2026 YEAR END AWARDS PROGRAM

AzQHA Membership and Earning State Points

  • In all cases, membership must be paid before ANY points count. Any memberships paid by March 15th will count all points earned Jan 1 thru March 15 of the current year as long as both exhibitor(s)/owner(s) are members by March 15th. All memberships paid after March 15 will start earning year end points as of the date the membership is paid.  The exhibitor/owner is responsible for proving that membership is paid, either by receipt from a show secretary or canceled check.
  • Points are kept on a horse/rider basis for amateur and youth, if two riders show the same horse, a separate set of points will be kept; if a rider shows two horses, a separate set of points will be kept.
  • Qualifying – to qualify for all AzQHA year-end awards exhibitors in the Ranch/All Around events must show in at least THREE (previously 4) AzQHA Sanctioned Events.  Cattle/Roping exhibitors mush show in at least THREE AzQHA Sanctioned Events. 2026 Events include: Saguaro Classic, Sun Circuit, Swing Into Spring, Pinnacle Circuit, Celebration Las Vegas, Sonoita Show  and AZ Fall Championships.
PLEASE NOTE –  Though AZ Nationals starts December 31, AL points are going to be counted for 2027. The Sonoita Show is the LAST show of the 2026 show year.

2026 AzQHA Membership Forms Are Now Available.

Complete the 2026 AzQHA Membership form  or renew On-Line

Year End Awards Offered

Class High Points:

Class must be offered at a minimum of 3 Events AND shown to a minimum of 5 judges to be eligible for a year end award.

  • Open: Champion and Reserve
  • Rookie Youth, L1 Youth, Rookie Amateur, L1 Amateur, Walk/Trot & Small Fry: 1st-3rd place Awards
  • Youth, Amateur,  & Amateur Select: Champion and Reserve

Points earned in the L2 division will be included in the respective Open, Amateur, Amateur Select, or Youth division for year end awards.

Over All High Points

Cash Awards in 6 divisions of both Ranch & Cattle and Pattern & Rail.

To win any Over All High point award an exhibitor must have shown in at least TWO AQHA categories within the High Point classes.

Ranch and Cattle High Point:

Divisions: Open (Champions $1,000 & Reserve $500), Youth, L1 Youth, L1 Amateur,  Amateur, Select (Champion $1,000, Reserve $500, 3rd $250)

Classes to be counted: Halter, Cow Horse, Cow Horse Boxing, Cutting, Roping, Reining, Ranch Riding, Ranch Trail, Ranch on the Rail, Working Western Rail and Speed events. All points are counted on one horse/rider combination (owners and riders for open classes must be members).

Pattern and Rail High Point

Divisions: Open (Champions $1,000 & Reserve $500), Youth, L1 Youth, L1 Amateur,  Amateur, Select (Champion $1,000, Reserve $500, 3rd $250)

Classes to be counted: Halter, Showmanship, Horsemanship, Equitation, Western Pleasure, Western Riding, Trail, Hunter Under Saddle. All points are counted on one horse /rider combination (owners and riders for open classes must be members).

Ties

Ties in year end points will be broken and there will only be one Champion. If exhibitors tie for Champion, this will be the tie breaker criteria:

  1. The most number of shows attended.
  2. The most number of shows attended other than Sun Circuit and Az Fall Championship.
  3. The highest number of AQHA points earned by horse/rider combo at qualified shows.

The exhibitor(s) that lose the Champion tie breaker will then all be named the Reserve champion. No other awards will be given to lower placing points.

If the exhibitors tie for Reserve this will be the tie breaker criteria:

  1. The most number of shows attended
  2. The most number of shows attended other than Sun Circuit and Az Fall Championship.
  3. The highest number of AQHA points earned by horse/rider combo at qualified shows.

The exhibitors(s) that lose the Reserve tie breaker will not be awarded any awards. Only one Reserve award will be given.

Point System:  Points are awarded 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 if there are nine or more in a class.  If there are fewer than 9 entries points shall be awarded based on the number of entries (4 in a class, 1st place receives 4 points, 2nd place receives 3 points, etc.)

Updating points: Points are updated to the AzQHA web site as soon as AQHA has them available. It is up to the exhibitor to contact the point keeper as soon as possible if you feel your points are not correct or missing.  The exhibitor must contact the point keeper before December 1st to have any changes in the year end point standings changed.  We would ask that you check your points after each show that you show in to keep the points up to date for everyone.

ELIGIBILITY

Show points are downloaded directly from AQHA’s home office to our points program. Any non AQHA classes are done manually but all points will be placed directly on the website. If you find an error in your points please contact the AzQHA office. We track each AzQHA exhibitor by your AQHA member number, so every exhibitor must make sure that we have all your correct AQHA numbers. If you are a youth member and a family member owns the horse you exhibit, we must have the family members AQHA number on your membership file also.