American Quarter Horse Association
501(c)(5)
Strong reserves Growing revenue
American Quarter Horse Association is a 501(c)(5) organization based in Amarillo, Texas, registered in 1958, with $66,556,057 in FY2023 revenue.
1600 Quarter Horse Dr, Amarillo, TX, 79104 EIN 75-0725576 Since 1958
Revenue (FY2023)
$66.6M
▲ 21.3% vs prior year
Expenses (FY2023)
$54.0M
Net assets
$65.4M
Employees
259
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
★★★★
Rated on 3 of 4 criteria — the rest aren't reported in this filing type.
Capped at A — the top grade requires the fuller disclosure of a complete Form 990.
How the rating works →—Program efficiency40% of the ratingNo expense breakdown in filings
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. Not scored for American Quarter Horse Association— this filing type doesn't report it, and the rating simply skips it (never counts it against the organization). See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating15 mo reserves · +19% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For American Quarter Horse Association: 15 mo reserves · +19% margin earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For American Quarter Horse Association: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For American Quarter Horse Association: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The american quarter horse association is the largest equine breed and membership organization.
What they do
Aqha provides the aqha professional horseman's association for professional horse trainers in good standing; the aqha stewards program to ensure safety and fairness at events; and the aqha leveling program to provide a place for every level of exhibitor at aqha shows and events. aqha shows offers something for everyone, no matter the experience level or preferred disciplines. we offer a wide range of show levels with classes in halter, english and western disciplines. in 2024, there were a total of 2,135 shows with 801,650 total show entries.
Publication of the american quarter horse journal and quarter horse racing journal are meant to provide the most timely, comprehensive, and accessible information available in the industry. total circulation of these publications as of 9/30/2024 was 146,922.
Contact & location
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $47.3M (FY2013) to $66.6M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $29.6MNet assets $65.4M
Operating margin
18.9%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$95.1M
Total liabilities
$29.6M
Net assets
$65.4M
Salaries & benefits
$17.5M
32% of expenses
Board members
315
311 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $66,556,057▲21.3% | $53,961,172▲13.5% | $65,426,966▲43.2% | $95,075,835▲28.0% | 990 |
| 2022 | $54,855,685▲11.3% | $47,533,213▲4.0% | $45,703,989▲45.2% | $74,300,679▲25.3% | 990 |
| 2021 | $49,298,378▼10.2% | $45,703,049▲13.0% | $31,476,947▲2.7% | $59,304,151▲4.4% | 990 |
| 2020 | $54,877,643▲44.7% | $40,434,140▲7.0% | $30,662,894▲182% | $56,795,984▲29.1% | 990 |
| 2019 | $37,934,032▼18.7% | $37,775,704▼18.5% | $10,864,811▲20.9% | $44,006,498▲11.3% | 990 |
| 2018 | $46,664,780▼11.5% | $46,334,060▲1.4% | $8,986,163▼53.6% | $39,536,568▼14.0% | 990 |
| 2017 | $52,737,807▲1.1% | $45,699,050▼5.6% | $19,352,086▲44.3% | $45,995,567▼1.5% | 990 |
| 2016 | $52,159,280▲26.4% | $48,398,652▼1.9% | $13,409,965▲53.5% | $46,710,800▼4.4% | 990 |
| 2015 | $41,266,429▼13.4% | $49,339,112▲3.6% | $8,735,699▼45.0% | $48,843,993▼4.2% | 990 |
| 2014 | $47,643,121▲0.6% | $47,612,186▲2.5% | $15,894,429▼5.9% | $50,998,312▼5.1% | 990 |
| 2013 | $47,348,772 | $46,440,355▼5.6% | $16,898,705▲11.8% | $53,732,688▲6.9% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $49,205,475▼5.3% | $15,109,526▼0.9% | $50,276,281▼10.6% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $51,980,591▼8.4% | $15,246,288▼4.9% | $56,223,930▼0.7% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $56,717,217▲8.6% | $16,036,911▼35.2% | $56,647,671▼14.6% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $52,231,904 | $24,729,892 | $66,338,614 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Karl Stressman — $457,687 (0.85% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karl Stressman | Chief Executive Officer | 45 | $457,687 |
| Robert Pierce | Chief General Counsel | 40 | $303,924 |
| Aaron Enget | Chief Strategy Officer | 40 | $210,449 |
| David Steinman | Chief Information/tech | 55 | $192,172 |
| Scott Neuman | Dir. of Competitions | 40 | $171,592 |
| Christopher Fangio | Dir of Project Management | 45 | $142,785 |
| Janet Vanbebber | Chief Racing Officer | 50 | $141,508 |
| Duane Crowley | Mgr of Application Dvlpmn | 40 | $140,470 |
| Tammy Canida | Registrar | 40 | $138,671 |
| Katherine Brantley | Sr. Finance Director | 40 | $138,101 |
| Chris Cecil-darnell | Director | 3 | $57,770 |
| Patrick Kayser | Director | 7.5 | $13,900 |
| John B Kunkle | Directors At Large | 0.5 | $11,900 |
| Adriana Gomez Barnola | Directors At Large | 10 | — |
| Adrianne Stewart Potwora | Director | 1 | — |
| Alan R Hinds | Director | 3 | — |
| Al Dunning | Directors At Large | 0 | — |
| Alexandro Severins | Director | 1 | — |
| Alex Ross | Directors At Large | 2 | — |
| Alice W Holmes | Directors At Large | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Steve Maddox | It Production Supp. | $235,841 |
| Thunderbird Advisory Group LLC | Fin. Acct Services | $198,645 |
| Equine Network Holdings LLC | Videography & Stream | $192,386 |
| Anthony Milligan | Software Development | $189,200 |
| Weaver and Tidwell LLP | Audit & Tax Services | $188,734 |
Grants made · $538K in FY2023
16 grants totaling $538K in FY2023 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by American Quarter Horse Association →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tr the American LLC | General support | $185,000 |
| Racing Medication and Testing | General support | $76,000 |
| Prca Properties Inc | General support | $63,000 |
| South Point Hotel & Casino | General support | $35,000 |
| National High School Rodeo Association Inc | General support | $35,000 |
| The Run For A Million Inc | Event support | $30,000 |
| Miss Rodeo America Inc | General support | $25,000 |
| Lazy E Arena | General support | $16,000 |
| Keith Stallbories | General support | $10,100 |
| Ote Berry DBA Ote Berrys Jr Steer Wresting | General support | $10,000 |
| Racing Officials Accreditationprogram Inc | General support | $10,000 |
| Working Ranch Cowboys Association | General support | $10,000 |
| National Cattlemens Beef Association Inc | General support | $10,000 |
| Pink Buckle LLC | General support | $10,000 |
| All American Ruidoso Downs LLC | General support | $6,431 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is American Quarter Horse Association a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. American Quarter Horse Association is a 501(c)(5) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 75-0725576, based in Amarillo, Texas.
- What is American Quarter Horse Association's EIN?
- American Quarter Horse Association's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 75-0725576.
- How much revenue does American Quarter Horse Association report?
- American Quarter Horse Association reported $66,556,057 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much does American Quarter Horse Association's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on American Quarter Horse Association's latest Form 990 is $457,687, paid to Karl Stressman (Chief Executive Officer).
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Data for American Quarter Horse Association (EIN 75-0725576) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.