• Jan 11-13 - Owners and Breeders Conference.
• Mar 9, - CMHA AB/NWT/Nunavut Zone Annual Meeting, Leduc/Nisku area. Karen Abel
• April 26 - 28 - Mane Event, Red Deer Volunteers needed for the booth, contact Shari Groot Horses for demos contact: Laura Malyk 403-784-3546
• April 26-28 - Spring Fling Show, Ponoka, AB hosted by ASHA of Alberta at the Ponoka Agricultural Event Centre, (Saddlebred, Morgan, & other breed classes.
• May 17 - 20 - Westener Park Spring Horse Show - Morgan, Arabian, Saddle & other breeds
  Red Deer
• June 14 - 16- Alberta Classic Show, Ponoka, AB hosted by ASHA of Alberta at the Ponoka Agricultural Events Centre (classes for Saddlebreds, Morgans, Arabians & other breeds)
• July 12 - 14 - Summer Classic Show Aldona Tracey 780-986-6731
• Aug - 6^th Annual Trail Ride for the Equine Foundation of Canada. Sandy McNabb Park, 19 km werst of Turner Valley, AB. Bob Watson
• Aug 16 - 18 - Western Canadian Championship & Futurity Show, Ponoka AB hosted by ASHA of Alberta at the Ponoka Agricultural Events Centre (classes for Saddlebreds, Morgans, Andalusians & other breeds) Aldona Tracey 780-986-6731
• Aug 30 - Sept 1 - Alberta Morgan Horse Show, Ponoka, AB hosted by the Alberta Morgan Horse Club (classes for Morgans, Saddlebreds & other breeds) Shari Groot
• Sept 4-8  - Spruce Meadows Masters & Telus Battle of the Breeds, Calgary AB
  Cec Watson 403-378-4323
• Nov 2 - AB Zone Meeting & AMHC Semi Annual Meeting contact Karen Abel or Shari Groot

• Feb 23- SK Zone AGM and SMHC Annual General Meeting at the Executive Hotel 11:30am. Carol Uhrich or Judith Dexter
• May 4 - SMHC Meeting 11:30 am at Fair Board Office, Estevan. Carol Uhrich or Judith Dexter
• June 8-9 - Sask Morgan Horse Show / Open Horse Show, Estevan. contact Stan Milford 306- 634-3333 or Michelle Wilbraham 306-637-9122
• Oct 26 - SMHC meeting, location TBA.

• Feb 9 - MMHC (since 1970) meeting Dianne Brown
• June - Morgan Promotion at Boissevain Fair. Norman Kalinski or 204-483-2222
• August - MMHC (since 1970) meeting in Brandon
• Oct. - Manitoba Morgan Horse Club AGM in Brandon.

Ontario

• Feb 9- OMHC and Ontario zone AGM & Banquet. Delta Hotel, Markham 10:30 am Amanda McKill
• April - OMHC General Meeting
• May 25-26 - Lindsay Horses All Equine Fair. Sheila McNaughton Volunteers Needed!
• June 1-2 - The Summer Sizzler - Arabian Horse Association of Eastern Canada featuring Morgan and Saddle Seat Equitation Classes. Double point show, bronze sanctioned.
  Gayle Lampe and Cecile Hetzel-Dunn, judges.
• June - Fun Day at Kavanagh's in Port Perry Nancy Kavanagh
• June 29 - Tulip Morgan Horse Show, Richmond, bronze sanctioned. Linda McGowan
• July 20-21 - OMHC Classic at RCRA. Greg Reeves Silver sanctioned, Todd Trushel, judge.
• July 6 - Ottawa Valley Light Horse Show
• July - Kars Fair/Morgan classes Linda McGowan
• July 30 31 - CNE Multi Breed Show Barb Meyers
• Aug 11 - Sutton Fair / Morgan Classes or Sutton Fair Office
• Aug 10 - Navan Fair/Morgan classes Linda McGowan
• Aug 31 - Perth Fair/Morgan classes Linda McGowan
• Sept 7 - Orono Fair
• Sept 14 - Spencerville Fair
• Sept 21 - Richmond Fair/Morgan classes Linda McGowan
• Sept - Fall Ride and Drive at Whistler's Morgans. Laurie Willert
• Sept 20 - Lindsay Fair/Morgan classes Christine Monteith
• Sept 28- Carp Fair/Morgan classes Linda McGowan
• Sept 28 - The Fall Festival - Arabian Horse Association of Eastern Canada - Morgan Classes & Saddle Seat Equitation Championships, bronze sanctioned. Karen Homer-Brown, judge.
• Oct 4 - Markham Fair Morgan Classes or Markham Fair Office
• Oct 5 - Roseneath Fair Morgan Classes - Bruce/Alice Murray
• Oct 5 - Metcalfe Fair
• Oct 12 - Norwood Fair
• Oct - OMHC general meeting,
• Dec - OMHC general meeting Turkey Supper.

