World Supreme Halter Horse . . . .

[maestoso]

So I looked at the World Show Premium today and noticed that the show culminates with a World Supreme Halter class. It even says beside it, "formerly known as Champ. of Champs." and all the open world grands qualify.

Soooo . . . I thought "they"(I don't really even know who "they" is, to be honest) but I thought they made a big stink that having a Champ of Champs class made achieving a world grand less meaningful, thus, eliminating the class. I thought that was a change they made a while ago . . . and now the world supreme class??? When did that change, and why the name change, because its the EXACT same class . . . .

Anyone privy to this info?

Oh and just in case anyone is getting any ideas

I am not really looking for a debate on weather we should have it or not, just wondering about the changes . . .

 

[~Lisa~]

Does AMHA have the equivilent of a AMHR Grand National Champion? I have not been to Worlds and do not pay much attention to be honest so I am not sure if a horse just wins its class (not just as if that is not a big deal) and is over or do they move on to sr and jr and then Grand?

 

[tagalong]

Soooo . . . I thought "they"(I don't really even know who "they" is, to be honest) but I thought they made a big stink that having a Champ of Champs class made achieving a world grand less meaningful, thus, eliminating the class. I thought that was a change they made a while ago . . . and now the world supreme class??? When did that change, and why the name change, because its the EXACT same class . . . .

I do not know anything official and the following is just my thoughts....but the name change is not a big deal. You have a Supreme award at many shows - why not the big one? Equally - how was a World Grand made less meaningful by Champion of Champions or Supreme or whatever it may be called? Only the Grands have the honour of competing for Supreme (or whatever) ... the best against the best. Does a Smooth Fox Terrier winning the Terrier Group at Westminster and yet not getting Best in Show diminish that dog's Group win in any way? Not in the least...

I love Supreme classes - just like I love Best in Show at dog shows. At the end of the show it all comes down to the best against the best... and then one supreme champion....

... and the entire show ends with a bang - and the ultimate award!

ETA: Lisa - you end up with Grand and Reserve Grand in each division - Junior and Senior Mares, Geldings and Stallions in halter - and then the driving classes as well. They are chosen from the Champions and Reserve Champions in each height division for halter and each division in driving etc.

 

[~Lisa~]

Duh my answer was right in his post I am sorry. I figured they would not sure what I was thinking it is the heat and having Raven in WA all summer my brain is melting and I am lonely

Thank goodness I have plenty of dogs and kitties and ponies and of course chocolate to get me thru lol

 

[maestoso]

I don't care about the name change, I just sort of think it's funny because it's almost like they did it so we all think it is something different . . .

And I don't think it makes the grands less meaningful at all, that is what others thought, hence it getting canceled.

My question is, if it was canceled, why is it back?

 

[tagalong]

I don't care about the name change, I just sort of think it's funny because it's almost like they did it so we all think it is something different . . .
And I don't think it makes the grands less meaningful at all, that is what others thought, hence it getting canceled.

My question is, if it was canceled, why is it back?

Ummm... it was cancelled? If so, I must have missed that.... I know it has been as it currently exists since 2004(?)

... you can see the photo archives of all the Grands and Reserve Grands for the AMHA World Show (I still wish it was just called Nationals) and the Supreme Champions... HERE ...although Miss Kentucky's photo is not on there in 2005 or 2004 for her first two Ch. of Ch. awards...

ETA:

As I said - I love the idea of one big award at the end of the show - and IMO the way AMHA has done that award the past few years has been great - good for the show, added excitement - and fun to watch even on the little online video feed...

With most shows it is always "understood" that Grand Champion Senior Stallion is the highlight of the show - but IMO a Supreme Award of some kind gives all the other Grands an equal chance...

 

[maestoso]

If I am not mistaken, it was canceled right after the 2008 world show. 2008 was supposed to be the last champion of champions class at worlds, and it was going to switch to just the open grands.

That was my understanding until seeing the world show premium. Someone please correct me if I have missed something, and my question remains, if it was indeed canceled (after 2008

) why was it added back in?

