▁Association ▁( IA HA ), ▁though ▁a ▁newer ▁group , ▁was ▁the ▁better - known ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁organizations ▁that ▁merged ▁to ▁create ▁the ▁A HA , ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁role ▁in ▁san ction ing ▁horse ▁shows , ▁developing ▁rules , ▁and ▁lic ens ing ▁jud ges . ▁▁ ▁I A HA ▁had ▁worked ▁with ▁the ▁American ▁Hor se ▁Sh ows ▁Association ▁( then ▁A H SA , ▁now ▁U SE F ) ▁to ▁create ▁approved ▁All - A rab ian ▁horse ▁shows ▁and ▁propose ▁rules ▁for ▁the ▁Arab ian ▁division ▁of ▁A H SA ▁. ▁It ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁By ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁it ▁had ▁organized ▁the ▁first ▁U . S . ▁and ▁Canadian ▁national ▁champion ships . ▁ ▁Its ▁membership ▁pe aked ▁at ▁over ▁ 3 2 , 0 0 0 ▁members ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁It ▁entered ▁into ▁a ▁mer ger ▁agreement ▁with ▁the ▁A H RA ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁the ▁A HA ▁officially ▁came ▁into ▁being . ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁ ▁final ▁years ▁of ▁I A HA ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁A HA ▁mer ger ▁were ▁em bro iled ▁in ▁controvers y . ▁ ▁Cont ro vers y ▁of ▁Michael ▁Brown ▁After ▁considerable ▁discussion ▁over ▁the ▁years ▁over ▁how ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁quality ▁of ▁jud ges ▁and ▁jud ging , ▁I A HA ▁appointed ▁Michael ▁Brown ▁as ▁its ▁first ▁Jud