APHA hosts Intercollegiate Horse Judging Spring Sweepstakes

FORT WORTH, Texas—The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) believes that by educating today's youth, we prepare the leaders of tomorrow. Many of these future equine leaders will meet at the 2000 APHA Intercollegiate Horse Judging Spring Sweepstakes, presented by Hart Trailer Manufacturing, April 14-15.

Teams representing approximately 40 junior colleges and universities are expected to attend the Sweepstakes, held at the Will Rogers Equestrian Center.

As an all-breed contest, teams will judge Appaloosas, Paints and Quarter Horses. Participants will judge four halter classes and four performance classes, giving two sets of reasons on halter and two sets on performance classes.

Participants have 15 minutes to place each class and mark their placings card. When all eight classes have been evaluated, a panel of judges reviews the placings and hears oral presentations by each team member. This "reasons" section gives contestants two minutes to tell an experienced equine judge why they placed the class in a particular order.

Judges score participants on how they place each class and how they present each set of oral reasons. Scoring is based on a point system, with 50 points possible for both placings and reasons.

Following the contest, a cutting demonstration hosted by the National Cutting Horse Association will teach participants how to judge cutting events.

On April 15, awards will be presented to the top individuals and top junior and senior college teams during a breakfast at Billy Bob's Texas. Each participating team will receive a copy of the APHA's Western Riding video, Western Horsemanship video and a copy of the APHA's judging handbook.

The APHA was formed in 1962 with approximately 3,800 horses in the registry. Today, more than 530,000 Paints are registered with the association, making Paint Horses the fifth-largest horse breed in the world. Now more than 84,400 members strong, the APHA strives to preserve and promote the history, breeding, training, racing, showing, sales and enjoyment of American Paints.