Edited PHJ release by: Jessica Hein
APHA is pleased to announce its Top 20 shows for 2014. This annual list is complied based on total entries per judge.
Taking the No. 1 spot for the sixth time in eight years was the Western Regional Zone 2 Zone Show, which took place May 22–23 in South Jordan, Utah. In 2014, the show attracted 1,143 entries to the six-judge show, which was also followed by a four-judge show that also had more than 1,000 entries.
The No. 2 show for the second-consecutive year was the Zone 12 European Championship, APHA’s largest show outside of the United States. This five-judge show, which took place September 1–7 in Kreuth, Germany, had 919 entries in 2014, attracting exhibitors from 13 European countries for a truly international Paint Horse competition.
The popular Arizona Copper Country shows—a pair of four-judge competitions that straddle the calendar year, taking place in Scottsdale during late December and early January—also climbed the annual Top 20 shows rank. The December 2014 show ranked fourth in 2014, climbing from its 13th place ranking in 2013. The portion that took place in January 2014, unranked in 2013, was 10th on last year’s Top 20 chart.
Other shows debuting on the chart in 2014 after an unranked 2013 include the four-judge Texas Paint Horse Club show at the Fort Worth Stock Show in January; the Zone 1 Show in Albany, Oregon, which hosted the inaugural Northwest Paint Horse Championship in August 2014; the Florida Paint Horse Club’s four-judge Tampa show in May; and the Palmetto Paint Horse Club’s four-judge Spring Warm-Up, which took place during March in Clemson, South Carolina.
2014 Top 20 Shows
10. Arizona Copper Country—January 1–2, Scottsdale, Arizona
11. Texas Paint Horse Club/Fort Worth Stock Show—January 17–20, Fort Worth, Texas
12. Rocky Mountain Rendezvous POR—April 11–13, Denver, Colorado
13. Illinois Paint Horse Association Beginning of Season POR—April 19–20, Gifford, Illinois
14. Fall Color Classic—October 25–26, Lansing, Michigan
15. Zone 1 ZOR—August 14–17, Albany, Oregon
16. Margarita Classic POR—November 1–2, Waco, Texas
17. Zone 6 Deep South ZOR—March 14–16, Tunica, Mississippi
18. Florida Paint Horse Club POR—May 24–25, Tampa, Florida
19. Memorial Day Bonanza—May 25–26, Mason, Michigan
20. Palmetto Paint Horse Club Spring Warm-Up—March 21–23, Clemson, South Carolina
APHA-approved shows are just a click a way—visit aphaonline.org to start planning your show season.