03/11/2024
Another view point of a misrepresented subject
Re: AQHA advancing to digital registration.
Though I wrote this a year ago, it is worth posting again as we seem to be in the same position on social networking.
Fellow members, as an AQHA Director and a member of the Task Force on Digital Registration, I feel a few things must be addressed in respect to the current clamor on social networking about this change. Having been asked several times to weigh in, I am writing what will turn out to be, I'm sure, a lengthy post to try and give some perspective from my point of view.
First off digital registration will go ahead for, and only on, foals born 2025 and thereafter. This happened through the AQHAs due process, having been submitted as a proposal to the 2021 Convention to the Stud Book & Registration Committee, who then recommended a Task Force be struck to further research, make a recommendation and return to the Committee the next year, which was done and there the same committee approved moving to digital registration.
This is all pending programming is developed and functional in time to register 2025 foals, which is currently on track.
AQHA IS NOT DOING AWAY WITH PRINTED REGISTRATION CERTIFICATES.
Further explanation on that: To re-iterate, 2025 and beyond foals will be issued digital registration certificates. All other horses will continue to be issued physical papers. Any horses registered in 2025 and beyond can be issued a hard copy of the registration certificate (or you can print it at home), but it will not be the negotiable document. If you have any question as to what a negotiable document is, please read the following.
(The term negotiable refers to the fact that the document in question can be transferred or assigned to another party; non-negotiable describes one that is firmly established and cannot be adjusted or amended.)
So thus it must follow then that the physical registration certificate you hold on each horse you own now will remain the negotiable document for each of those horses lifetimes. Moving forward, the negotiable document for foals born 2025 and beyond will belong to you and exist digitally.
In 2025 and beyond, you will still be able to use paper registration applications or transfers, just like now.
The only change is that the negotiable document (reg certificate) will go from being physical to digital.
Youβll also be able to transfer digitally should you so choose, which will be easy, fast, and controlled by the seller.
Moving along with technology in having a digital registration Association will bring all sorts of efficiencies for members. First is that this system will eliminate the need to wait for paper copies to travel in or out from AQHA in the mail. When a foal is registered, it will exist in the system practically instantly. Then that foal can be transferred to a new owner as quickly as the seller can go through the online process to transfer it. Further, any owner will be able to designate a show, trainer, racetrack or sale barn to have access to registration papers, without the ability to do transfers and that sort of modification which is reserved for the owner. (Unless the owner wishes to give a racetrack or sale barn the ability to transfer a horse) When buying a horse, just ensure paperwork is in order, online, the same as you do now with physical registrations. Corrections, alterations, additions & program enrollments will all be instantly added to the digital registration certificate.
Safety and security have been discussed at length and are being implemented in the AQHAs highly protected database, which will be accessed by members through MyAQHA (AQHAs new business portal). Members will have a username and password, just like online banking or any other login site with private information that people sign into every day of the year.
Fees: have increased, I know. It affects me too, the same as it does all members. I'll ask you this - has your life/business been affected by inflation lately? Do you know any segment of any industry that has been immune to these increases? I donβt like it either, but I do understand it.
I also think that there is an erroneous belief that the cost of going digital is less, but we can't forget that there is cost in development, application, maintenance, & protection of living and dealing in the digital age.
In closing, some thoughts from me on a more personal level. I will be happy to try and answer, or find the answer with someone at AQHA, any questions which are well thought out, not already answered here, and not just off the cuff and serving to fulfill an emotional perception that is about resisting change. I believe that resisting change may be an innate part of the human condition, which could serve us well in cases where the heart needs to rule. However, in cases such as this, rational, cognitive thought must prevail and I'll be happy to help with those types of questions if I am able. Keep in mind that this post will be treated as a "living document" and so as questions & answers come up that I think should be addressed here, I will add that information, so it may require a re-read.
If you're still with me, I hope that you feel you have more information than before. I also hope that you will finish reading this post and then I implore you to consider the significance of advancing the largest equine breed registry in the world to digital registration certificates, a process that will take many years to complete to a point where all horses certificates are held digitally.
Billions of dollars of online business and other transactions are done each day across the world and many AQHA members have been expressing their desire for the AQHA to shift into technology and the efficiency that that brings; beginning to move towards digital registration is just that. I am fully aware that there have been some significant challenges within the AQHA system the past few years, as my business does a considerable amount of AQHA paperwork each month. The efficiencies that the AQHA has achieved in the last two years are substantial and as a consequence we as members see our new registrations and transferred registrations done and returned to us much faster. This gives me hope that the new programming being done now, supervised by people I know are intelligent, knowledgeable and that legitimately care, will be functional and effective for members.
To AQHA members reacting negatively to the news of the upcoming change to digital; I hope that perhaps now in your mind you are considering giving this change a chance. I'd also like to say again to the folks who wish they had more say - get involved. Plan on coming to Convention each year or even every other year, if it's that important to you, you'll find a way. Yes, it costs some money - tell me what doesn't. If you can't get involved that way, go to the AQHA site and look up your state, provincial or international Directors and let them know your thoughts. To me, it's a system that's very similar to government as far the infrastructure; we can't all vote on every issue, so we have people who go to represent us where the decisions on policy and progress are made. Find those Directors and help them do their job.
To the powers that be at the AQHA: I am not sure how or why there isn't better or more apparent information disseminated on this kind of thing, proactively. There should be a Public Relations person or group at the AQHA who is out in front of this kind of thing, writing, speaking and posting about it before it hits social networking with the tide set against it. I am happy to try and give unambiguous, clear information to my fellow AQHA members, many of whom are at arms length to the typical processes of AQHA governance, and this example is a case in point as to why the AQHA might consider a whole shift away from this reputation of an over-lord, fee-collector type of group to what a breed registration should be - a group of people working in administration to serve and assist the members of that group and their aims. I believe that this is what the powers that be at AQHA want, I truly do... I just wonder if that is how the majority of members currently perceive the AQHA. Optics are important. The βsocial creditβ score of AQHA to the typical member, is low. As I see and read all the comments about digital registration, the biggest drawback people have is that they donβt believe the Association can do a proper job because of some of the difficulties of the past.
And finally, I will cease typing now. I reiterate that I am considering this a 'living document', if you will, and I intend to update it and add to it as discussion happens and questions are answered. I do this in the hope that we can ease some minds about the intention of our registry, and the process that this advancement will follow.
Best,
Ryan A. Fleetwood
