APHA rule changes: now colored and solid Paint Horses will compete together
- Wittelsbuerger
- Apr 17
- 2 min read
The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) has approved several important rule changes for 2025, some of which will take effect this year and some in 2022. The official 2025 APHA rulebook is available for download here.
One of the most important changes: Starting in the 2025 season, "bune" (Regular Paint) and "solid Paint" (Solid Paint-Breds) will compete together at shows. The Solid Paint-Breds classes will be eliminated, and placings will be combined. This makes hosting APHA shows much more attractive because schedules and costs can be optimized.
In addition, riders in the Horsemanship and Hunt Seat classes will be able to present two horses instead of one this year.
This means that, from this date, all registered Paint Horses, regardless of their registry classification, will compete together in APHA-sponsored competitions. The decision was made to both increase the number of competitors in the classes and reduce the costs of running and administering the competitions, explains the PHCG (see here).
Another major advantage for novice amateur riders: While in the previous Amateur SPB classes, the horse had to be owned by the rider or by the family, in the Novice Amateur classes you can also compete as a shareholder! This means you are no longer dependent on your own horse to participate in these important competitions. This flexibility makes the sport easier to access and encourages participation from riders who may not have previously had the opportunity to own their own horse.
More participants, more APHA points!
By combining the classes, more participants are expected in each competition. This means more APHA points and more exciting competition, which will boost your athletic ambition.
More efficient competition processes and increased value of SPB horses: With fewer, but more crowded classes, the competitions become more efficient and manageable. At the same time, the value of your horses increases, as they can now compete in the same classes as the RR horses and prove themselves against tougher competition. Merging the two registries could increase the perceived value of SPB horses, making them more attractive for registration, transfer, and competition.
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