Industry News

APHA and Appaloosa World Shows To Overlap

The American Paint Horse Association and the Appaloosa Horse Club have agreed to overlap their Youth World Championship Shows beginning in 2013.

This joint venture materialized due to a decision by the ApHC Board of Directors to move the location of the Appaloosa Nationals and Appaloosa Youth World Show from its current location at Tulsa Expo Square in Tulsa, Okla., to the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, which is also the home of APHA’s Youth World Championship Show.

The Will Rogers Memorial Center announced that the City of Fort Worth has won a 5-year contract to host the National Appaloosa Show & World Championship Appaloosa Youth Show and will continue to host the World Championship Appaloosa Show for five additional years. Its bid was bolstered by the new $32-million Equestrian Multi-Purpose Building at WRMC.

“We are ecstatic to have won this bid and to now be working with the National and World Championship Youth Shows for The Appaloosa Horse Club,” said Kirk Slaughter, Public Events Director for the City of Fort Worth. “This is a great group of individuals and we love to have their beautiful, hard working horses here in our facility. WRMC and Fort Worth were able to offer a compelling package with our recent improvements, reputation for excellence and unrivaled equestrian heritage. At a projected economic impact of $11 million for this two week summer event, this is a huge win for our city.”

The summer show will overlap with the American Paint Horse Association Youth World Championship Show, presenting a unique opportunity for cooperation between two of the largest stock horse organizations in the world.

“The future of horse shows will be about cooperation,” said APHA Executive Director Billy Smith. “This is a unique opportunity to create a model partnership that gives both organizations an opportunity to showcase great stock. The two shows will overlap from June 28 - July 6, 2013.”

The board of the Appaloosa Horse Club, headquartered in Moscow, ID., approved the contract with Will Rogers for two shows from 2013-2017. Fort Worth was chosen over Tulsa, which was the other final bidder for the National Appaloosa Show and World Championship Appaloosa Youth Show. Tentative dates are June 23 – July 5, 2014; June 22 – July 4, 2015; June 27 – July 9, 2016 and June 26 – July 8, 2017.

“The Will Rogers facility in Fort Worth is an excellent venue for both our major shows,” said Appaloosa Horse Club Chief Executive Officer Steve Taylor. “Beyond some basic efficiencies in terms of logistics and costs, the recent upgrades at WRMC and a double dose of Texas hospitality will ensure that our exhibitors have a great experience. We’re also enthusiastic about the opportunity to work closely with the American Paint Horse Association and believe in the merits of building relationships within the equine industry for our mutual benefit.”

“The equestrian show business has become quite competitive in the last few years, with cities recognizing the value and importance of these visitors to their local economies,” said David DuBois, President and CEO of the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are fortunate to have a city that is recognized both for its legendary western culture and strategic leadership that puts us at the top of the competitive set. The equestrian shows that Fort Worth brings in not only supply a continuing stream of room night revenue but those visitors spend generously in other sectors of our economy as well. We look forward to showing the Appaloosa Horse Club our sincere and unbeatable hospitality.”