2025 MFTHBA Rulebook

48 600 - Horse Protection Act Policies Congress delegated to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) the authority to administer and enforce the Horse Protection Act (HPA) originally adopted into law in 1970. Under the provisions of this law, P.L. 91- 540 , the USDA through the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has set forth a plan to administer the requirements of the Horse Protection Act. This is called the Horse Protection Operating Plan. Each three years the plan is reviewed, updated or revised, and presented to the Horse Industry Organizations in order to sub-delegate to those organizations the initial enforcement responsibility for that organization’s members complying with the provisions of the Act at affiliated shows, exhibitions, sales and auctions. The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association is an HIO (Horse Industry Organization) signatory to the Horse Protection Operating Plan. The most recent plan to which we are signatory is the Horse Protection Operating Plan 2007-2009, for which we became a signatory HIO on July 19, 2007. This plan outlines the responsibilities and actions required of MFTHBA as a HIO, which among other things includes setting up and maintaining our DQP inspection program. These Designated Qualified Persons (DQP’s) require special training and certification in order to effectively comply with the provisions of the Horse Protection Act. It is a stated purpose of MFTHBA to maintain a DQP program in order to properly inspect horses being shown in order to encourage members not to sore horses, and to implement as a minimum the penalties prescribed by the Horse Protection Operating Plan for horses, and thus members, that are not in compliance with the law. The Horse Protection Act, the Horse Protection Regulations and the current Horse Protection Operating Plan are all available in the corporate offices of the MFTHBA as well as the Horse Protection Operating Plan being available for access on the Internet at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/hp/downloads/hp_2007-09_op.pdf This section of the MFTHBA’s Handbook (Rule Book) is designed to bring to the attention of our members an overview of our MFTHBA’s responsibilities as an HIO and of the DQP program, plus outlining the salient points of the plan as it directly affects members and their horses. Members are encouraged to become knowledgeable of the provisions of these requirements. Any conflict between the information contained in our Handbook and the Operating Plan shall be resolved by relying on the Plan as the more authoritative document. In turn, the Plan is subject to the Act and the Regulations as the more authoritative documents. It is the responsibility of the MFTHBA Board of Directors, the MFTHBA DQP Coordinator and the MFTHBA DQP Program Administrator to assure that actions taken by the MFTHBA are in accordance with the Act, Regulations and the Plan. MFTHBA however, as an HIO, has the right to establish policies, standards and rules that are more stringent and more demanding than the requirements set forth in the Act, the Regulations and/or the Plan. Section 1. HIO Responsibilities A. DQP Program: The HIO must establish and maintain a DQP (Designated Qualified Person) program able to properly identify horses that are not in compliance with the Act, the Regulations, and the Plan, and to keep all required program records. Details of the DQP program are covered in Section 2 below. B. Rule Book: The HIO must publish a rule book that is in compliance with the Act, the Regulations and the Plan. The rule book must be submitted to APHIS annually for review. C. Event Schedules: The HIO must submit event schedules to the APHIS Horse Protection Coordinator (HP Coordinator) at least thirty (30) days in advance, if available, and the proposed DQP assignments within five (5) days of such events. D. Records: The HIO is required to document and report all violations of the Act, the Regulations and the Plan. In addition, the HIO must keep and make available to APHIS the following records: class sheets, violations records and penalties assessed, shows scheduled, DQP assignments, recordings or minutes of violation hearings, DQP resumes, DQP evaluations and other DQP records that document initial training and annual renewal training.