Since 1966, when the American Paint Horse Association (APHA) officially recognized the sport, Paint Racing has made major strides forward. In that inaugural year, 17 starters ran for $1,290 in just two states—Texas and Oklahoma—that held Paint races. Thirty-eight years later, in 2004, 639 starters competed in 785 APHA-recognized races for purses totaling more than $4.8 million.

“Purses have continued to climb upward, along with the number of starters and races offered for Paint Horses,” said APHA’s Racing Director Karen Utecht. And, Paint Racing will continue growing, Utecht said.

A total of 18 states now feature Paint racing. Paints race on tracks in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Paint racing has even spread into Canada.

The phenomenal growth of the Paint Horse breed is evident in the annual registration numbers. APHA registered 51,120 horses in 2003, compared to 24,220 in 1993. That represents a 123-percent increase over 10 years. Paint racing has grown immensely since 1966 and is increasing in popularity each year.

“The future is really good, we have owners from other racing breeds getting involved in Paints because we have a steady growth in our program,” said Lex Smurthwaite, manager of the performance and racing department. “It is still relatively easy to get involved and be competitive.”

For more information on Paint Horse racing, contact APHA’s racing department at (817) 222-6444, e-mail racing@apha.com or log on to apha.com/racing.