{"id":20067,"date":"2026-07-03T17:45:39","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T23:45:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/?p=20067"},"modified":"2026-07-03T17:45:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T23:45:39","slug":"who-will-enforce-show-rules-in-2026-abba-hands-responsibility-to-host-show-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/who-will-enforce-show-rules-in-2026-abba-hands-responsibility-to-host-show-management","title":{"rendered":"Who will enforce show Rules in 2026? ABBA Hands Responsibility to host Show Management"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tough questions. real answers. A stronger Brahman breed.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

The Brahman Journal is excited to introduce The Bull Session, a new monthly feature designed to inform, challenge and inspire discussion within the Brahman breed.<\/em><\/p>\n

This column will tackle important topics affecting Brahman breeders in the United States and around the world. Some months, it may reinforce conventional wisdom. Other times, it may challenge the status quo. Either way, our goal is simple: to ask the tough questions, seek honest answers and provide a platform for the voices of Brahman breeders.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Have a question you\u2019d like us to explore?<\/em><\/strong>
\nEmail info@brahmanjournal.com<\/a> and your topic could be featured in a future edition of The Bull Session.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

During the recent American Brahman Breeders Association Board of Directors meeting held May 22 in Bryan-College Station, Texas, a number of topics were on the agenda, and board members voted on a variety of important issues. One vote that captured our attention was a rule change in which responsibility for enforcement at ABBA-sanctioned shows was shifted to the shows and away from the ABBA.<\/p>\n

The motion on the floor, which subsequently passed, came out of the Executive Committee meeting.<\/p>\n

“Furthermore, of the process started more than two years ago regarding the shows, the investigation and enforcement of the ABBA guidelines applicable to sanctioned shows shall be delegated to the ABBA-sanctioned shows. The Show Committee will provide these updated guidelines to the shows within 14 days.”<\/p>\n

The Brahman Journal believes the following is a fairly accurate synopsis of the rule change:<\/p>\n

1. Delegation of Enforcement.<\/strong> For all ABBA-sanctioned shows (i.e., all sanctioned point shows other than ABBA-sponsored shows such as the National and International Shows), the investigation and enforcement of ABBA show guidelines and rules are delegated to the management of each sanctioned show.<\/p>\n

2. ABBA’s Role.<\/strong> ABBA will provide each sanctioned show with a set of ABBA Show Guidelines based on ABBA’s show rules and standards. ABBA’s primary enforcement mechanism with respect to sanctioned shows is at the show level, not the individual exhibitor level.
\nIf a sanctioned show fails to follow and enforce ABBA Show Guidelines, that show may be subject to loss of ABBA-sanctioned status and\/or loss of ABBA points eligibility in subsequent years.<\/p>\n

3. Show Management Responsibilities.<\/strong> Each ABBA-sanctioned show is responsible for enforcing ABBA rules, including:
\nChecking entries and documents (e.g., registration status, DNA\/parentage requirements, eligibility of animals and exhibitors, and compliance with division and class rules).
\nInvestigating complaints or potential violations of the ABBA Show Guidelines that occur at that show.
\nImposing penalties or corrective actions at that show (e.g., disqualification, removal from results, forfeiture of premiums or points) as the show’s management deems appropriate under the ABBA Show Guidelines and the show’s own rules.<\/p>\n

4. Guidelines Distribution.<\/strong> The ABBA Show Committee shall:
\nMaintain and update the ABBA Show Guidelines consistent with ABBA show rules and board policy.
\nProvide updated ABBA Show Guidelines to each ABBA-sanctioned show within 14 days of any board-approved change that affects show operations or enforcement.<\/p>\n

5. Complaints and Appeals.<\/strong> First level: Exhibitors and members must direct complaints regarding rule enforcement at a sanctioned show to that show’s management, which is responsible for investigating and deciding the matter.
\nSecond level (show status): If ABBA receives credible information that a sanctioned show did not follow the ABBA Show Guidelines, the ABBA Show Committee and\/or Executive Committee may review the show’s conduct and recommend to the board whether that show should retain or lose its ABBA-sanctioned and\/or points-eligible status in future years.<\/p>\n

