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Paint Horses sweep the 2024 The American Performance Horseman Championships
A trio of Paint Horses validated their positions as the best of the best at the 2024 The American Performance Horseman competition. Storyteler, Down Right Amazing and SJR Talkin Diamonds each won their respective events at the competition, in which the top five Open money-earners in cutting, reining and reined cow horse faced off for huge cash prizes. The event took place March 8 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Cutting
Returning champion Adan Banuelos picked Storyteler to defend his 2023 TAPH title. Storyteler is a 2019 sorrel solid stallion by Smooth Talkin Style and out of Show Biz Kitty (QH); the stallion is owned by Double Dove Ranch. Together, Banuelos and Storyteler marked a huge 230 to clinch the 2024 TAPH cutting title.
“This horse is phenomenal,” Banuelos said. “He comes to work every day enjoying what he does; he thinks it’s a game, and I want to keep it that way as long as I can. I can’t tell you how proud of this horse I am. He loves what he does, and so do I. This is unbelievable.”
Reining
APHA member Casey Deary brought back his 2023 partner, Down Right Amazing), to defend their TAPH championship. Down Right Amazing is a 2017 sorrel overo stallion by APHA Hall of Famer Colonels Smokingun and out of Shesouttayourleague (QH); he’s owned by DAG Ventures LLC. The pair were last to go in the reining and secured their second championship with a 226.5 score.
“Protecting that horse’s reputation was important to me,” Deary said. “He’s fantastic. He always shows up to work.”
Reined Cow Horse
Corey Cushing was ready to put on a show at his second The American Performance Horseman competition. This year, Cushing paired with SJR Talking Diamonds, a 2017 palomino solid stallion by Smooth Talkin Style and out of Shiners Diamond Girl (QH); San Juan Ranch owns the stallion. The team ranked second after the reined work go-round and received a new cow shortly after their fence work finals began. The golden team deftly worked the second bovine, marking a 218.5 down the fence. That effort gave them a 439 cumulative score for the win.
“I believed in that horse ever since I started taking him down the fence as a 3-year-old,” Cushing said. “We’ve been the bridesmaid quite a few times but never the bride. Tonight was his night. If I had to do it all again, I would turn around and call on him again because he gave me all he’s got.”
Each of the three discipline champions took home $100,000 for their event wins.
Team Champions
Blue was once again the color of winners, and Team Royal Blue emerged victorious when the dust settled. Adan Banuelos, Casey Deary and Clayton Edsall composed the team. Their individual scores created a team composite, and they split the $75,000 team prize.
The team contest, which pairs a professional from each of the three disciplines together to compete for overall honors, is a unique hallmark of The American Performance Horseman event. The American Performance Horseman took place as part of The American Rodeo’s Western Weekend extravaganza, produced by Teton Ridge in association with APHA, American Quarter Horse Association, National Cutting Horse Association, National Reining Horse Association and National Reined Cow Horse Association. Eight Paints and five APHA members were among the 15 horse-andrider teams vying for $1 million in total prize money offered at the event. For more information, visit americanrodeo.com/ events/american-horseman.
Reprinting all or part of this news release is permitted, so long as credit is given to the Paint Horse Journal.
By Jessica Hein
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA joins as an APHA corporate partner Value Through Innovation
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, a world leader in the prediction, prevention and treatment of diseases in animals, has joined APHA’s corporate partnership lineup. As part of the agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim is the official Intermediate division buckle sponsor of the 2024 APHA World Championship Show.
An animal-health leader, Boehringer Ingelheim has deep roots in the United States, starting when it was founded in St. Joseph, Missouri, more than 100 years ago. The Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health family of products contains widely used and respected vaccines, parasite-control products and therapeutics for pets, horses and livestock.
“We are pleased to have Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health as our newest corporate partner and thank them for their sponsorship of the Intermediate division buckles,” Director of Business Development Kurt Crawford said. “Boehringer Ingelheim is known for its commitment to innovation and animal health, and we are thrilled to have such a gamechanging organization join our team. We are excited to give our APHA members access to their great products as an added benefit to our association.”
All-Around added money nears $100,000 for 2024 APHA World Championship Show
By Jessica Hein
All-around added money at the 2024 APHA World Championship Show has swelled to nearly $100,000 this year. The exclusive bonus purses are available in tons of hunter under saddle, Western pleasure, longe line and trail classes at the 2024 World Show.
Challenge, sweepstakes, stakes and Gold Breeders’ Futurity classes are open to Regular Registry and Solid Paint-Bred horses, giving them all a shot at the all-around added money. Southern Belle Breeders’ classes are open to Regular Registry horses only and take place concurrent with the respective world championship class.
The World Show takes place June 21-July 7, 2024, at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Don’t forget to enter corresponding APHA world championship classes, too. Also, all Youth world championship classes pay out up to four scholarships worth $1,250 total. All told, the 2024 World Show will award more than $1.5 million in cash and prizes. Preentries are due May 15 for the best rates. Online entries will open in April.
No qualifying required!
