|
| Popularity
of Paint Horse surges
APHA registering more
than 4,800 new horses every month and now adding
more than 5,000 new members monthly
FORT WORTH, Texas-The colorful
American Paint Horse continues to gain in popularity
and numbers, as evidenced by the latest registration
and membership statistics released by The American
Paint Horse Association (APHA).
The burgeoning association
is registering more than 4,800 Paint Horses
every month and is now watching its association
grow by more than 5,000 members each month.
Registration figures show
a 4.21 increase over last year, with a total
of 33,692 Paint Horses registered January through
July 2000, compared to 32,330 for the same period
last year. Based on past growth, it is projected
that 70,000 horses will be registered by the
end of 2000. To date, more than 562,000 Paint
Horses have been registered by the association.
Membership in the APHA showed
even stronger gains, with a 17 percent surge
over the same period last year. A total of 80,119
adults and youths were members of the association
in July 2000, compared with 68,505 members at
the same time last year. Total for recent months
have shown growth at more than 5,000 members
per month.
"We've set a goal to reach 100,000 members by
the end of this year," said Assistant Executive
Secretary Jim Kelley, who heads up the association's
registration and membership division. "These figures
certainly indicate that we're headed in the right
direction." |
|
|
Kelley credited the strong growth to a variety of factors, including
the inherent beauty and success of the Paint Horse. Paints are
increasingly making their presence known at many venues around
the world, including show rings, trails and race tracks. He
said the association has also been making major strides in delivering
quality services to its members. For example, the APHA recently
created an exclusive Web site for members to provide information
on pedigrees and records that can be accessed free of charge.
In addition, yearly memberships no longer expire each December,
but extend for a full 12 months for those who join the association.
Special incentives have also been added for long-term membership.
"This is just the beginning of what we plan
on a long list of improved services and benefits to our members,"
said Kelley.
The APHA has shown strong membership and
registration growth since its early leaders laid the groundwork
for the association in 1962. At that time, it was known as
the American Paint Stock Horse Association (APSHA) and closed
out its first year with 250 registered Paints and 150 members.
In 1965 the APHA, as it is now known, was formed after a merger
between the APSHA and the American Paint Quarter Horse Association.
Registrations by the end of 1965 for the new APHA rose to
3,800 horses, and the association comprised 1,300 members.
With Paint Horse registrations at more than
562,000 and membership pushing well past 80,000 people today,
the association has shown exponential growth since its founding
38 years ago.
As membership and registrations continue
to increase, the sales market for Paints also shows an historic
rise. In 1962, the first six registered Paint Horses, including
four show winners, sold at a public auction for an average
of $871 per horse. At the 2000 APHA World Showcase Sales,
held July 1 and 2 in Fort Worth, Texas, the top 10 Paint Horses
sold for an average of $23,010 each.
The Fort Worth-based non-profit association employs 163 people
and maintains an operating budget of more than $15 million for
activities worldwide. |
