Amarillo, Texas - March 28, 2003 -News and excitement for the first American Quarter Horse Association Bayer Select World Championship Show is building, and with the support of AQHA Corporate Partner, Bayer, the show will be one of the highlights of 2003.

At the 2003 AQHA Convention in Anaheim, California, Bayer announced its title sponsorship of the Bayer Select World Championship Show. The show, open exclusively to amateur members age 50 and older, is expecting hundreds of exhibitors at the event. Currently, there are more than 35,000 members in the AQHA Amateur division with 12,000 eligible for the Amateur Select division.

Dates for the show are September 25-28, 2003 at the Tri-State Fairgrounds, in Amarillo. The show format is similar to the AQHA World Championship Show with preliminary rounds and 15-head finals for classes. A trade show will offer goods and services with both outside and inside exhibits around the concourse of the Amarillo National Center, where the show will be held.

"We have had an overwhelming response from Amateur Select competitiors who are trying to qualify for the show," said Rajeana Thompson, Manager of Amateur Activities. "Since the introduction of the Amateur Select division, we have had impressive participation in most all events."

The qualifying period for the 2003 show began July 1, 2002 and will continue through June 30, 2003. An amateur may show in the select classes on the day they turn 50 years of age. An amateur member age 50 and over will temporarily have the option to qualify from either a select or all-ages amateur class.

The qualifying points for the Bayer Select World Championship Show can be found at: http://www.aqha.com/showing/shows/selectpoints.html

An Amateur member age 50 and over who qualifies for the Bayer Select World Championship Show AND the AQHA World Championship Show will have the option to compete in a particular class at either the AQHA World Championship Show OR the Select Championship Show. Example: The horse/rider combination may have qualified in western pleasure and western riding for the Select Championship and the AQHA World Championship Show. The individual has the choice of exhibiting the horse in western pleasure at the Select Championship and then in western riding at the AQHA World Championship Show or vice versa. The same horse/rider combination cannot compete in the same class at both the Select World Championship Show and the AQHA World Championship Show.

A minimum of 10 entries is required in order for a class to be held. Fifteen head finals will be held; however, if a class has 15 or fewer entries, no preliminaries will be held, only the finals.

Entry fees and prize money will be similar to Amateur classes at the World Show.

Awards will be similar to those given for the Amateur classes at the World Show. An All-Around Select Award (similar to All-Around Amateur at the World Show) will be given.

The Bayer Select World Championship Show will be featured on "America's Horse," AQHA's weekly television series on Outdoor Life Network, Wednesday, October 22 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, October 26 at 2:30 p.m. and Wednesday, October 29 at 7 p.m. (All times are Eastern).

An AQHA Corporate Partner since 1984, Bayer Animal Health is a major sponsor of AQHA's weekly television series, "America's Horse." They are a part of the sponsorship team of the AQHA World Championship Show, providing prize money and promotional funding. Bayer also participates through sponsorship in the MBNA America® Quarter Horse Racing Challenge as a sponsor of the Bayer Legend Challenge and the title sponsor of the Bayer Legend Million Dollar Bonus. Additionally, Bayer sponsors the Best Remuda Award recognizing ranches producing outstanding ranch horses and supports the American Quarter Horse Foundation Equine Research initiative.

For more information, contact AQHA at (806) 376-4811 or visit AQHA online at www.aqha.com.