The World’s Largest Paint Horse Show Comes to the Lone-Star State
Equestrian News Release

Two week show full of action-packed excitement

FORT WORTH, Texas—The 2007 World Championship Paint Horse Show is set to move into town June 24 and continue through July 7 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. This annual non-qualifying event is hosted by the American Paint Horse Association (APHA).

Drawing exhibitors and spectators from around the world, the event
will feature 183 classes and offer more than $400,000 in cash and
prizes over the 14-day span, culminating with a standing-room-only
evening performance. The final performance, taking place Saturday,
July 7, is sure to get everyone cheering while exhibitors sort cattle
during the Team Penning Sweepstakes event, followed by the ever-
popular Bridleless Western Pleasure Sweepstakes and entertaining
Freestyle Reining Sweepstakes. The final evening will also honor the
top competitors at the 2007 World Show during a special awards
presentation, where two all-around winners will be awarded Hart
Trailers.

This year’s Paint Horse extravaganza will feature many more exciting
attractions for spectators and exhibitors, including the addition of four new classes. Youth and Amateur hunt seat equitation over fences,
gamblers choice trail and Solid Paint-Bred reining have been added to
the list of scheduled events.


Youth come first
Youth activities, such as the Youth Team Tournament and 2006 Year-End Awards Banquet, will begin before the World Show even kicks off. All youth are invited to arrive in Fort Worth early to attend the awards
banquet and dance on Friday, June 22, for a chance to catch up with
their friends and celebrate each other’s accomplishments.

The Team Tournament events begin with the hippology contest on
Saturday, June 23 at 10 a.m. Following the hippology test of knowledge, youth members can gather at the American Junior Paint Horse Association (AjPHA) National Convention and Ice Cream Social to
discuss possible rule changes affecting AjPHA and elect the 2007-2008 AjPHA Executive Committee.

Along with the hippology contest, the Team Tournament features
performance classes, a parade of teams and a knowledge relay. Each
regional youth club is allowed to form a team and compete for the
2007 AjPHA Youth Team Tournament championship.

In conjunction with the youth portion of the World Show a new goat
roping fund-raiser will be held. The charity event will feature Youth, Amateur and Open divisions and cost $10 per entry. All funds raised will benefit AjPHA activities and scholarships. Since 1983, more than 170 students have been awarded 450 scholarships worth more than $448,500 from the American Paint Horse Foundation.

Throughout the week, youth can also get involved in the stick horse
contest and the horse judging contest, which is sponsored by Hart
Trailer.

World Showcase Sale
Approximately 75 horses will be offered for sale at the World Showcase Sale on Friday, July 6, in the Watt Arena. The sale, beginning at noon, will feature some of the industry’s finest performance and halter horses, broodmares, stallions and up-and-coming prospects in the industry. Markel Insurance Company will be offering immediate coverage to APHA members on all animals purchased at the sale.

Along with versatile horses, the World Showcase Sale will offer several collector pieces. A few of these items include a bit and spurs designed by Gist Silversmiths and a hand-sculpted statue by Clay Gant of Cowboy Bronze. All proceeds from these items will directly benefit the APHF.

Chase Challenge Series
The Chase Challenge Series, which consists of 3-year-old Western
pleasure, 3-year-old hunter under saddle, 3-year-old reining, 4-year-
old and 5- and 6-year-old cutting, will be back this year for another
round of big payouts. With $5,000 added to each class, the Chase
Challenge Series is sure to attract the industry’s finest Paint Horses in the featured events.

Sweepstakes classes offer another opportunity for exhibitors to take
home extra cash. Three of the four sweepstakes classes—team penning, freestyle reining and bridleless Western pleasure—will fill the John Justin Arena during the final evening performance on July 7. Gamblers choice trail is also a sweepstakes class, and will make its World Show debut on July 4. The event is similar to the traditional trail
class with a few twists and turns to entertain both competitors and
spectators. Exhibitors are required to complete as many trail obstacles as they can in any order, and points are awarded based on each obstacle’s level of difficulty.

