I don't know if it is enforced or not. People who are paying $25,000 stud fees for breedings to Babcock's horses are not interested in showing or competeing in AQHA. They have their sites set on NRHA or NCHA and you don't have to have a registered horse to compete there.


The reason people prefer to compete in NCHA or NRHA is because of the bigger purse, it's got nothing to do with their horses' height.

Chicks Achy Braky (ridden by Jim Babcock himself) is an AQHA World Champion.

A guy I know used to own a 14 hand horse (PF Mr Badger Sanjo) that was AQHA Reserve World Champion and Congress Champion.