The Kentucky State Fair has announced that all entries in park and pleasure sections whose confirmed records demonstrate competition within the official qualifying period including at least three shows with six or more classes, and who have been properly entered by the deadlines specified in the official prize list, have been accepted.

According to Scarlett Mattson, Horse Show Manager, "We're very pleased to be able to accept all the Park and Pleasure entries we received as of the entry closing dates with verified compliance with the minimum qualifying standard. This means that this year we didn't have to use the point standings the ASHA has been tabulating for us, to decide among entries in overfilled sections. In setting the numbers that we would accept in each section, we didn't anticipate that any would be overfilled, and they weren't. We're really pleased with the cooperation we had from competitions and exhibitors, and with the turnout for this year's World's Championship Horse Show. It looks like it's going to be another great event."

Mattson added, "We're now using all the information we received to determine the qualifying procedures for the 2009 show, which will be similar as far as the qualifying period goes. Once again, Park and Pleasure horses will have to qualify next year, with the minimum standard again of at least three shows and six or more classes. We anticipate that there will be some changes to the point structure, because we've learned so much this year about the variety of shows people have qualified in, the differences in geographic areas of the country, sizes of classes, types of classes, and so forth. It will take us a while to consider all of this before announcing the exact structure going forward. But since the qualifying period for 2009 is already underway (July 2008 through June 2009), exhibitors should be showing now with the same minimum standard in mind again."