What is the American Hanoverian Society?

The American Hanoverian Society, Inc. is a Hanoverian breed organization which is directed by its own Board of Directors, elected by its U.S. membership and operating under by-laws voted upon by the membership. Incorporated in 1978, it is an American-based, independent, non-profit corporation, headquartered in Lexington, KY. What began with only 40 members has grown since that time to become an internationally recognized organization.

The Society operates as an affiliate of the German Hannoveraner Verband. While working independently in support of its membership, the Society enjoys a strong bond and a mutually beneficial working relationship with the Verband. The Verband endorses the AHS by-laws, breeding rules and the manner in which the AHS conducts bloodstock inspections, resulting in full Studbook reciprocity for US-approved stallions and mares. The AHS has representation and a vote on the Verband Board through our membership in Hanoverian International. The mutual cooperation and participation of the AHS with the Verband ensures that American Hanoverian breeders and owners receive timely information and remain firmly connected to the global Hanoverian breeding world.

The AHS office at the Kentucky Horse Park employs a full-time, experienced staff that is dedicated to supporting the membership and the general public with all matters related to Hanoverians. The AHS office is assisted by the elected Board, as well as by hard-working volunteers who serve on numerous committees.

Nationally, the AHS maintains an active and visible presence both within its own membership base and to the public at large. The AHS sends two highly trained and well-qualified judges to each of our many inspection sites, and offers a mare performance test at every location. The AHS Awards program is one of the most comprehensive offered to sport horse breeders in America and was expanded in 2012 to include a futurity offered at every inspection site resulting in $3,000 of yearend cash awards. The Society has a comprehensive internet and social media presence and produces world class publications, an informative direct mail program and national ad campaigns in leading horse publications. The AHS conducts an annual membership meeting which is held at differing locations throughout the US to allow the greatest number of members to participate.

Benefits of Membership

• The AHS annual inspection tour includes up to 30 sites nationwide, and includes:
  - Mare inspections and performance tests (MPTs) offered at every site
  - Foal inspections offered at every site
  - Stallion licensing offered at three locations
• Breeders have the option of registered their foals by mail
• All horses (studbook mares, approved stallions and registered foals) are DNA tested
• All approved stallions undergo rigorous approval processes, including extensive radiograph evaluation, and drug testing during the licensing phase, and the final days of the 70DT
• Members enjoy the ability to research bloodlines and performance with access to comprehensive data from all AHS mare inspections and MPT from the year 2000 onward.
• Members may electronically access the English version Der Hanoveraner
• Access to the AHS print media archive, including online copies of The AHS Quarterly magazine.
• Members may place free text ads on the AHS Website
• Members may electronically submit the showing successes of their produce, and this information is prominently displayed on the AHS home page.
• The society hosts an Annual Business and Informational Meeting
• Members receive publications of the highest quality including:
  - Online Subscriptions to HV publications
• And Society publications :
  - The American Hanoverian Magazine
  - Annual AHS Stallion Directory, Breeders’ Guide and Mare Book
• Frequent electronic Member updates from the AHS office
• Robust Awards Program
• Recognition of AHS Performance Mares
• Futurity for AHS Yearlings and two-year-old
• Recognition of Top Foals at each inspection site both online and in the annual Breeder’s Guide
• Jumper-bred Hanoverian Program (JBP)

General Breeding Policy

The American Hanoverian Society, Inc. is committed to adopting and adhering to the highly selective breeding standards as practiced since 1735 in the Hannover breeding area of Germany. The Society desires to encourage those standards, and to develop a horse on the North American continent having the same or better characteristics.

Breeding Goal

The aim is a noble, correctly built warmblood horse capable of superior performance, a horse with natural impulsion and space-gaining elastic movements – a horse that because of its temperament, character, and willingness is suited principally as an all-around riding horse.