The American Paint Horse Association recently celebrated the successful conclusion of its annual APHA World Championship Show, which took place November 5–15 in Fort Worth, Texas. The 50th anniversary of the world’s premier Paint Horse show featured a number of landmark events and new classes, and numbers were up across the board.
Nearly 1,000 Paint Horses gathered at the Will Rogers Memorial Center to compete in 265 classes during the 11-day World Show, which featured 180 world championship classes along with other added-money, futurities and special events. Owners and exhibitors represented 42 U.S. states plus Canada, Australia, Mexico, Poland and Paraguay.
The show boasted nearly 2,800 entries, competing for more than $500,000 in cash and prizes. Total entries were up more than 8 percent and total horses increased by 4.8 percent, when compared to 2013 numbers. A total of 306 unique horses and 276 unique exhibitors were named champions or reserve champions at the show.
“This year’s World Show was something special – not only did we see an increase in horses and entries, but we also were able to showcase some new exciting events and experienced a renewed energy and enthusiasm at the show from all that participated,” APHA Senior Director of Shows Holly Slaughter said. “It was an exciting time for us and we plan to continue to build on this for years to come.”
New for 2014
This year’s APHA World Show featured a number of new classes, which were well-received across the board.
Six Amateur Walk-Trot classes made their debut at the 2014 show; designed for non-professional exhibitors who are new to competing as well as horses or exhibitors facing personal limitations that might prohibit loping, this new division has been a hit, and the World Show was no exception. Amateur Solid Paint-Bred classes were expanded as well; six new classes for non-professionals exhibiting solid-colored Paint Horses were added based on participation numbers in Open classes.
The popular Paint Barrel Racing Incentive Program returned to the show as well, paying out nearly $15,000. This year, PBRIP futurities gave 4- and 5-year-old speedsters a chance to earn additional cash, too. APHA Corporate Partner Farnam generously sponsored a $3,000 fastest-time bonus in the PBRIP Sweepstakes and a $1,000 fastest time bonus in the PBRIP futurities. Big winners included Cortney Morris, who took home more than $5,000 for wins in both the PBRIP Regular Registry and Solid Paint-Bred Sweepstakes classes aboard Streakin Lineage and Classy Freckled Lady. Read more about the PBRIP winners here.
One of the most popular additions was a slate of ranch horse-focused events: Amateur and Open Ranch Horse Pleasure and a Ranch Horse Trail Sweepstakes class. APHA and Farnam added $1,750 to the Open and Amateur Ranch Horse Pleasure classes, and APHa added $1,000 to the Ranch Horse Trail Sweepstakes. Nonie Casselman-Reed of Hico, Texas, won both Ranch Horse Pleasure classes aboard Zeena Lena, her 2009 bay overo mare.
The $50,000+ Farnam
The popular Farnam Pleasure Stakes classes returned to the World Show with a twist: in addition to the 2-year-old Western pleasure and hunter under saddle stakes classes, the schedule also included new classes in each event for eligible 3- and 4-year-old horses and their non-pro exhibitors.
Mike Hachtel of Collinsville, Texas, and A Jellybean Impulse were the picture of consistency November 8, and that helped them take home a paycheck worth nearly $11,500 in the Farnam 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure Stakes. The 2012 chestnut overo gelding was bred and is owned by Debi and Loren East of Bountiful, Utah. Overall, the 16-horse class featured a purse worth more than $35,000.
In the inaugural Farnam Non-Pro 3- & 4-Year-Old Western Pleasure Stakes, Carlee McDuffie of Morganton, North Carolina, piloted Get The Sensation to the win and a $6,125 payday. The new non-pro class paid out more than $13,600.
The Farnam 2-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes and inaugural 3- and 4-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes took place November 7. All Ways A Diva and Katy Jo Zuidema of Micanopy, Florida, took home more than $6,300 for their win in the Farnam 2-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes, which paid out more than $14,000. The 2012 bay overo mare is by All Time Fancy and out of Future Diva, and was bred and is owned by James Jorgensen of Thornton, Iowa.
Classy Invitation, a 2011 sorrel overo mare by Ultimate Charisma and out of Pretty Invitation, won the inaugural Non-Pro 3- and 4-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes with Beth Yoak of Grove City, Ohio. They took home $1,550.
Read more about the 2014 Farnam Pleasure Stakes champions here.
A Super Sale
Another highly anticipated World Show tradition, the Farnam Breeders’ Trust Select Sale didn’t disappoint. Forty-four Paints went through the West Sale Arena on November 9; most were part of the Farnam Yearling Stakes Session, which makes the horses eligible for the Farnam Pleasure Stakes events as 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds.
High-selling horse A Scenic Ride, a 2013 sorrel overo stallion by A Scenic Impulse and out of A Sensational Zippo, brought a bid of $67,000—the sale’s second-highest topper of all time. Consigned by breeders Stanley and Susan Scott of Ocala, Florida, the yearling was purchased by Michele Martindale, who hopes to bring the colt back with trainer Richard Spinks for next year’s competition. Read more about the sale here.
Roping a Win
APHA once again partnered with the United States Team Roping Championships to offer the Cowtown ShootOut, a premier all-breed roping event with special Paint incentives, on the final weekend of the World Show. Drawing an estimated 1,100 teams, ropers aboard registered Paint Horses also vied for $5,000 in bonus payouts.
Caleb Butler of Decatur, Texas, won the 5 & Under category aboard Dashin Okie, his 2001 brown tobiano gelding. Cole Davison of Hico, Texas, was the winning owner in the 6 & Up roping; his 1999 sorrel tobiano stallion Hickory Doc Flyer was the highest-placing Paint in that category with roper Thomas Zuniga.
Top of the Class
Eight all-around and high-point awards were presented at the 2014 APHA World Show, and the race for the premier title—the All-Around Horse award—came down to the show’s final class. Rolex Bar Twister, a 2005 bay tobiano stallion owned and bred by Ronald and Marie Kettle of Craig, Colorado, once again turned in dominant performances in a number of events and secured his second-consecutive All-Around Horse title.
For his win, Rolex Bar Twister was awarded one-year’s use of a three horse Hart Trailer, $1,000 cash and a number of other awards. Other big winners included Gay Bar Lucky Jac (High-Point Western Horse and Oscar Crigler Cattle Award), All Rise (High-Point English Horse), MJ Watch Yer Six (Super Gelding), Jack Wright (High-Point Exhibitor), Ashley Wildes (All-Around Classic Amateur), Coleen Bull (All-Around Masters Amateur) and Emma Stubblefield (All-Around Novice Amateur). Read more about the show’s all-around and high-point winners here.
