World’s largest Paint Horse show offers
added fun and classes in 2008

FORT WORTH, TEXAS—With two world-class events in the works for 2008, the American Paint Horse Association (APHA) is preparing for its
first and original premier event—the World Championship Paint Horse
Show—set for June 21–July 5 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in
Fort Worth, Texas. The largest Paint Horse show on earth, the World
Show promises exciting fun and big changes.

Rope some fun at the largest Paint Horse Show on earth—the World Championship Paint Horse Show—which will begin June 21 and run through July 5 in Fort Worth, Texas. Courtesy APHA/Jessica Hein © 2007 view more photos Hirez JPEG (1..59 mb)

Kickin’ it up in Cowtown
The first week of the World Show will be dedicated to Youth competitors, but those days will not be all work and no play! The night of June 20 kicks off the festivities with the American Junior Paint Horse Association’s (AjPHA) Year-End Awards Banquet, where outstanding youth will be recognized for their achievements with their horses and in their local communities during the 2007 show season.

AjPHA’s Youth Team Tournament, which brings teams of junior Paint Horse members from regional clubs together in written and orseback
competition, will be held on June 21. In this event, teams participate in a Parade of Teams, Knowledge Relay, Hippology Contest and five events: Showmanship, Equitation, Horsemanship, Barrel Racing, and Walk-Trot.

This year marks the return of the Youth World Games, which gives
teams from across the globe a chance to compete on June 28 in four
categories: Trail, Reining, Showmanship and Horsemanship. At the last Youth World Games, held in 2006, young Paint enthusiasts from six countries—United States, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Australia and France—were present. Team Canada repeated its win of the inaugural Games, held in 2004, taking home the gold medal. Team U.S.A. followed with the silver medal and Team Germany took the bronze medal.

Another returning favorite will be the popular Kids Day, set for July 4. This celebration features a schedule of events full of family- friendly activities for the North Texas-area public. In addition to seeing talented Paint Horses and exhibitors, local children will also be able to ride a Paint Horse, make their own Paint stick horse and learn a few training tips. There will be plenty of games, contests and exciting entertainment that includes an appearance by Radio Disney and AjPHA official mascot “Paint Horse Pete.”

More entertainment can be found at the Colors of the West Gift Show,
which offers great shopping throughout the two weeks of World Show.
Located in the Amon Carter Exhibit Hall and on sidewalks throughout
the complex, the gift show features more than 100 vendors offering a
showcase of products and services from Western and English apparel,
tack, jewelry, art and furniture to a variety of other products.

Also situated inside the gift show is the Purina Mills Colors of the
West arena, which will host daily entertainment and various on-site
clinics from well-known horsemen and horsewomen, and a product and fashion show with top of the line merchandise. The gift show will
open Saturday, June 21 at noon and continue daily from 9 a.m. to 6
p.m. through July 3. Shoppers won’t want to miss the refreshments
and the “Sip and See” celebration from 6 to 9 p.m. on July 4. The
gift show will be open from 6 to 3 p.m. on July 5.

Exciting action for 2008
Last year, Youth, Amateur and Open competitors competed in 183
halter, Western, English and driving classes for more than $400,000
in cash and prizes. This year, there are several updates to the
competition line-up with the introduction of APHA’s new Fall
Championship Show, set for November 6–15, also in Fort Worth.

Classes moving from the World Show to the Fall Championship Show
include Open and Amateur World Championship classes for weanling
halter horses, yearling halter and performance horses, 2-year-old
performance horses and the 3-year-old Challenge classes.

But don’t think that there will be any less heart-pounding action at
this year’s World Show—a number of new classes are being added, as
well. These include:

• 4 & 5-Year-Old Working Cow Horse Challenge
• Novice Youth Hunt Seat Equitation
• 4 & 5-Year-Old Reining Challenge
• Amateur Jumping
• Amateur Western Riding Classic 19-44
• Amateur Western Riding Masters 45 & Over
• Broodmares
• Novice Amateur Cutting
• Novice Youth Hunter Under Saddle
• Novice Youth Horsemanship
• Novice Youth Showmanship
• Novice Youth Western Pleasure
• Solid Paint-Bred 2-Year-Old Stallions
• Solid Paint-Bred 3-Year-Old & Older Stallions
• Solid Paint-Bred 3-Year-Old & Older Mares
• Solid Paint-Bred 2-Year-Old Geldings
• Solid Paint-Bred 3-Year-Old & Older Geldings
• Team Roping Sweepstakes
• Tobiano 2-Year-Old Stallions
• Tobiano 3-Year-Old & Older Stallions
• Tobiano 2-Year-Old Mares
• Tobiano 3-Year-Old & Older Mares
• Tobiano 2-Year-Old Geldings
• Tobiano 3-Year-Old & Older Geldings
• Youth Working Cow Horse

