APHA to award top racing honors to 17 Paint Horses

FORT WORTH-The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) announced the names of 17 Paint Horses and their owners who will receive distinguished racing awards during the association's upcoming Workshop and Board of Directors meeting slated for May 30-June 1, in Irving, Texas. APHA's racing committee voted for outstanding Paint Horses in several categories and named them as World Champions and Champions in specific age groups.

Real Easy Cash, shown here finishing first at the Masterpiece Paint Derby, at Los Alamitos, California, was APHA's World Champion Running Paint Horse. Hirez JPEG (211 kb) Hirez TIFF (5.27 kb)

Karen Utecht, APHA racing coordinator, said 2001 was an outstanding year for Paint racing and the performances of the award-winning horses went a long way in helping to popularize the breed in racing circles.

"American Paint Horses, like those we're recognizing with these awards, have made races around the country dynamic and exciting," she said.

Utecht added, "We continue to show strong and steady growth in the field of Paint Racing."

Since 1966, when the APHA officially recognized the sport, Paint racing has made major strides forward. That year, 17 starters ran for $1,290. In 2001, 580 starters competed in 520 APHA-recognized races for purses exceeding $3.2 million.

The award-winning World Champions and Champions making a major impact in 2001 include:

Horse: Real Easy Cash
Awards: World Champion Running Paint Horse
Champion Running Paint 3-Year-Old
Champion Running Paint 3-Year-Old Stallion
Owner: Watercolors Racing, Cypress, Calif.
Breeder: Royse R Ranch, El Reno, Okla.
Trainer: Connie Hall, Cypress, Calif.

When Connie Hall learned that Paint racing was about to boom in California, the talented trainer wanted to be a part of it. She quickly gathered a few of her Quarter Horse clients and formed Watercolors Racing, a syndicate of eight partners.

She headed to Oklahoma City, Okla., and the Virdin Royse dispersal sale at Heritage Place in October of 1999. The Cypress, Calif., woman purchased five Paints, including a flashy bay tobiano named Real Easy Cash.

The following year, Hall and the other members of Watercolors Racing discovered the stallion's talent as he won the nation's richest Paint race, the Masterpiece Futurity at Los Alamitos Racecourse in Los Alamitos, Calif. He caught several breeders' eyes, and he stood at Burns Ranch in Menifee, Calif., during the 2001 breeding season.

But he was back on the track by fall and in fine form. He won every race he entered, including the Masterpiece Derby. With only one loss in his career and lifetime earnings of $94,386, it is little wonder that Real Easy Cash was voted the World Champion Running Paint, as well as the Champion 3-Year-Old Running Paint and Champion 3-Year-Old Running Paint Stallion.

Now, it is the easy life for the handsome bay tobiano stallion. He has been retired and has gone back to Burns Ranch.

Horse: Dashing N Style
Awards: Champion Running Paint 2-Year-Old
Champion Running Paint 2-Year-Old Gelding
Owner: Jimmy Maddux, Weatherford, Texas
Breeder: Sam Bybee, Amarillo, Texas
Trainer: Brandon Parum, Jones, Okla.

Jimmy Maddux purchased Dashing N Style in August of 2000 as a yearling from breeder Sam Bybee. He promptly turned the brown tobiano gelding over to trainer Brandon Parum.

During 2001, Dashing N Style won every futurity trial that Parum entered him in, including the Oklahoma Paint Association Futurity at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Horseman's Futurity at Fair Meadows Track in Tulsa, Okla., and the Speedhorse Paint and Appaloosa Futurity at Fair Meadows Track. The gelding also won the finals of the Speedhorse Futurity, as well as the APHA National Championship Futurity.

In all, the 2-year-old earned $41,036 during the year and was voted the Champion Running Paint 2-Year-Old and Champion Running Paint 2-Year-Old Gelding.

Horse: Hope For Me
Awards: Champion Running Paint Aged Horse
Champion Running Paint Aged Gelding
Owner: Michael Taylor, Hanover, Ind.
Breeder: Circle S Ranch Inc., Terre Haute, Ind.
Trainer: D. Brent Taylor, Hanover, Ind.

Four-year-old gelding Hope For Me had the best year of his career, earning close to $25,000 during 2001.

Hope For Me won three of his seven starts during the year, including winning the Cowboy Hall of Fame Handicap at Remington Park. And he finished second in the Oklahoma Paint Association Maturity at Remington and third in the Spots N Dots Stake at Fair Meadows Track.

The sorrel tobiano is by Judys Lineage and out of Quarter Horse mare Hopeful Lineage. Michael Taylor of Hanover, Ind., purchased Hope For Me as a 3-year-old from his breeder, Circle S Ranch. His son, Brent Taylor, trains the gelding.

Hope For Me earned his first titles, being voted the Champion Running Paint Aged Horse and Champion Running Paint Aged Gelding.

Texas Wildcat, pictured here taking first at the Graham Paint Futurity last fall at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, was APHA's 2001 World Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint Horse. Hirez JPEG (47 kb) Hirez TIFF (258 kb)

Horse: Texas Wildcat
Awards: World Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint Horse
Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint 2-Year-Old Horse
Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint 2-Year-Old Gelding
Owner and Breeder: Herb Graham, Gardendale, Texas
Trainer: Lewis Wartchow, Fitzhugh, Okla.

Webster's Dictionary defines "wildcat" as, "running without control or regulation."

