers are apparently valuable. I guess that explains why a "miniature horse" breeder might lose/burn/disregard Shetland papers on ponies that were added to their "miniature" program over the years. Apparently the miniature papers (whether the horse was double registered and had two sets of papers OR in instances where the Shetland papers were "burned" and miniature papers were just magically given to a once-papered pony), are all that matters.
Second, only some programs/preferences should be given consideration. What might be a benefit to others isn't as important. Only some people deserve to have rights or their ideas of what the business should be should be catered to.
Third, there are millions of ponies out there waiting to be hardshipped and doing so is going to impact some breeders. Wow, didn't know there were so many little ponies out there. I get calls all the time from "miniature horse" breeders looking, looking, looking, looking for my kind of pony in Miniature size. Funny thing, those folks can't find them as easily as they like. Obviously, I don't have a bunch to hardship. With the exception of one person, none of my "pony" friends are sitting on great big bunches of ponies to hardship ... and even that person with a few only has a few ... not outlandish numbers. Wish I had more... or, any at all! First, so I could take advantage of the sale. But, more importantly, so I could actually help all of the miniature horse folks who contact me ... contact me ... NOT that I go looking for. So, I hope all of those folks with so very, very, very, very many ponies to hardship will get it done and start marketing. Then, I will have some place to point those miniature breeders when they call me. I sure don't know where to tell them to go now.
Fourth, although the majority of the people here who have posted about being being thankful for this sale have AMHA horses and are more "miniature" focused, this is all still some sort of dastardly plot by the evil pony-owning board members. The fact that business is down is of no concern. The fact that some portions of registry business has been dropping steadily for several years is of no concern. Thankfully, at least some portions of the business have been holding beautifully steady for dozens & dozens of years. I don't see any incentives being given to those long-termers.
Fifth, our rulebook is clearly too complicated. Many people clearly don't have a good concept of the ASPC/AMHR/ASPR/NSPR's entire business.
