An Increase in Entries at 2013 APHA World Show Brings Total to 2,583

APHA press release

FORT WORTH—The American Paint Horse Association is celebrating the successful conclusion of its 2013 World Championship Show, which was held November 6-16 at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

In addition to naming 168 World Champions over the course of 11 days, APHA held a total of 242 classes and paid out more than $500,000 in cash and prizes.

New opportunities brought an increase in entries over the 2012 Open/Amateur World Show. When the dust settled and the final champion was named, the show had 935 horses with a total of 2,583 entries. Forty-two states, Mexico and Canada were represented.

New in 2013, APHA hosted a pre-show boot camp to help Amateur and Novice Amateur exhibitors polish their skills. A “Ride The Pattern” seminar gave exhibitors first-hand insight into what the World Show judges would be looking for in patterned classes.

The lineup of new class offerings was well received: four new Green classes accounted for 114 entries; Paint Barrel Racing Incentive Program (PBRIP) Sweepstakes gathered 49 entries with total payout of $16,130; Ranch Sorting Sweepstakes drew 49 entries with an estimated total payout of $13,825; and the inaugural Ranch Horse Pleasure Sweepstakes saw 15 entries with an estimated $4,025 purse.

Farnam’s 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure Stakes and 2-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes paid out $50,000 to horses that had been consigned to the 2012 Stakes Session of the Farnam/APHA Breeders’ Trust Select Sale. The anticipated payout is even larger for 2014.

Held separately in conjunction with the APHA World Show, APHA and the United States Team Roping Championships (USTRC) hosted the Cowtown ShootOut roping at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum November 15-17. The Cowtown ShootOut was the largest roping held in the historic coliseum and drew 1,230 teams. USTRC paid out $211,561 cash, buckles and saddles. APHA and Farnam teamed to pay an additional $4,000 incentive to Paint ropers in two divisions, along with beautiful Gist Silversmiths trophy buckles.

“It’s always exciting to see growth in World Show participation. This year’s show was both a testament to the improving quality of entries and the willingness of APHA leadership to innovate. We’re already thinking about ways of growing the show even more,” said APHA Executive Director Billy Smith.

Watch for more World Show wrap-up information in the coming days, and in the January 2014 issue of APHA’s Paint Horse magazine.

About APHA and the Open and Amateur World Championship Show

The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second largest equine breed association. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, it collects, records and preserves pedigrees of the breed. APHA recognizes and supports 111 regional and international clubs, produces championship shows, sponsors trail rides and creates and maintains programs that increase the value of American Paint Horses and enriches members’ experiences with their horses. APHA has registered more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories since it was founded, and now serves more than 50,000 active youth and adult members around the world.

For more information about the American Paint Horse Association, visit apha.com or connect with Paint Horse fans globally at facebook.com/americanpainthorse or on Twitter @APHANews and @WorldShow.

The World Championship Paint Horse Show features the finest gathering of Paint Horses from around the globe. APHA hosts two annual world-class competitions to showcase the talents of American Paint Horses and their owners. The second in the 2013 series, the Open and Amateur World Championship Show was held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth’s cultural district. With over 900 talented Paint Horses and more than 2,500 entries, exhibitors competed for prizes and cash payouts totaling $500,000.