APHA member takes top spot in national team-roping competition

FORT WORTH, Texas-American Paint Horse Association (APHA) member Scottie Hairston and his Paint Horse, Docs Too Boots, took the top spot recently in the amateur category at the United States Team Roping Championship (USTRC) National Finals, earning him almost $40,000 in payouts.

Hairston, of Henegar, Ala., won first place in the number nine Shoot-Out at the competition, which was held in Oklahoma City, Okla., Oct. 27-Nov. 3. In addition to his USTRC earnings, Hairston earned another $1,500 awarded by APHA as part of its "Paint Preferred" program.

"It's the toughest competition I've seen," Hairston said. "Luckily, my horse makes up for a lot of my mistakes."

"Paint Preferred" offers $1,500 incentive bonuses to the owner of the highest money-earning APHA-registered Paint at the USTRC competition in what APHA has broken down into the professional, amateur and novice categories. The professional category includes Open and #11 ropings, while the amateur competition includes the #9, #8, and #7 ropings. The novice competition includes the #6, #5 and #4 ropings. A $500 bonus is also given to the owner of the highest money-earning Paint in the competition's All-Girl Championship.

In all, APHA gave away $4,500 at the competition, including $1,500 awarded to Roger Swaim of Gentry, Ark., and his Paint, Weedeater, for winning $8,000 in the novice category and to Shawn Sullivan and his Paint, Speckled Hank, of Wellston, Okla., for winning $1,300 in the professional category. Only Regular registry Paints Horses are eligible for the "Paint Preferred" program.

"It's a pretty tough competition, but I like that," Swaim said. "But what's really amazing is my horse. I've won $40,000 on him already this year."

Weedeater, a black tobiano stallion, was only supposed to be a backup horse because Swain's regular competition horse was injured.

"Now, Weedeater's the one winning all the money," Swain said.

Team roping - a premiere rodeo sport
Team roping is a timed event in which a steer is released from a chute and given a head start down an arena. Two riders on horses follow. The first roper, called the "header," secures the front end of the steer by roping him around the horns or neck. The second roper, the "heeler," finishes the run by roping the steer around its hind feet. It has evolved throughout the years to be one of the most popular rodeo sports. For more information on team roping, visit USTRC's Web site at www.USTRC.com.

About APHA and Paints
Since its founding 40 years ago, APHA has registered more than 700,000 horses. Currently, American Paint Horses are being registered at APHA's Fort Worth, Texas, headquarters at a rate of about 60,000 horses each year. The association serves more than 105,000 members, who are located in every U.S. state, throughout Canada and in 34 other nations around the world.

APHA employs 155 people and has an operating budget of $15 million for activities worldwide.