The objectives of the Australian Warmblood Horse Association (the AWHA) are promote the Warmblood horse and to ensure that horses registered by members in the Studbooks maintained by the company are considered suitable for sports such as dressage, show jumping, eventing and driving and are performance horses showing quality, correct conformation; correct movement with impulsion balance and cadence; a suitable character and a willing temperament, jumping ability, style and technique. To this end, the association aims to encourage and promote the breeding, improvement, exhibition and participation in competition of Warmblood horses.

The history of the Australian Warmblood Horse Association (AWHA), the oldest and largest Warmblood organisation in Australia, parallels the progress of the Warmblood breed in this country.

The AWHA was founded in the early 1970s in Victoria. It was originally known as the German Warmblood Horse Association because the earliest imports, beginning in 1968 with the arrival of the grey Holsteiner stallion Flaneur, were from Germany. Once the future for breeding Australian Warmbloods was established, however, we proudly change our name to the Australian Warmblood Horse Association, and the AWHA is now an 'A' class member of the World Breeding Federation.

Through the 1970s and early 1980s, more stallions were imported and were used over mares of varying breeds and types without formal regulation. The AWHA recognised that indiscriminate matings must not continue if Australia was to produce a Warmblood horse comparable to those bred internationally. Different Branches began to introduce breeding guidelines to address this problem. Real progress was achieved in 1985 when, with enormous support from our members, the AWHA adopted uniform breeding guidelines to apply Australia-wide. These guidelines, based on European practices but adapted for Australian conditions, were further refined and eventually "finalised" in 1993. Designed to maintain the integrity of the Warmblood in this country through classification and registration requirements, they are periodically re-assessed in accordance with the AWHA's commitment to best breeding practices.

Shining proof of the success of the AWHA's philosophy of pre-selecting for superior breeding stock, is that today there are now approximately equal numbers of imported and locally bred stallions with AWHA Breeding Permits. A good number of the Australian Warmblood stallions have already passed performance testing and have been granted full licensed status, whilst the more recently selected colts are preparing for this achievement. The AWHA Studbook also boasts an impressive field of mares classified as elite, head studbook, studbook and foundation mares. The vast majority of these have their origins in the crossing of imported Warmblood stallions with local, usually Thoroughbred, mares, as the importation of Warmblood mares has been relatively less common. The Warmblood Identification Register (which replaced the former Performance Identification Register) was introduced in 1993 to record non-studbook stock with Warmblood breeding.

Locally bred Warmbloods have represented Australia at the Olympics and in 1992 in Barcelona, Kibah Tick Toc won the ultimate sporting prizes – individual and team Olympic gold medals in the Three-Day Event! Warmbloods are also rising to the top of the leader boards in the other Olympic disciplines, dressage and show jumping.

More and more Australians are realising that in the world of serious equine sport, a Warmblood can give them the winning edge. Horses bred under the AWHA banner can point to generations of pedigree selected for soundness and bred to be riding horses: no wonder they are keenly sought by breeders, amateurs and professional competitors alike. The slogan "Warmbloods are Winners" has never been more true.

To contact an appropriate branch of the Society, see the contacts list, or for general information awha@awha.com.au.