The National Barrel Horse Association is the largest barrel racing organization in the world with almost 22,000 members representing every single state of the USA. According to the NBHA, \"the ultimate goal of NBHA competition is competing at the World Championships,\" yet this championship is inconveniently held each year in Augusta, Georgia. Every year thousands of members across the country, especially in the West and North Central regions of the United States, reluctantly turn down their invitations to compete for the World Championships simply because they are faced with the enormous burden of traveling such ridiculous distances with their horses. Distance to Augusta, GA World Show from: Saint Paul, MN - 1260 Miles - Approx 21.9 Hours Santa Fe, NM - 1529 Miles - Approx 28 Hours Denver, CO - 1548 Miles - Approx 26.0 Hours San Diego, CA - 2285 Miles - Approx 38.2 Hours Seattle, WA - 2817 Miles - Approx 47.5 Hours Right now the World Championship is being held in one of the southern most parts of the US, Augusta, GA. There has been speculation that the World Show is being kept in Augusta because of a very simple, yet powerful thing called money, specifically the profit being made from outstanding horse stall fees. We\'d like to have more faith in the NBHA than that. If this is the case, we hope the NBHA would take into consideration the huge increase in attendance a centralization would bring, which would in turn bring in more entry fees that would surely recover any losses incurred by a move of this magnitude. The members of NBHA believe if you are going to call it a \"national association\" that you should make this event accessible to as many members as possible. We suggest moving this event to Oklahoma, Kansas, or another centralized location so that every member of the NBHA will have a fair chance at the World title. We realize moving a show of this magnitude is no easy task, but the NBHA has had many years to rectify this problem with no solution in sight. The NBHA needs to realize how frustrating it is to their members for them to compete long and hard every year, qualify to be a world champion contender, and then be denied their opportunity because of an impossible location. The NBHA needs to realize that even those members in the Southeast, where the World Show is currently being held, want to be given the opportunity to compete against all of the NBHA\'s best barrel racers, not just those fortunate enough to live close enough to Augusta, GA. The NBHA needs to realize that it is losing both current and potential members because of this frustration. By signing this petition, no matter where your location is, you are telling the NBHA that not only do you want to be given a practical chance in competing in the NBHA World Show, but you want others to have that opportunity also. Just because the NBHA will never make everyone happy with the location, does not mean they should not make it as fair as possible. The only solution is a centralization of the NBHA World Championship Show. The NBHA members and potential members are signing this petition because they love the sport of barrel racing, love the National Barrel Horse Association, and only want want the opportunity the NBHA themselves have said is the \"ultimate goal\" - to compete at the World Championships.

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