As of May 4, 2005, there are 66 riders signed up for the AHA Trail Ride! Since the ride can accommodate only 100 horses, Act Now! The first ever AHA Trail Ride will be held on September 28 through October 1, 2005, at Fort Robinson State Park, Crawford, Neb. Notable Arabian breeder and Cowgirl Hall of Fame member Sheila Varian will join the group as the official AHA Trail Ride clinician. The AHA Trail Ride is open to all breeds of horses and riders. Membership in AHA is not required. The fee of $295 ($350 for non-members) includes trail activities, indoor lodging and three hearty and delicious meals a day served at the lodge or on the trail. A wide array of activities will be available for riders and non-riders making it the perfect family activity. Space is limited. Get the details and registration info by clicking here.

The wildly successful Arabian Horsepower program will launch its second year at the Youth Nationals on Saturday morning, July 30 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This interactive program is designed to get local kids out and about, meeting Arabian horses and their people. Last year, the Arabian horse community provided tremendous support and energy to make it work, and we hope to have the same response in '05. Here's how you can help.

• Escort newbies on their tours
• Volunteer your barn to be a "fun fact learning stop"
• Provide attention-craving horses for kids to pet

Find out more in your Youth Nationals acknowledgement packet, or contact Molly Benstein at (303) 696-4589 or molly.benstein@arabianhorses.org to volunteer.

For those of you who did not have a chance to hear the MDP Presentation at the 2004 Convention last November, you can now review the video online from the AHA website. This presentation gives an overview of our most recent breed advertising, horse expos, printed literature, and public relations efforts. View it now.

Enjoy the best showcase for Arabian horses in the country from the comfort of a U.S. Nationals box seat! Great seating is still available. These seats are only $190 for the entire show. Plus box seat owners can purchase a Preferred Parking Pass which is closer to Tingley Coliseum for only $50. Contact Jennifer Miner at 303-696-4553 or Lori Dutoit at 303-696-4558 to purchase your tickets.

Add some pizzazz to your show by including a pleasure carriage driving class. Don't know the first thing about it? The Eventing and Driving Committee has made it very simple for you by putting together some new easy guidelines. Just click here to find out how you can attract more sport horse exhibitors to your show.

A new chart lists everything you need to know about entering Breeders Sweepstakes and what each category offers on a one page, easy-to-understand grid. Find out everything you always wanted to know about Sweepstakes by clicking here. Don't forget the Discount specials good through December 31, 2005: Original Entry for only $3,500, down from the regular fee of $5,000. If your horse was by a Non-Arabian or Arabian Nominated Sire or out of a Nominated Mare, the price is only $2,500. There's no better time to enter than this year!

The Arabian Cutting Horse community has announced the reorganization of their group and invites everyone to visit their website at arabiancutting.org. With new energy and a resolve to get more folks involved in their favorite sport, fanciers of Arabian cutting have a place to go to hang their hats and see what's going on in the world of Arabian cutting. Read the updated by-laws and show rules, new Half-Arabian classes and shows, and more. For more information, contact Ann Haughness, TACHA Secretary, 325-265-4381.

Breeders, got a talented young horse ready to step into the arena this year? Consider the Arabian and Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian Performance Futurities at U.S. Nationals. With about $135,000 going to the winners, this is the best place to showcase the stars of tomorrow. Classes offered for both Arabians and Half-Arabians in reining and English, western and hunter pleasure. There's no greater thrill than watching the baby you bred and raised take its rightful place among these elite young performers. First payment of $200 plus a one-time processing fee of $15 is due by June 1. Contact AHA for information and payment schedule.

Enter the 2005 Creative Contest by June 1 to compete for Breyer horse models and cash! Use the theme Mystery of the Arabian Horse in Art, Creative Writing, Photography, Audio/Video and Computer-Generated categories. Enter multiple categories for just $10! Get your form here.

If you're looking to upgrade either your people or horse rides this year, two of our corporate partners have the products you'll want.

Dealer Direct Automotive Sales and Leasing of Salinas, California, sells and leases the all new 2005 Sportchassis M2 by Freightliner. It has been touted as the ultimate pick-up that's perfect for pulling a six to 12-horse trailer. Dealer Direct also has a complete line of luxury vehicles. Visit them online at dealerdirectautomotive.com or call to find out all about their ultra luxury haulers at 831-758-2085!

Sundowner Trailers, Inc., headquartered in Coleman, Oklahoma, produces a variety of quality trailers to suit any horseman's needs. Their bumper to bumper warranty and air ride make them a must when you think about protecting your horse. The company has a network of dealers throughout the country. Find a dealer near you by going to sundownertrailer.com.

Think of Choice Hotels when you are on the road for business or pleasure. Choice Hotels (Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, MainStay Suites, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn) all offer a 20 percent discount to AHA members if you book your reservation ahead of time using the special AHA ID# 0082151. They also offer the Choice Privileges program that entitles you to more discounts. Make your reservation today online at choiceprivileges.com or by calling 1-800-258-2847.

Check out the latest and greatest AHA merchandise available from Zia Graphics and The Hat Lady. Our merchandisers have all kinds of products featuring your favorite breed. Stainless steel travel mugs, polo shirts, decals, denim shirts and T-shirts are available. Plus, new for the ladies are a fitted scoop-neck T-shirt and a collared, three-quarter-length sleeve shirt with Lycra for an excellent fit. Look good and feel comfortable all day in this specially designed clothing that's functional and stylish. Click Zia Graphics and The Hat Lady.

Read the latest article on drug compounding. Find a veterinarian. Get your questions answered about West Nile Virus. There's a great resource for AHA members provided for horse owners by the American Association of Equine Practitioners. It's called My HorseMatters.com. It's updated regularly, so there's always something new to learn. Bookmark it now. It'll become one of your favorites.