First Impressions from the AQHA Convention: A Perspective Rooted in Experience and Opportunity

Attending the AQHA Convention in Las Vegas for the first time was an incredibly eye-opening experience. It provided the opportunity to connect with a wide range of industry professionals, build new relationships, and gain valuable insight into the priorities and challenges shaping the AQHA community today. One lighthearted takeaway: I’ll be sure to arrive next time with a cowboy hat and boots in hand—this “hunter/jumper guy” was a little out of place.

While this was my first AQHA Convention, it was not my first experience within the horse show industry. As a lifelong rider and competitor, a licensed official and USEF ‘r’ Jumper Judge, I have spent years deeply involved in both the operational and competitive sides of the sport. I have also worked extensively as a horse show organizer and show secretary, giving me firsthand experience with the complexities, pressures, and demands that come with producing competitions.

That perspective shaped my conversations throughout the convention—and reinforced just how much opportunity exists within the AQHA space.

As Horse Spot prepares to support several AQHA horse shows on the platform in 2026, one of the most compelling themes to emerge from discussions with AQHA staff, exhibitors, and show organizers was the importance of a strong API integration with AQHA’s central database. This type of integration is already established with USEF and other organizations, and bringing it to AQHA shows would be a significant advancement compared to how many organizers currently manage these processes.

From an operational standpoint, the benefits are clear. A seamless API integration would allow show organizers to verify in real time that horses, owners, riders, and trainers are active AQHA members with complete and accurate records. It would also enable the direct flow of trusted data from AQHA to show secretaries—reducing reliance on manual entry, minimizing errors, and eliminating the need for exhibitors to repeatedly submit the same information across multiple shows.

Having spent years in the show office, I can say with confidence that these inefficiencies are not minor—they are a daily source of friction. Speak with any show secretary, and you will hear the same themes. Incomplete entries, inconsistent records, and repetitive administrative work place a significant burden on secretaries and organizers alike. Addressing these challenges through modern, integrated technology represents a meaningful step forward for the industry.

In addition to the convention, I participated in the Smart Strategies for Show Management workshop as part of my process toward AQHA Show Management certification. The session, led by AQHA leaders Scott Neuman, Sydney Miller, and Aubrey Braham, provided a valuable forum for open dialogue around the realities of producing AQHA horse shows today.

Across these conversations, a consistent theme emerged: organizers are navigating increasing pressure to balance cost, staffing, and exhibitor expectations—particularly at the local and regional levels. Many of the challenges discussed ultimately trace back to limitations in existing tools and workflows.

From my own experience—and reinforced through conversations with many others—the role of the horse show secretary is one of the most critical, yet increasingly difficult, positions to fill. It is a highly specialized role that has traditionally relied on a relatively small pool of experienced individuals. At the same time, the administrative demands placed on that role continue to grow.

This is where modern software has the potential to reshape the landscape.

Horse Spot is built with the goal of making horse show management more intuitive, efficient, and accessible. By reducing complexity and streamlining workflows, the platform enables more individuals to step into operational roles with confidence, while also allowing organizers to distribute responsibilities more effectively across their teams. Rather than being constrained by the availability of a limited number of highly experienced secretaries, organizers can begin to rethink how shows are staffed and operated.

This shift is particularly important at a time when many organizers are facing increasing financial and logistical challenges. Running horse shows—especially smaller ones—has become more difficult, with rising costs and ongoing staffing constraints. Leveraging modern technology to reduce administrative burden allows organizers to focus more of their time and resources on producing quality events and delivering a strong exhibitor experience.

Looking ahead, Horse Spot is preparing to launch its AQHA API integration and begin supporting the first of several AQHA horse shows on the platform starting in May. Additionally, interest is already extending beyond the United States, with AQHA organizers in countries such as Mexico exploring opportunities to adopt the platform.

The conversations in Las Vegas made one thing clear: there is strong alignment across the industry around the need for better tools and more efficient systems. With the right technology and thoughtful implementation, there is a meaningful opportunity to reduce friction, improve accuracy, and support the long-term sustainability of horse show operations.

The future is bright—and this is just the beginning.