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The inaugural Regional Breeding Challenge Cups were recently awarded at the 2016 Arabian Horse Association's Arabian & Half-Arabian U.S. National Championship Horse Show. Bronze trophies were handed out based on an accumulation of points by horses showing at the U.S. Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The AHA membership is divided into 18 geographical regions across North America. Regions 1 through 18 had horses attending and representing their breeders at this year's show, and as the horses placed in their classes, they accumulated points for their respective region and breeders.

The Regional Breeding Challenge Cup bronzes were awarded in three different categories: Breeding/In-Hand, Performance, and a combined Breeding/In-Hand and Performance category. The region that accumulated the most points in these categories was declared the winner. Then, the breeder within that respective region, with the highest point count, took home the trophy for that particular category.

The bronzes for the Breeding/In-Hand and Performance cups were generously sponsored by The Foal Festival, out of Santa Ynez, California. The combined Breeding/In-Hand and Performance bronze was graciously sponsored by Jack and Elizabeth Milam of Regency Cove Farms.

Points were tracked and posted each day at U.S. Nationals. An updated account of points laid the groundwork for the breeders that would claim the perpetual trophy in their respective category. For 2016, the following were declared the Regional Challenge Cup winners:

Breeding/ In-Hand: Region 8

Performance: Region 8

Combined Award: Region 8

AHA will mail the perpetual trophies to the aforementioned breeders in their respective categories. The breeders may display the cups throughout 2017. The Regional Breeding Challenge Cups will be awarded once again at the 2017 U.S. Nationals to the new top regions and breeders.

Congratulations to the regions and breeders for a job well done. AHA is excited to see how these perpetual trophies could encourage further breeding and registration of horses, as well as perpetuate a sense of camaraderie among regions at their premier national event.

-- via AHA