Nothing seemed able to control or curb Texas Wildcat's speed during 2001. With champion jockey Roy Brooks in the saddle, leading trainer Lewis Wartchow whispering in his ear and leading owner and breeder Herb Graham backing him, the solid sorrel gelding was practically unstoppable.

His victories are a list of the elite futurities in Paint racing, including the Graham Paint Futurity at Lone Star Park in Grand Prarie, Texas, Pot O' Gold Futurity at Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw, Okla., and the American Paint Classic Futurity at Remington Park. His only miss came at the Masterpiece Futurity where two bad starts kept him from crossing the line first in the trials and finals.

A "Texas wildcat" is also a driller known for taking risks in finding oil. With the $107,494 that the solid sorrel gelding won over the year, this wildcat struck it rich. Texas Wildcat was only the second Paint Horse to earn over $100,000 as a 2-year-old.

The son of Graham's Texas Hero and out of Quarter Horse mare Savona was voted the World Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint and Champion Running Breeding Stock 2-Year-Old.

Horse: Rene Too
Awards: Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint 3-Year-Old
Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint 3-Year-Old Gelding
Owners: Scott Mills, Ada, Okla.
Breeder: Don Connally, DVM, Ada, Okla.
Trainer: John Purcell, Ada, Okla.

"He is an exceptional horse and he was the one to look for," said trainer John Purcell about Champion Running Breeding Stock 3-Year-Old Rene Too.

During the year, the brown gelding earned close to $15,000 and brought his lifetime earnings to $67,740.

He was only started five times during the year and won the PSBA Derby at Remington Park with Jacky Martin in the irons.
His owner, Scott Mills, purchased him as a 2-year-old from his breeder, Dr. Don Connally of Ada, Okla. Rene Too is by Treasured Too and out of Thoroughbred mare Rene's Mayor.

Horse: Countin Treasures
Awards: Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint Aged Horse
Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint Aged Mare
Owner: Glenda Parum, Springer, Okla.
Breeder: Robert Taliaferro, Lawton, Okla.
Trainer: Brandon Parum, Jones, Okla.

After an average year as a 3-year-old, trainer Brandon Parum thought Countin Treasures was a simple, average mare. Then the 2001 racing season began.

"This year, she's really matured a lot and came around," said the Jones, Okla., trainer. "She's a totally different horse."

Parum's mother, Glenda, had purchased the solid sorrel mare for $6,250 during a claiming race in July of 2000. It took some time, but Parum learned that the mare could win a race if you kept her calm.

During 2001, the quiet powerhouse earned $32,536 and won against some of the fastest horses running, including former World Champions Miss Super Dee and Illegally Smashed.

The daughter of Treasured Too (out of Quarter Horse mare Countin Strawberries) won five of 10 starts during the year. She was first in the Olympia Joe Handicap at Lone Star Park, third in the Creek Nation Handicap at Blue Ribbon Downs and fifth in the Oklahoma Paint Association Maturity at Remington Park.

Other horses winning 2001 Champion titles included:

Horse: Noble Chief
Award: Champion Running Paint 2-Year-Old Stallion
Owner: Carolyn Giles, Hanna, Utah
Breeder: Ed or Carolyn Giles, Hanna, Utah
Trainer: Troy Giles, Hanna, Utah

Horse: Gingers Beauty
Award: Champion Running Paint 2-Year-Old Mare
Owner and Breeder: Ginger Graham, Gardendale, Texas
Trainer: Lewis Wartchow, Fitzhugh, Okla.

Horse: Jetta Joy
Award: Champion Running Paint 3-Year-Old Mare
Owner and Breeder: V.L. or Teresa Sitsler, Locust Grove, Okla.
Trainer: Virgle Sitlser, Locust Grove, Okla.

Horse: Illegally Smashed
Award: Champion Running Paint 3-Year-Old Gelding
Owner and Breeder: Oyana Wilson, Muskogee, Okla.
Trainer: J.D. Anderson, Tahlequah, Okla.

Horse: Country Quick Dash
Award: Champion Running Paint Aged Stallion
Owner, Breeder and Trainer: Sparky J. Mullins, Wagoner, Okla.

Horse: TTS Ladybug
Award: Champion Running Paint Aged Mare
Owner: Gary Schreiner, Rock Fall, Ill.
Breeder: Chris Reamy, Celeste, Texas
Trainer: Jerry Livingston, Anthony, Kan.

Horse: Marys Hero
Award: Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint 2-Year-Old Mare
Owner and Breeder: The Painted Pitchfork, Rifle, Colo.
Trainer: Samantha Valencia, Rifle, Colo., and Brandon Parum, Jones, Okla.

Horse: Native Cash
Award: Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint 3-Year-Old Stallion
Owner: Michael Collins, Coleman, Okla.
Breeder: Orval White, Mannsville, Okla.
Trainer: Luis Villa Franco, Wapanucka, Okla.

Horse: Barnes Treasure
Award: Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint 3-Year-Old Mare
Owner: Mrs. Barney Liles, Ada, Okla.
Breeder: Marvin Barnes, Ada, Okla.
Trainer: John Purcell, Ada, Okla.

Horse: Spotless Dash
Award: Champion Running Breeding Stock Paint Aged Stallion
Owner: Sherry Bristow, Shawnee, Okla.
Breeder: Robert E. Gentry, Shawnee, Okla.
Trainer: Alford Bristow, Shawnee, Okla.