Arabian Horse Association - History of IAHA

History of IAHA

The International Arabian Horse Association (IAHA), though a newer group, was the better-known of the two organizations that merged to create the AHA, because of its role in sanctioning horse shows, developing rules, and licensing judges. IAHA had worked with the American Horse Shows Association (then AHSA, now USEF) to create approved All-Arabian horse shows and propose rules for the Arabian division of AHSA . It was founded in 1950 By 1957 and 1958, it had organized the first U.S. and Canadian national championships. Its membership peaked at over 32,000 members in the 1980s. It entered into a merger agreement with the AHRA in 2002, and in 2003, the AHA officially came into being. The final years of IAHA prior to the AHA merger were embroiled in controversy.