• Feb. - Quebec club AGM - Lisa Oakley
• June 7-8 - Ormstown Fair Morgan classes
• Sept 1 - Shawville Fair/Morgan classes Linda McGowan

• Jan 26 -  NBMHC Mid Winter Dinner - 5:30 pm The Keg, Moncton. Jennifer Scobie-Hatto
• Feb 17 - New Brunswick Morgan Horse Club AGM 1:00 PM - Agricultural Building Sussex NB (back door). Dawn Brown
• Feb 23- Morgan Horse Club of Nova Scotia AGM Legion in Stewiacke Bev Young (902)883-9908
• Feb - NBMHC AGM, Sussex, NB Dawn Brown 506-433-5725
• Apr 27 - 28 - Spring Clinic at Porter's Equine Centre in Stewiacke. Cathy Grimes, a well known Morgan Trainer and Judge from San Jose, California will be the Clinician. Gordon Young
• Apr -Equine Review, PLP Sussex NB Melissa Mackenzie 506-832-5515
• May - Robin Groves Clinic, PLP Sussex, NB Melissa Mackenzie 506-832-5515    
• June 15-16- New Brunswick Morgan/Arab Show PLP Sussex, NB Dawn Brown 506-433-5725
• July 13-14 - Sunrise Summer Classic PLP Sussex, NB Dawn Brown 506-433-5725
• Aug 24-25 - The NS Morgan Show, Windsor, NS. Marg Porter
• Oct 20 - Semi-annual NB club meeting, Agricultural Building Sussex NB (back door). Dawn Brown 506-433-5725
• Nov. 2 - Semi-annual NS club meeting, Bev Young 902-883-9908

• Click on the link for a listing of US shows US Shows 

News from the American Morgan Horse Association

The Certificate of Service portion of AMHA's registration application, or some functional equivalent, has long been a part of the process required to register a Morgan horse.

Blood Typing, DNA and the Parentage Verification Program
Beginning in February 1972, AMHA made concerted efforts to bring its Registry Rules and Regulations in line with industry standards. In the early days of natural breeding, the stallion owner's signature had been used as a means of supporting the integrity of the registration application. The voluntary use of formalized stallion reports was considered. In 1974, foals of mares exposed to two different stallions within 35 days were required by the registry to be blood typed. Stallion reports also became mandatory with that breeding season.

In 1977, AMHA adopted its random blood typing program, which was first used on a limited basis. As of 1981, AMHA required all producing stallions to be blood typed and a random 1% of foals tested to its sire and dam. In and after 1987 all maiden mares foaling for the first time had to be blood typed. The use of semen transport, frozen semen, and embryo transfer became available in 1980s with the requirement of blood typing of the resulting foal as well as its dam (or donor dam). In 1991, all foals were required to be blood typed before registration, and 1994 saw the requirement of blood typing for all maiden mares, prior to the registration of their foal, come into place. In 2000, AMHA's blood-based program evolved into the DNA-based program currently being used.

