| APHA’s Gelding Plus program makes its way down under
FORT WORTH, Texas—The American Paint Horse Association (APHA)
expanded the Gelding Plus program internationally, as the global
horse breed organization recently honored two aged Paint geldings for
their success in the show arena.
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Bridget Connelly of Gympie, Australia, competes on her Paint Horse
Blaze Of Thunder. The duo earned $2,500 in Gelding Plus payouts for
2007. Photo Courtesy Francene Neuendorf
 Hirez JPEG (335 kb) |
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Royal Heart Throb carried his rider, Jill Wagner, to the top of their
respective Gelding Plus division. The team from Armidale, Australia,
received a check for $500 from APHA. Photo Courtesy Francene Neuendorf
Hirez JPEG (327 kb) |
The international debut took place at the 2007 Australian National
Show, held in New South Wales, Australia, and APHA awarded $3,000 to
the owners of the top geldings.
New in 2007, APHA changed the Gelding Plus program from a futurity
incentive, to an incentive for aged geldings. All registered Paint
geldings aged 4 years old and older are eligible for the cash prizes
awarded in APHA’s 11 approved zones, along with three international
Paint Horse shows. In this case, both geldings were APHA
International Appendix-Registered Paint horses.
Blaze Of Thunder, owned by Bridget Connelly of Gympie, Australia,
earned $2,500 as the Paint Horse show’s high-point performance gelding.
“I feel very honored to have earned one of the first international
awards,” said Connelly. “It was one of the most exciting times I have
had with my horse. The award is a great incentive to promote geldings
and show how versatile they are.”
Also taking home a paycheck was Royal Heart Throb and Jill Wagner of
Armidale, Australia. The duo was awarded the high-point performance
Paint gelding award for solid Paint horses and earned $500.
“APHA is excited to be able to offer the Gelding Plus program at
international shows,” said APHA’s Paint Program Coordinator Jessica
McDaniel. “The expansion internationally not only allows Paint Horses
to strengthen their worldwide appeal, but also helps create a bond
between APHA and breed associations around the world. We hope to see
Paints continue to flourish across the globe.”
More about Gelding Plus
Gelding Plus payouts are awarded through APHA’s high-point
performance calculation system, and provides owners of these horses
an opportunity to compete for bonus incentives through one of three
options designated by each individual Zone Show committee. The
program will payout $42,000 in 2007 to some of the associations top
aged geldings.
In order to be eligible for the award, the owner must be a current
member of APHA and reside in the zone in which the award is
presented. Horses are only eligible to win one division per three years.
To learn more about APHA’s Gelding Plus program, please visit
apha.com/geldingplus or by contacting McDaniel at (817) 834-2742,
extension 249, or e-mail jmcdaniel@apha.com.
More about APHA
Currently, American Paint Horses are being registered at APHA’s Forth
Worth, Texas, headquarters at a rate of about 40,000 horses each
year. APHA has registered nearly 900,000 horses in 49 nations and
territories since it was founded 45 years ago, and now serves
approximately 100,000 active members around the world. Among its many
activities, APHA works to preserve bloodlines and maintain the
outstanding characteristics of the American Paint Horse breed.
For more information about APHA, contact the association at (817)
834-2742, or visit apha.com. |
