| APHA releases
registration report
FORT WORTH, Texas—The
American Paint Horse Association experienced
another landmark year in 1999. With popularity
of the Paint Horse continuing to rise, the APHA
has surpassed goals as well as standards of
excellence within the breed. In 1999, the APHA
became the fastest-growing breed association,
proving itself a recognizable force within the
equine industry.
Paint Horse owners registered
62,186 Paints last year, a dramatic 12.34 percent
increase over the 1998 figure. Now totalling
more than 530,000 registered horses, the APHA
is the second-largest breed registry in the
United States, based on the number of foals
registered annually.
The number of Paints transferred,
an indicator of how well Paints are selling,
is also on the rise. Transferring 61,173 horses,
the APHA recorded a 8.78 percent increase compared
to 1998. In April of 1999 alone, 5,925 transfers
were processed. "We not only met our 1999 goals,
we far exceeded them," said APHA Assistant Executive
Secretary Jim Kelley. "This significant growth
rate is the strongest in the industry. It shows
that color is more than popular, it's an asset."
More than 9,500 new Paint Horse enthusiasts joined
the APHA membership in 1999. Many of these new
members subscribed to the Paint Horse Journal
(PHJ), as its subscribers grew by 5.2 percent
to 30,212. The PHJ's subscription base has grown
by 43 percent in the last four years. |
