diff --git a/.github/workflows/run_test_suite.yml b/.github/workflows/run_test_suite.yml
index dd8b0d8e..9408cc4a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run_test_suite.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run_test_suite.yml
@@ -46,15 +46,6 @@ jobs:
         ruby: [3.2, 3.3]
         # additional tests
         include:
-          # EOL 6/2022 (ruby >= 2.2.2, <2.7)
-          - ruby: 2.6
-            activerecord: 52
-          # EOL 2023
-          - ruby: 2.7
-            activerecord: 60
-          # rails 6.1 and 7.0 have different ruby versions
-          - ruby: 2.7
-            activerecord: 61
           - ruby: "3.0"
             activerecord: 61
     env:
@@ -97,7 +88,6 @@ jobs:
           UPDATE_STRATEGY: sql
         run: |
           bundle exec rake
-        if: ${{ matrix.activerecord != 52 }}
       - name: run pg tests (ANCESTRY_COLUMN=ancestry_alt)
         env:
           DB: pg
@@ -111,8 +101,6 @@ jobs:
           UPDATE_STRATEGY: sql
         run: |
           bundle exec rake
-          FORMAT=${{ matrix.format }} UPDATE_STRATEGY=sql bundle exec rake
-        if: ${{ matrix.activerecord != 52 }}
       - name: run mysql tests
         env:
           DB: mysql2
diff --git a/Appraisals b/Appraisals
index 2883b0b9..2c1082c6 100644
--- a/Appraisals
+++ b/Appraisals
@@ -1,17 +1,12 @@
 # on a mac using:
 # bundle config --global build.mysql2 "--with-mysql-dir=$(brew --prefix mysql)"
 
-%w[5.2.8 6.0.6 6.1.7 7.0.8 7.1.3 7.2.1].each do |ar_version|
+%w[7.0.8 7.1.3 7.2.1].each do |ar_version|
   appraise "gemfile-#{ar_version.split('.').first(2).join}" do
     gem 'activerecord', "~> #{ar_version}"
-    # active record 5.2 uses ruby 2.6
-    # active record 6.x uses ruby 2.7 (sometimes 3.0)
     # so we are targeting the ruby version indirectly through active record
-    if ar_version < "7.0"
-      gem "sqlite3", "~> 1.6.9"
-    else
-      # sqlite3 v 2.0 is causing trouble with rails
-      gem "sqlite3", "< 2.0"
-    end
+
+    # sqlite3 v 2.0 is causing trouble with rails
+    gem "sqlite3", "< 2.0"
   end
 end
diff --git a/gemfiles/gemfile_52.gemfile b/gemfiles/gemfile_52.gemfile
deleted file mode 100644
index eb715511..00000000
--- a/gemfiles/gemfile_52.gemfile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-# This file was generated by Appraisal
-
-source "https://rubygems.org"
-
-gem "activerecord", "~> 5.2.8"
-gem "mysql2"
-gem "pg"
-gem "sqlite3", "~> 1.6.9"
-
-gemspec path: "../"
diff --git a/gemfiles/gemfile_60.gemfile b/gemfiles/gemfile_60.gemfile
deleted file mode 100644
index f0d662f0..00000000
--- a/gemfiles/gemfile_60.gemfile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-# This file was generated by Appraisal
-
-source "https://rubygems.org"
-
-gem "activerecord", "~> 6.0.6"
-gem "mysql2"
-gem "pg"
-gem "sqlite3", "~> 1.6.9"
-
-gemspec path: "../"
diff --git a/gemfiles/gemfile_61.gemfile b/gemfiles/gemfile_61.gemfile
deleted file mode 100644
index 6a2913a1..00000000
--- a/gemfiles/gemfile_61.gemfile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-# This file was generated by Appraisal
-
-source "https://rubygems.org"
-
-gem "activerecord", "~> 6.1.7"
-gem "mysql2"
-gem "pg"
-gem "sqlite3", "~> 1.6.9"
-
-gemspec path: "../"