6. Sponsored Shows<\/strong> (Exception). This delegation does not apply to ABBA-sponsored shows (currently the National Show and the International Show at Houston).
\nAt ABBA-sponsored shows, ABBA remains directly responsible for the investigation and enforcement of show rules and guidelines.<\/p>\n

During the meeting, Kelvin Moreno, director for Area 6 and an ABBA Executive Committee member, said in defense of the motion: “Truthfully, is that the organization does not have the ability to sustain the amount of complaints and litigation that comes from those complaints at every single show, so it’s going to have to give something, so outside of just cutting the umbilical and saying we’re not taking points from anything, and ABBA is just out of the show business, with the exception of two shows, which is probably where it’s going to end up going. National and International show, and the rest of these shows you can go have fun to a show, go for the awards, and everybody has them. Because ABBA is not present there, they don’t have physical staff to go to those events to see if those rules work and were followed or not.”<\/p>\n

Some of the concerns regarding this rule involve its implementation timeline, as well as the potential unintended consequences of the rule change.
\nThe rule is scheduled to become effective July 1, 2026. At this time, a number of fall fairs and livestock shows have already published their exhibitor handbooks, show rules, and entry information. Many of these organizations agreed to host ABBA-sanctioned shows based on the rules and responsibilities that were in place when their materials were developed.<\/p>\n

This new rule appears to shift a significant portion of rule enforcement responsibility from ABBA to individual fair boards and show management teams. Since those organizations were not given advance notice of this change before publishing their materials or agreeing to sanction their events, has the Board considered delaying implementation until the next show season?
\nPostponing the effective date would provide fairs and show management teams adequate time to review the new requirements, determine whether they are willing and able to assume these additional responsibilities, and update their exhibitor materials accordingly. It would also help ensure consistent application of the rule across all ABBA-sanctioned events.<\/p>\n

There are also questions regarding the unintended consequences of this change and how fairs and shows will enforce the rules. Will fairs want to enforce ABBA\u2019s rules and guidelines? Will some fairs decide to no longer hold sanctioned ABBA shows? Could that allow certain shows to \u201ccorner the market\u201d and control which events have ABBA points attached to them?<\/p>\n

There are also broader historical questions to consider. What would be the ramifications for Register of Renown and Vanguard status if ABBA no longer awards points at most sanctioned shows and instead recognizes points only at the National Show and International Show? If ABBA were to reduce point recognition to only two shows, would ABBA take back management of the National Show?
\nThere are also practical enforcement concerns. How will individual fairs enforce these rules? What prevents a person who breaks the rules at one show from attending another show and breaking the same rule again, since each show can only enforce rules within its own event?<\/p>\n

The ABBA has long been viewed as a leader within the global Brahman industry, and many Brahman breeders and associations around the world look to the organization as a model. As the association evaluates its priorities and programs, how does the Board believe decisions regarding awards, historical records, pedigree accuracy, and show data may impact ABBA’s role as a leader within the breed? What steps are being taken to ensure that these important resources remain accurate, reliable, and valuable to current and future breeders?<\/p>\n

We encourage all members to stay actively involved in the association and to contact their ABBA Area Director with any questions, concerns, or suggestions. We would like to see ABBA grow, flourish, and move forward by providing the services, programs, and award recognition this great breed deserves.<\/p>\n

Since ABBA no longer publishes a current director list with all area information, members can find a current director map and area listing on The Brahman Journal website and in this edition.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the biggest ABBA rule changes in recent years is set to take effect on July 1, 2026…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4140,"featured_media":20068,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[16,18,19,21],"tags":[58],"class_list":{"0":"post-20067","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-abba-news","8":"category-american-brahman-breeders","9":"category-brahman-news","10":"category-industry-news","11":"tag-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4140"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20067"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20067\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20069,"href":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20067\/revisions\/20069"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brahmanjournal.com\/cattle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}