 

[JWC sr.]

Okay folks here is the deal along with a little history.

The class Champion of Champions was never an AMHA sponsored class. In fact there were a number of people in upper management of AMHA that fought its inception from the beginning for a number of stated different reasons.

The class was the brain child of Martha Hickham of ERL Miniatures here in Texas. The first year she contacted 10 farms from around the nation to donate 1,500.00 each to purchase the trophy and provide the flowers, prize money etc. for the class. (Cherryville Farms was one of those sponsors each year) After the first year the roster of participating sponsors of the class was expanded to 15 farms donating 1,000.00 ea. (the sponsoring farms were the folks you saw each year in the ring during the judging and having pictures taken with the winner after the class etc.)

The judging was done by the World Judges and had to be unanimous among the judges and all divisional halter grand champions were in the ring for consideration. Quite a sight to behold!!

After years of skirmishes with the powers that be, Martha and the founding members decided that even though the class had been well received judging by the number of spectators in the seats and the reaction of the participants in the class we were tired of the behind the scenes problems and politics. So it was decided to end our sponsorship of the class last year. :arg!

Evidently there has been a change of heart at the top of AMHA and they have decided to keep the class with some changes. Such as the name, the way the class will be judged etc. Additionally I understand there will be a Parade of Champions of all divisional winners prior to the judging of the World Supreme Champion Halter Class as it is now known.

Personally I am glad to see the change of heart and the class being continued. Yes it has been renamed, the prize money will not be awarded and the judging criteria has changed, but anything to create interest and/or excitement for the miniature industry is in my mind a good thing.

So that is the majority of the story and we move on from here. LOL

 

[tagalong]

Thanks for the clarification, John...

The judging was done by the World Judges and had to be unanimous among the judges and all divisional halter grand champions were in the ring for consideration. Quite a sight to behold!!

Yes, it was... and like I said - a way to end the show with a bang!

anything to create interest and/or excitement for the miniature industry is in my mind a good thing.

Exactly right!

 

[HGFarm]

John, you are such a wealth of info, as always.

Thanks for the info. Though I have never been to A Nationals/World, what ever you call it now, it is good to know. So in the past, this was a privately sponsored class that was included. Now is it sponsored soley by AMHA with no need for private funding? (Thus would make sense the name change also, etc..)

 

[~Lisa~]

So now the way I am reading this AMHA will be paying the winner the $15,000 bucks?

 

[JWC sr.]

Thanks for the kudos HG.

Lisa my understanding is there will be no prize money offered in this class. The only reason we did it was to make it something really special that had never been done in Mini's before.

Personally I would love to see the futurity expanded and prize money for champions etc. offered like they do with the cutting horses. When we were in that part of the equine industry, it was a big deal that was heavily promoted with cash in excess of 1,000,000.00 being handed out in some venues. It would take a lot of hard work finding sponsors etc. But it can be done, take a look at the cutting horse and Quarter Horse. I think it would help boost values on all of our horses if there was a possibility of winning more than trophies and ribbons, no matter how nice they are. LOL

 

[maestoso]

Thanks, that info was exactly what I was looking for!

Will the judging criteria match that of the grand classes??

 

[JWC sr.]

Yes that is my understanding, it does not have to be unanimous as in the past.

 

[~Lisa~]

I am not sure I understand why they would want it to be unanimous? I mean it is great for the handler/horse when it is but if it is not I would imagine that just means someone gets bullied into (for lack of a better term) changing their mind even though that is clearly not the horse they would have picked or they would just stay in the arena deadlocked for the rest of their lives lol

 

[JWC sr.]

The reason it was done like that is years past was to promote discussion among the judges and to come to a decision that undeniably the right horse . Fact of the matter was that you had to be prepared to verbally defend your choice for reasons based on what you saw in a particular horse.

Additionally, we felt it would cut down the likelihood of politics playing into the decision.

Either way is fine as far as I am concerned the main thing is create a spectacular drama/event for folks to be part of/watch/enjoy and display the best of the best to the world that is watching.