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AQHA Includes Penalties For Clenbuterol Positives In Show Horses Also
The AQHA released updated welfare guidelines last week.

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.
AQHA Includes Penalties For Clenbuterol Positives In Show Horses Also

AMRILLO, TX—APRIL 30, 2015—Recent penalty changes for American Quarter Horse Association shows suggest that clenbuterol overuse is not limited to the racetrack. The AQHA released updated welfare guidelines last week, including harsher fines and penalties for violators of the organization’s welfare rules, and the establishment of a database to track and punish repeat offenses.

The new rules also include penalties designed to discourage unnecessary clenbuterol use in AQHA competition. According to Rate My Horse Pro, show exhibitors have been abusing the drug’s tendency to act as a beta-2 agonist, artificially increasing muscle mass to get a performance edge.

At an April meeting, AQHA officials approved new penalties for positive tests for both racing and show Quarter Horses

  • $5,000 fine and 180-day suspension for the first offense
  • $7,500 fine and one-year suspension for a second offense
  • A third offense carries a five-year suspension

The new guidelines will go into place May 1 for racehorses and Nov 1 for show horses.