The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) has hired Jeffrey Hill as general counsel, replacing former legal chief Chad Pierce who left earlier this year to rejoin Texas law firm Underwood.
Hill previously ran his own private practice, The Law Office of Jeffrey A. Hill. At AQHA he will oversee the organisation’s legal affairs and provide legal guidance to support its operations.
Amarillo, Texas-based AQHA is the world’s largest horse breed registry and membership organisation, dedicated to preserving and promoting the American Quarter Horse – a type of horse bred for racing, rodeo shows and ranch work.
Dave Dellin, AQHA’s CEO, said: “Jeff brings a valuable combination of legal experience and a deep understanding of AQHA and the members we serve. His background as an attorney and an AQHA judge gives him a perspective that will benefit our leadership team and the association as we work to strengthen our programmes and services.”
Hill ran his own practice for 12 years before joining ACHA. He was previously an assistant district attorney in the 47th District Attorney’s Office, based in Amarillo. Earlier in his career, he was deputy county attorney in the Scotts Bluff County Attorney’s Office.
Hill also served as an AQHA judge between 1995 and 2020, judging in the 2004 AQHYA World Championship Show and the 2015 AQHA Select World Championship Show.
He said: “AQHA has been an important part of my life, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve the association in this new capacity. My years as a judge gave me an appreciation for the dedication of our members and the integrity of our competition programmes. I look forward to bringing that experience and my legal background to a role that supports the American Quarter Horse and the people who make this community so special.”
Pierce, meanwhile, departed AQHA this year after more than two decades as its legal head. He rejoined Underwood in May as a shareholder, where he had previously practised. He first joined Underwood in 1995 and became AQHA GC in 2003 while still serving as a partner at the firm, eventually leaving to work at AQHA full-time in 2009.
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