Friends,
I received a second letter pertaining to the one below as a long time member of IAHA and for those of you who are NOT a party of IAHA but DO have purebred Arabians, your very freedom to breed PBs without concern for purity is being challenged. This was news to me, since it never occurred to me that a half-bred association which concerns itself with activities and not registration would ever be so presumptuous as to claim the position to dictate PURITY of all things. Please look at just a portion of the commentary:
The following letter was sent to the IAHA Board of Directors on Thursday, October 4.
October 4, 2001 Board of Directors Ladies and Gentlemen: As we discussed at our August Board meeting, IAHA and AHRA have spent more than a decade talking about collaborative efforts that would bring about significant cost savings or improved member service to the Arabian horse industry. In the last three years, the Executive Committee has devoted a considerable amount of time, energy and more than $60,000 in on-going meetings and dialogues with members of the Registry Executive Board. The efforts of the Executive Committee came to a head last Friday during what we considered a last ditch attempt to enter into a meaningful discussion regarding the merger of functions between the two organizations.
It was IAHA's proposal that we assume the data processing function for the Registry as a first step towards combined operations. We believe this proposal makes sense for the following two reasons. One, IAHA has made technological advancements that provide us with the capability, and, two, IAHA would have minimal programming to assume the data processing function compared to the enormous task facing the Registry if they had to program IAHA's operational functions.......
It became apparent after Friday that both organizations agree that something must be done to revive the Arabian horse industry; however, neither can agree on how it should be done. Registry and IAHA perspectives, unfortunately, are light years apart.
The Registry has set their course on the strategic plan that was presented in August, 2001, even though they admittedly lack the funds to effectively implement most of the plan. Additionally, they are moving forward with two incentive programs that duplicate programs already offered by IAHA - a frequent rider program (IAHA Recreational Rider) and a distance mileage program (IAHA Distance Horse Awards). Last week, the Registry issued a press release naming members to their new advisory committees, none of which have direct, ongoing contact with IAHA boards, commission or committees.
However, another recent fact has come to light, which further cements for me why we need to forge a new path. I have direct information from Jay Stream, through a South American Arabian horse owner, that the Registry has put together a document signed by Bart Brown called the Alliance of the Americas. This Alliance essentially reverses the Registry's position concerning horses previously deemed impure by the Registry. It indicates that the Registry will now accept these horses and their descendants unconditionally. The Registry has made no formal overture to WAHO and appears to be initiating a plan to go head to head with WAHO as the worldwide Arabian horse organization.
In the opinion of the Executive Committee, their overall behavior is self-serving. Their words and actions are inconsistent with good faith efforts to develop one functioning organization to benefit Arabian horse owners and IAHA members.
IAHA's position is simple and straightforward. We must model what other more successful breeds do by being less complex, expensive and confusing. The cost of maintaining two organizations falls on all of us. IAHA is dead-on with simplification, computerization and the potential to eliminate many show fees at the local level, and we will continue to do more. We must become the kind of organization that people want (not have) to belong to.
We all know what needs to be done. It is time to stop the talk and take control of our destiny for the positive future of IAHA and the Arabian horse community. We have already wasted too much time trying to come to agreement with the Registry. Our corporate cultures are vastly different, and it has become painfully evident that we philosophically cannot work together for the good of the Arabian breed.......
....... It is time to take action for the good of our membership and our beloved Arabian horses.
Sincerely, Bill Pennington
IAHA President
For the information of those who are not up to date on this issue, WAHo has kicked AHRA out of their organization simply because AHRA has refused to accept the registrations of (particularly) south Amercian-bred part-bred Arabians, with KNOWN IMPURE BLOOD, into AHRA, which of course limits the owners' and breeders' ability to import and export these horses, thus NOT MAKING $$$! Anyone who is part of the IAHA distance programs will be affected by this, purebred or partbred. It would be my hope that this organization recognizes the difference between PB and nonPB - especially when one owns mares and stallions - duh!:)
While this seems to be happening at breakneck speed, I would like to know who many people even KNOW that the AHRA is on the fast track to take PUREBRED out of the registry. Comments?
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