Certificate of Service
The first registration applications from the 1920s required certification by the stallion owner that their stallion was bred to a specific mare on or about the stated date of service.

In the 1960s, this certification took the form of a "Breeder's Certificate." This certificate required both the sire owner (or keeper) and dam owner (if it is not the same owner) to sign certifying that a specific Morgan mare was bred to a specific Morgan stallion and the dates of service.

Sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s, the "Breeder's Certificate" was changed to a "Certificate of Service." The mare owner signed to certify that he/she owned a particular mare and bred her by natural service to the stallion mentioned as the sire of the foal for which registration was requested. The stallion owner (if different from the mare owner/lessee) signed to certify that the designated mare was bred by natural service to his/her named stallion on the dates provided.

In the late 1970s, the certification by the mare and stallion owner was split. The mare owner/lessee signed the registration application attesting "I hereby certify the above parentage and particulars are correct to the best of my knowledge and belief." Now the Certificate of Service only required the stallion owner's/lessee's signature, when the applicant was not the owner of both the sire and dam at the time of service.

In 1984, the registration application was amended to reflect the possibility of additional breeding methods. Now the stallion owner/lessee signing a Certificate of Service was certifying that an identified mare was serviced by an identified stallion by AI, hand, embryo transfer, or pasture. All dates on which the mare was covered were to be recorded. The 1986 registration application was further amended to include references to frozen semen and semen transport in the Certificate of Service. In 2003, the wording on the Certificate of Service was changed slightly to read "This is to certify the above mare was bred to the above stallion on list all dates the mare was covered using AI, hand, pasture, frozen semen, semen transport, or embryo transfer." The signature of all stallion owner(s) or lessee(s) at the time of service or owner of frozen semen at the time of use were required.

In 2004, a subcommittee was formed to review the requirement of the stallion owner's signature on the Certificate of Service. The wording current at that time required the stallion owner to certify information that they often could not accurately certify because they routinely had no knowledge regarding the actual use of semen shipped by them or their agent. In 2005, the Registry Committee moved to reword the certification on both the Certificate of Service and the separately required Stallion Service Report to allow the stallion owner to certify information that they were more likely to be able to certify.

The wording on the Stallion Service Report was changed from "I hereby certify that the above named mares were bred to this stallion shown." to "I hereby certify that the above named mares were bred or exposed to this Stallion as shown or if semen from this stallion was shipped it was with the understanding that the mare(s) listed would be inseminated using fresh cooled or frozen semen."

The wording on the Certificate of Service was changed to "1. This is to certify the above mare was bred to the above named stallion on month, day, year using pasture breeding, hand breeding, or AI on the farm; or 2. This is to certify that fresh cooled semen or frozen semen from the above named stallion was shipped on month, day, year for the insemination of the above listed mare. I hereby certify that the above named mare was bred or exposed to the above named stallion as shown or that if semen from this stallion was shipped it was with the understanding that the mare listed would be inseminated using fresh cooled or frozen semen.

In February 2009, the AMHA board voted to remove the Certificate of Service portion from the registration application effective January 1, 2010. In May of 2009, the board voted to remove the Frozen Semen Certificates. The decision to remove the Certificate of Service was upheld during the August 2009 Board meeting; however, the removal of Frozen Semen Certificates was tabled pending further education and research. All other requirements for registration, including the Stallion Service Report and Frozen Semen Certificates and rules, currently remain in effect. DNA analysis proves or disproves the parentage indicated on the registration application. Any additional purpose to be served by requiring a stallion owner's signature seems to be served by requiring either a Stallion Service Report or a Certificate of Service. It does not appear that both are necessary. AMHA has received some correspondence from concerned stallion owners. Some use the requirement for a stallion owner's signature as a means for collection of breeding fees. Others are concerned that semen can be used for multiple breedings without their knowledge. Current AMHA Registry Rules require a properly filed Stallion Service Report for every registration application. If a mare identified as the dam of a foal being registered is not listed on a report, a "red flag" is raised and the AMHA will contact the stallion owner for the additional information or a valid reason why the information is not being provided. Owners of foals produced from frozen semen must provide a properly signed Frozen Semen Certificate with the registration application. In the absence of this information, registration applications may be held up for a reasonable period of time to allow the parties to come to an agreement and provide AMHA with the required information or paperwork to permit registration. Of course, AMHA will abide by court orders related to any registration application.