World Show Premium Books available in March
The 2008 World Show Premium Book—which contains important World Show information such as fee schedules, reservation forms, the event
schedule and complete show rules—will be available in March. A PDF
version of the Premium Book and entry forms may also be downloaded
from the World Show Web site at aphaworldshow.com.

Fall Championship Show classes
In addition to the World Show classes that are on the move to APHA’s
new Fall Championship Show, there are several new and returning slot
classes that will round out the later event’s line-up. The classes were selected for this show to allow a longer period of time for young horses to mature before competing on a world-class level.

Slot classes, which are limited-entry events in which contestants reserve their space in advance, will be adding an estimated $600,000 to the show’s total payout. Renewals for pre-existing slots must be made by March 15, 2008. Current owners may also take advantage of the option to purchase up to two additional slots in pre-existing slot classes.

Returning slot classes will include:

• Yearling Longe Line Slot – estimated $45,000 payout
• Yearling Mares Slot – estimated $75,000 payout
• Yearling Stallions Slot – estimated $75,000 payout
• Yearling Geldings Slot – estimated $75,000 payout
• 3 & 4-Year-Old Novice Horse Western Pleasure Slot –
  estimated $75,000 payout
• 3 & 4-Year-Old Novice Horse Hunter Under Saddle Slot –
  estimated $75,000 payout

Current slot owners will also have the first option to purchase slots
in the new classes, which include:

• Weanling Mares Slot – estimated $45,000 payout
• Weanling Stallions & Geldings Slot – estimated $45,000 payout
• 2-Year-Old Novice Horse Western Pleasure Slot – estimated
  $45,000 payout
• 2-Year-Old Novice Horse Hunter Under Saddle Slot – estimated
  $45,000 payout

In addition to competition, the new event will also include a select
championship sale, which will replace the World Showcase Sale that
was held during the World Show in previous years.

Learn more about slot classes and the Fall Championship Show at
aphafallchampionship.com.

APHA sponsors continue to add support
APHA will pay out more than $230,000 in cash and $170,000 in prizes
at this year’s World Show thanks to associate, corporate and World
Show sponsors. These sponsors will also be a part of the new Fall
Championship Show. The list of corporate sponsors includes
Barnmaster, Chase Bank, Gist Silversmiths, Hart Trailers, Markel
Insurance, New Holland Tractors and Pfizer.

The World Show sponsors already on board are: Big D, Blue Ribbon Custom Tack, Metro Golf Cars, Paint Horse Journal, Paint Racing magazine , Purina Mills and SR Gold.

Affiliate sponsors include: Hodges Badge Company, NRHA, NSBA.

In addition, for the past five years, individuals, businesses, farms
and ranches have been generous in their support of world championship classes through the Champion of Champions Buckle Patron Sponsor Program. This popular program offers the sponsors the opportunity to support an event and its exhibitors by funding the purchase of World and Reserve World Championship buckles for specific classes. Call (817) 834-2742, ext. 331 if you are interested in becoming a Champion of Champions Buckle Patron.

More about the largest Paint Horse show on Earth
An annual non-qualifying event for registered American Paint Horses,
the World Show is the original premier competition for the breed. All
World Show activities take place at the Will Rogers Memorial
Center, an 85-acre equine complex with three air-conditioned arenas,
located in the heart of Fort Worth’s cultural district.

Last year, APHA welcomed 1,671 Paint Horses owned by people from 47 U.S. states, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Germany for its annual World Championship Paint Horse Show. The show logged 4,219 entries —including 1,242 Youth, 1,362 Open, 1,390 Amateur and Novice Amateur, 207 Futurity and 18 specialty class entries.

Early class entries, as well as stall and RV reservations are due May
1, 2008. The World Show Premium Book will be available in March with
a complete schedule, forms and other pertinent information regarding
the show. A complete version can be downloaded in PDF format at
aphaworldshow.com.