Scientific Study of Saddle Fit at New Mexico State University

 The Agricultural Marketing group at New Mexico State University has undertaken the first scientific saddle fit study of western performance saddles.
The group will utilize new technology in the form of a force sensor array (FSA) pressure pad to analyze how a saddle applies pressure to the back of a horse. Different levels of pressure will be shown in different colors and in three dimensions.

The focus of the study is on barrel and roping saddles, but the results are applicable to all types of western saddles.

Using this latest innovation in saddle fit diagnosis, New Mexico State University students are examining all aspects of saddle fit, including how both movement and padding affect the distribution of weight across the back of a horse.

The results from examining several hundred horse and rider participants are currently being scanned and catalogued. The group plans to release the results of the study sometime in January. The group is hoping the study will provide new insights into horse and rider comfort and health, as well as challenge some traditional ideas on ways to improve saddle fit.

For information or to access to the results, contact Bill Gorman at New Mexico State University, wigorman@nmsu.edu, or dave@specializedsaddles.com.

Calling All Equine Artists

 If you have a talent with a paintbrush and a flair for depicting the natural beauty of the American Paint Horse, then you should consider applying to be the APHA 2010 World Show artist. But don’t waste any time, because the deadline for all submissions is January 22, 2010.

            The winning artist will receive $1,000, a booth to display their work in at the show and their finished artwork will appear as the cover of the World Show program for both shows. In addition, their artwork will be reproduced as a commemorative fine art print that will be available for purchase.

            If you attended the APHA Fall World Championship, you probably saw the artwork of the 2009 winner, Linda Massey of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin. Her finished piece was a two-part mural depicting Paint Horses competing in different disciplines like Western Pleasure, Trail, Halter and Jumping.

            APHA Art Director Art Vasquez describes what the association is looking for in the next World Show artist. “We need an artist who can convey the communication we share with the American Paint Horse in their art, from the alert eyes and ears of a proud stallion, to the calm and willing demeanor of a show horse.”

            To enter a piece of artwork or portfolio into the contest, all artists must include their name, contact information, art media used and dimensions of the final artwork. Any digital submissions smaller than 3 MB may be e-mailed to Patricia Hellam at phellam@apha.com Non-digital submissions should be mailed to American Paint Horse Association, Attn: Patricia Hellam, P.O. Box 961023, Fort Worth, Texas 76161.

            The winning artist will be notified on February 5th and any mailed submissions will be returned. The final artwork will be due April 16^th.

APHA World Show Wrap-up

For those of you who haven’t been able to keep up with the real-time results we’ve been posting on Facebook, I thought I would give everyone a little wrap-up of a few highlights from the APHA World Show.

            At the end of the first ever Fall World Championship Paint Horse Show, APHA named 127 World Champions and awarded over $450,000 in cash and prizes.

            While every World, Reserve World Championship and top ten title earned is an achievement to be proud of, there were a few exhibitors whose performance is worth extra notice.

            In the halter horse scene, Clint Fullerton accumulated a very impressive 16 World/Reserve world titles with horses like Shes Somthin Sexy, Far Too Fancy and Dee Dee Delicious.

            Mike Short made a clean sweep in the pleasure driving by winning the Junior with Mr. Cool All The Time and the Senior with Ultimate Bonanza.

            Susan Wilson was named both World and Reserve World Champion in the Masters Amateur Trail with her two horses, Predictably Perfect and Real Groovy respectively.

            Mike Hachtel won the Senior Western pleasure with Hot Lips Cookie, the 2-year-old Western Pleasure with Scenic Ocean Drive and was Reserve in the Junior Western Pleasure with Sensational Lollipop.

Sara Simons was Reserve in the 2-year-old Western Pleasure with Miss Texas Sensation, World Champion in the Junior Western Riding with One Flashy Sensation and Reserve in the Senior Western Riding with Mystical Machine. 

The Gillespie barn won approximately 10 buckles in various hunter under saddle and Novice Amateur classes. Shannon almost made a full sweep in the hunt seat by winning the Senior Hunter Under Saddle with In A New York Minute, the 3-year-old challenge with Must Be A Dream, and the 2-year-old Hunter under Saddle with Guitar Hero.

At the end of the Amateur portion of the show, Chelsea Bain took home the All-around Classic Amateur title with Sensational Blonde and Casey Hicks was Reserve with Strait Ole Paint. Capturing the Masters Amateur All-around was Susan Wilson with Predictably Perfect and Reserve was Dr. Kelli Foster with Fleet’s Serenity. In the Novice Amateur All-around, Shannon Sullenberger won with Jettn Champagne Chex and Melissa Haberkorn was Reserve with VR Knock Your Socks Off.

In the Open All-around, Ill Be Sensational was the Highpoint English horse, Super Gelding and Highpoint overall horse.

I also have to give a little shout out to my own horse, Its All Bhindthe Zipr. Together we won the Classic Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation and the first ever Hart Non-pro Versatility Challenge. Theo is looking forward to riding around town in his new trailer!

            Congratulations to everyone who participated at the Fall World Championship Paint Horse show.

Things are a little different this year...

As the last day of preparation for the World Show comes to a close, I began to think about how this APHA Fall World Show will be different from World Shows past. Obviously the fact that the Open and Amateur portion is now held in November instead of June is a big one. However, as I walked around the show grounds today, I noticed a few things that are also different this year.

For one, the trade show has been scaled down considerably and is now located in the entryway to the John Justin, where the show office used to be. The show office is now sharing space next to the stall office in the John Justin. Also, our beloved cinnamon roll and baked potato stand is now located in with the trade show, as opposed to being in its normal corner in the John Justin arena.

A new part of the décor in the John Justin is the addition of five large posters listing the 2008 Amateur exhibitors who received top twenty and year-end honor roll awards. Also, part of the décor in the John Justin are yellow, gray and white curtains that line the glass windows behind the stadium seating. (Don’t ask me who picked out the color scheme for that one).

One exciting new feature in the Watt arena is a 9x9 projector screen like the one in the John Justin that is used to post finals results and stream advertisements from the Paint Horse Journal.

A proposed change that the Executive Committee is debating involves a member-driven proposal to make the World Show a regional qualifying event. But that’s still in the works for now.

While a few things at the World Show have changed, there are some things that will always stay the same. Like the fact that you can order a cinnamon roll at 6:00 at night and no one thinks you’re strange. Or that despite show management’s desperate attempt to schedule arena times for different disciplines, there is never space to warm up when you need it. Or the way that you can hear the lights in the John Justin hum when you’re riding by yourself at 2:30 in the morning.

They say that change is a good thing, but I hope that some things about the World Show will never change.