AMHA encourages stallion owners to protect themselves and their stallions by ensuring they have strong, properly executed breeding contracts. Plans are underway to invite an attorney to speak during the 2010 AMHA Annual Convention on equine contracts as AMHA's way of assisting Morgan owners develop contracts that will help to clearly define their terms for breeding and collection of fees. A forum on frozen semen also will be held. We hope you can attend; however, for those who cannot, audio tapes will be available through AMHA's website following the conference.

Below, we have provided pertinent Registry Rules and Regulations that describe required reports and other requirements for registration of foals that are in effect as of January 1, 2010.

RULE 9 - REQUIRED REPORTS
Section 1: Stallion Service Reports

1. A separate Stallion Service Report shall be filed with the Register for each stallion.
2. A Stallion Service Report must be filed prior to midnight, January 15 of the following year by the recorded owner or recorded lessee at the time of exposure or use of a registered stallion that was exposed to or whose semen was used to inseminate a registered mare anytime during the preceding twelve (12) consecutive months.
3. A Stallion Service Report shall include and distinguish between artificial and natural (hand or pasture breeding) services and transported cooled semen and frozen semen. In the event that frozen semen is used to inseminate a registered mare and the owner of the frozen semen and the owner of the stallion are not the same person(s), the owner of the frozen semen at the time of insemination is required to file a Stallion Service Report prior to midnight, January 15 of the following year.
4. If a stallion is used for breeding at more than one (1) location during a calendar year, a separate Stallion Service Report shall be filed for each location.
5. A late fee will be charged if the Stallion Report is filed after January 15 but before February 15 following the current breeding season, after which an additional late fee will be charged.

RULE 2-REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS effective 1/1/2010
Section 1-B: Applications for foals conceived using Frozen Semen (also see Rule 2, Section 5)

1. All applications for registration must be correctly completed on the official Register form and submitted with the appropriate Register fee.
2. Every application for registration must be completed with the personal signature of the recorded owner or recorded lessee of the dam at the time of foaling.
3. If the owner or lessee of record of the stallion and the owner of the frozen semen are NOT the same, a Frozen Semen Certificate or application issued by the Registry shall be submitted with the registration application.
4. Every person applying for registration of a horse must furnish (at the applicant's expense) a DNA Report and/or a Blood Type Report as may be required pursuant to Rule Two, Section Three.

Section 4: Semen Transport

Before any semen is transported from the location of collection, the owner or lessee of record of every stallion whose semen is collected shall apply for and receive from the Register an Official Semen Transport Permit, and the blood type or DNA analysis report of the stallion shall be recorded with the Register.

Section 5: Frozen Semen

1. Transport of frozen semen shall be in conformance with the requirements of Rule 2, Section 4 above. If, at the time of breeding, the owner or lessee of record of the stallion and the owner of the frozen semen are the same, the owner shall complete the accompanying Breeders Certificate of Service to register the resulting foal. If, at the time of breeding, the owner or lessee of record of the stallion and the owner of the frozen semen are not the same, a Frozen Semen Certificate issued by the Registry shall be submitted with the registration application in lieu of a Breeders Certificate of Service.
2. The owner of frozen semen is required to file a stallion service report in accordance with Rule 9, Section 1.

AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE FROZEN SEMEN CERTIFICATES
This form allows the owner of frozen semen to authorize AMHA to issue the Frozen Semen Certificates in the name of the purchaser listed and to release them directly to the purchaser and is typically used when larger amounts of frozen semen are purchased.

For more information, contact the AMHA Office at info@morganhorse.com