Colors of the West Gift Show
Along with a long list of horse show classes, the World Show also
features the Colors of the West Gift Show. Located in the Amon Carter
Exhibit hall, the gift show is the third largest of its type in Fort Worth, Texas, and 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. The gift show will also feature outdoor vendors throughout the complex.

The Purina Mills Colors of the West Arena, will host several on-site
clinics from well-known horsemen and horsewoman, daily entertainment and product and fashion shows.

Another event taking place in the gift show is Kid’s Day on July 4. The day will consist of a variety of kid-oriented activities to keep horse-loving children of all ages entertained, including an appearance by Radio Disney.

The gift show will open Saturday, June 23, at noon and continue daily
from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., until July 7, closing at 3 p.m.

Independence Day festivities
APHA has scheduled a host of activities to celebrate the Fourth of July. During the day families can gather in the Colors of the West Gift Show for a day full of children-oriented activities. Beginning at 7 p.m., gamblers choice trail will move into the John Justin Arena and give spectators and exhibitors a new twist on the trail class. Also at 7 p.m., APHA will host an All-American Celebration at one of the best locations in town to watch the fireworks—on top of the Will Rogers Memorial Center parking garage. Attendees can watch displays of fireworks all over the city while enjoying live entertainment, a silent auction, hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream and a cash bar. Tickets are required for admission and can be purchased at the Horse Show Office, Information Booth and APHA Booth. All proceeds from admission and the silent auction will benefit the APHA Crisis Fund.

World Show Artist selected
Don Bell of Whitesboro, Texas, has been named the official artist of
this year’s World Show. His artwork will be featured on the World Show Program, as well as on various posters advertising the event. Bell is a student of Marrita McMillian, who created the larger-than-life Legacy of Color bronzes that can be seen in front of APHA headquarters. His artwork has been featured in several equine publications, and can be seen on his website, donbellgalleries.com

Sponsors help make World Show a success
The World Show is made possible by the assistance of several
committed sponsors. This year, APHA will pay out more than $230,000
and award $170,000 in prizes thanks to corporate, World Show and
affiliate sponsors.

The list of corporate sponsors includes Barnmaster, Chase Bank, Gist
Silversmiths, Hart Trailers, HorseCity.com, Markel Insurance, New
Holland Tractors, and Pro Orthopedics.

The World Show sponsors are Bailey Hats, Big D Products, Blue Ribbon Custom Tack, Charlottes’s Saddlery, Coors Brewing Company, Jerry’s of Weatherford, Kiser Products, Lucchese Boots, Metro Golf Cars, Paint Horse Journal, Paint Racing News, Purina Mills, SmartPak, S.R. Gold, UlcerGard and Western Horseman.

APHA World Show affiliate sponsors are Hodges Badge Company, the
National Reining Horse Association and the National Snaffle Bit
Association.

Dual-approved classes
The World Show will host of variety of dual-approved classes as a
result of APHA’s alliance partnerships with the National Snaffle Bit
Association (NSBA) and the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA).

The event will feature 40 classes in which competitors can receive
points for both APHA and NSBA competition. The NSBA dual-approved
classes include all APHA-approved Western pleasure, hunter under
saddle, trail and western riding classes. Along with these classes,
NRHA has determined all reining classes, including the challenge
class, to be dual-approved.

More about the largest Paint Horse show on Earth
An annual non-qualifying event for registered American Paint Horses,
the World Show features 183 classes, including five challenge series
classes and four sweepstakes events.

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 4,524 entries on 1,738 Paint Horses competed at the world’s
largest Paint Horse event.

The World Show Premium Book is now available with a complete
schedule, entry forms and other pertinent information regarding the
show. A Premium Book and forms can be downloaded in PDF format at
aphaworldshow.com.

For more information about the World Show, including a complete
schedule, list of accommodations, entry details and visitor information, visit aphaworldshow.com or call APHA at (817) 834-2742.


PHOTO: The World Championship Paint Horse Show, which is the largest Paint Horse show on earth, will host more than 183 classes and offer more than $400,000 in cash and prizes over 14 days. The premier event spotlights Youth competition the first week and features special challenge classes and a Showcase Sale the second week. Photo courtesy K.C. Montgomery.