The first of two premier events hosted annually by the American Paint Horse Association (APHA), the Summer World Championship Paint Horse Show is a showcase for Paint Horse competition. This year’s Summer World Show will take place June 23-July 3, 2010 in Fort Worth, Texas, at Will Rogers Memorial Center.
Youth will be the focus from June 23-June 29, with a full slate of classes including halter, English disciplines, Western classes, speed events, cattle classes and team events. A total of 73 Youth World Champions will be named—all sporting trophy Gist Silversmiths buckles.
In 2010, the Youth World Games is also part of the schedule. The World Games brings teams of young equestrians from all over the world together at the Summer World Show for a fun and unique contest based on horsemanship. Some changes have been made to the format of the Games to make it more similar to university equestrian competitions.
Furthermore, APHA has added seven Youth Solid Paint-Bred classes: Youth SPB Showmanship, Youth SPB Western Horsemanship, Youth SPB Western Pleasure, Youth SPB Hunter Under Saddle, Youth SPB Hunt Seat Equitation, Youth SPB Halter Mares (all ages) and Youth SPB Halter Geldings (all ages).
The 3-Year-Old Cutting Challenge returns to the class list, after a 5-year hiatus. Its inclusion will bring the total count of cutting classes to nine, including the 4-Year-Old Cutting Challenge and the 5 & 6-Year-Old Cutting Challenge. APHA adds $5,000 to each Challenge class.
A Youth Versatility Challenge has been added, with a grand prize yet to be announced. Each horse-and-rider team will compete in four events—hunter under saddle, Western pleasure, reining and barrel racing—designed to showcase the versatility and athletic nature of the American Paint Horse and the Youth riders, as well.
The newest and freshest class additions to the 2010 Summer World Championship Paint Horse Show come in the way of open all-breed jackpots; three of them, in fact. All riders of all breeds of horses are welcome to join the festivities as APHA hosts an open all-breed team roping jackpot on June 28, an open all-breed team penning jackpot on July 2, and an open all-breed ranch sorting jackpot on July 3.
More about the Summer World Show & APHA
For the first seven days of the 11-day Summer World Show, young Paint Horse enthusiasts and their families will meet in Fort Worth, Texas, to compete in a full array of disciplines both on the ground and aboard their American Paint Horses for World Champion titles, great prizes, and fun.
In addition to all of the activity inside the arena, the new American Junior Paint Horse Association (AjPHA) Executive Committee elections will be held, the new AjPHA Board of Directors will be installed, and the Youth Team Tournament will bring broad-base horse knowledge and teamwork to the forefront. The Youth Judging Contest will be held June 26 in conjunction with the World Show and sponsor Hart Trailers will present $500 scholarships to the high-placing junior and senior individuals.
Upon the conclusion of Youth classes, focus will shift to Open and Amateur cattle and reining classes through the end of the show. Twenty-eight Open, Amateur and Novice Amateur World Champions will be named, while 12 Challenge and Sweepstakes classes will pay out $36,500 in added money alone.
If all that weren’t enough, APHA will host a free, two-hour horsemanship clinic on July 3 in John Justin Arena with a clinician soon to be announced. Keep up with all of the latest Summer World Show news at aphaworldshow.com/summer. Pre-entry deadline is May 1, 2010, but entries are accepted with a late fee until 5 p.m. the day prior to the class.
Since APHA was founded 48 years ago, it has registered nearly 1 million American Paint Horses at a rate of around 30,000 horses per year. The Association currently serves approximately 85,000 active members in 59 nations and territories. APHA works not only to record Paint Horse pedigrees, but also to preserve and promote the history, breeding, training, racing, showing, sales and enjoyment of American Paint Horses.
To learn more about APHA or AjPHA and how to become a member, contact the Association at (817) 834-APHA (2742), or visit apha.com.
