Jim J. Shoemake, past President of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and senior partner in the St. Louis, Mo., law firm of Guilfoil, Petzall & Shoemake, L.L.C., was elected chairman of the Board of Trustees of the American Horse Council (AHC) at the AHC’s annual meeting in Washington, DC on June 26. The AHC represents the horse industry before Congress and the federal regulatory agencies in Washington.

Shoemake and his wife Rita own a farm near Farmington, Mo., and have been involved in breeding and raising registered American Quarter Horses for many years. Shoemake is chairman of the board of directors of Lindenwood University and serves on the boards of a number of other charitable and not-for-profit entities, including the AQHA, the Urological Research Foundation, and the Missouri Quarter Horse Association.

Shoemake succeeds Russell Williams, vice chairman of the United States Trotting Association.

"We are very fortunate to have Jim as the chair of the AHC," said AHC president Jay Hickey. "His broad background in the horse industry, his legal skills, and his legislative experience when he worked in the U.S. Department of Justice will be great assets to the organization