Paint
The American Paint Horse Association’s (APHA) 2008
Intercollegiate Horse Judging Spring Sweepstakes, presented by Hart Trailers, drew 174 students from 20 colleges and universities around the country to the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 22. The annual contest supports the education of tomorrow’s horse show judges.
The students, divided into junior and senior college divisions, judged a variety of Paint horses in 12 classes and delivered four sets of reasons at the competition. The events judged included four halter classes and eight performance classes—trail, horsemanship, reining, Western pleasure, Western riding, hunter under saddle, hunt-seat equitation and hunter hack.
The student judges evaluate each horse on physical appearance, structure and way of moving during the halter classes, while each performance class has a specific set of rules outlined regarding the evaluation of the event.
“APHA is proud to support these industry leaders of tomorrow,” said Trigg Rentfro, APHA’s managing director of performance, racing and international departments. “This contest gives students the chance to apply classroom knowledge in a hands-on situation and encourages the idea of earning a judge’s card.”
The daylong event concluded with an awards dinner, held at APHA’s headquarters in Fort Worth, and honored the top collegiate judges at the contest.
Overall Championship Teams
The Senior College High Team Overall winner was Colorado State University and consisted of team members Tiffany Mead, Meghan Woolridge, Aileen Rowland, Pam Harmeyer, Jessica Johnson and coach David Denniston. The Fort Collins, Colo., team and coach were awarded rosettes, judging portfolios and Gist Silversmith belt buckles, along with a championship trophy. The top team also finished first in the performance category.
The Senior College Reserve High Team honors went to Oklahoma
State University. The Stillwater, Okla., team consisted of members
Kaile Williams, Allison Bond, Hailey Harroun, Jessica McCommas, Ashley Schunk and coach Steven Cooper. For their efforts they each received rosettes, APHA photo albums and APHA t-shirts.
Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, located in Miami, Okla., finished as the Junior College High Team Overall winner. Team members consisted of Heather Burk, Karen Barnes, Travis Timmons, Megan Crudup and coach Shannon Cunningham. Placing first in each of the categories—halter, performance and oral reasons—their championship awards included rosettes, judging portfolios and Gist Silversmith belt buckles, along with a championship team trophy.
The Junior College Reserve High Team Overall winners were the team from Black Hawk College in Kewanee, Ill. Coached by Aaron Callahan, team members Danielle Steubs, Patrick Davis, Trevor Ashcraft and Brooke Byers were awarded rosettes, APHA photo albums and APHA t-shirts for their efforts.
High Individuals
Lance Schmidt from Kansas State University received the Senior College High Individual honor. Schmidt also had the highest scores in the overall oral reasons and overall halter events. For his championship efforts, Schmidt took home a Paint Horse Journal subscription, rosette, trophy, a $500 scholarship, courtesy Hart Trailers and the coffee table book, The American Paint Horse: A Photographic Portrayal, by Darrell Dodds and David R. Stoecklein.
Schmidt also received an array of other awards for his top placings in both oral reasons and halter events.
Spencer Perkins, from Texas Tech University, won the Senior College Reserve High Individual award.
In the Junior College division, Heather Burk of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M was awarded High Individual honors and received a Paint Horse Journal subscription, rosette, trophy, a $500 scholarship, courtesy Hart Trailers and the coffee table book, The American Paint Horse: A Photographic Portrayal, by Darrell Dodds and David R. Stoecklein.
Burk also placed first in the Junior College overall halter events and received several other awards for her accomplishment.
Cody McMahon, also from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, finished behind Burk, and earned the Junior College Reserve High Individual honors. McMahon also received several awards for his first-place finish in the overall performance events.
More about APHA
Currently, American Paint Horses are being registered at APHA’s Forth Worth, Texas, headquarters at a rate of about 35,000 horses each year. APHA has registered nearly 928,000 horses in 59 nations and territories since it was founded 46 years ago, and now serves 80,000 active members around the world. Among its many activities, APHA works to preserve bloodlines and maintain the outstanding characteristics of the American Paint Horse breed.
For more information about APHA, contact the association at 817-834-2742, or visit apha.com.
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