APHA Sets Goal of 100,000 Members in 2000

FORT WORTH, Texas-Its growth is unprecedented in horse industry history, but the American Paint Horse Association (APHA) is counting on its growing popularity to reach another important milestone: gaining 100,000 members in 2000.

In the last decade, the APHA has been the fastest-growing breed association in the world, boasting an average registry and membership growth rate of slightly more than 11 percent, with an annual growth rate of more than 12 percent.

"We're projecting that we'll reach 100,000 members by the end of 2001, but our projections are proving to be conservative," said APHA Director of Market Development Julie Kimball. "Our members and Paint Horse owners have beat our projected numbers for the past couple of years and will likely do it again."

APHA membership numbers in 1990 were just short of 31,000 and by the end of the decade had grown to more than 84,000 members for a 63 percent increase. Jim Kelley, APHA assistant executive secretary, credits the growth to a number of factors.

"Certainly, the main reason people become members of the association is to conduct business and receive member rates," he said. "But at the same time, APHA has been aggressively improving its member services to increase our member retention rates. Already, our renewal rate for 2000 is much higher than it has been in the past."

Among those improvements was APHA's change to a full 12-month membership versus an annual membership that expired in December, regardless of when the membership was purchased. In addition, a member's-only section of the APHA web site, accessed at www.apha.com, was created to provide information regarding pedigrees and records at no extra charge to members.

"Improving and increasing member benefits was a goal we established during our strategic planning session held in June 1999," said Kelley. "This is just the beginning of what we plan on a long list of improved services and benefits for our members."