What Is sdqha.com? The Mission of the South Dakota Quarter Horse Association

Updated

sdqha.com is the website of the South Dakota Quarter Horse Association (SDQHA), a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and providing beneficial services and opportunities for all horse enthusiasts. Its stated mission centers on serving members and promoting the American Quarter Horse through education, recognition, recreation, public policy monitoring, industry relations, and marketing. If you are looking for the association's purpose, leadership, or focus areas in South Dakota, this site is the official source.

What the organization says it does

According to the site, SDQHA is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and providing beneficial services and opportunities for all horse enthusiasts. The association describes its goal as developing its membership through:

  • Educational programs
  • Recognition programs
  • Recreational opportunities
  • Monitoring of equine public policy
  • Fostering industry relations
  • Marketing, promotion, and publicity of the American Quarter Horse

These are the association's own stated aims, so they represent how SDQHA defines its role rather than an outside evaluation of its programs.

Who runs SDQHA

The site lists the 2026 SDQHA Executive Committee and board structure, which shows how the organization is governed:

Role Name
President Bob Carr
Vice President JD Lauing
Treasurer, Website Jodie Svennes
Secretary, Website Shelby Holmes
Youth Advisor Dee Haugen

State Board of Directors members are grouped by region:

  • East: Bob Carr, Sheila Prins, JoLynn Jacobson
  • Central: Sydney Gray, LeAnn Bender, JD Lauing
  • West: Belynn Johner, Doris Lauing, Kerry Papendick
  • At-Large: Mindy Hubert, Randy Guggisberg, Dakota Karber

National Directors and related positions listed include Debbi Holmes-Stockstill, Janet Hansen (National Director Emeritus), Kristen Gonsoir, Dean Johnson, Georga Sutton (AQHA Honorary Vice President), James Hootman (National Director Emeritus), Larry Larson, James Sutton, and Heather Sutton. Jim Hunt is listed as an AQHA Past President (2025). Region 2 Representatives are Jodie Svennes and BeLynn Johner, and Amateur Ambassadors are Amanda Dikoff and Shelby Holmes. AQH Lead Program graduates listed are Zane Zilverberg (2024) and Shelby Holmes (2025).

How to use the site

The page provides a "Message Us" contact option, and the officers listed for website duties are Jodie Svennes and Shelby Holmes. If your goal is to ask about membership, events, or programs, use that contact route rather than assuming details that are not published on the page. The site does not list pricing, membership fees, or login requirements, so those specifics should be confirmed directly with the association.

What this means for you

If you are a horse enthusiast in South Dakota, particularly one interested in the American Quarter Horse, sdqha.com is the association's hub for its stated services: education, recognition, recreation, policy monitoring, industry relations, and promotion. If you need current program schedules, membership costs, or event registration, contact the association through the site, since those details are not included in the available page content.