Below is the details of the request I am making. Please include an email and APHA number when signing. It will only show as your name to other signees, not your personal information. If you would rather, you can private message me your details so I can include it in my request to APHA.

Greetings Executive Committee:

I am writing to ask you to consider a policy change regarding your requirements for solid bred entries in the sweepstakes, challenges and the Farnam Futurity, all non-pointed classes, at the World Show.

As the policy stands now, you have allowed entry into sweepstakes and challenges, but not the Farnam, if they had paint parentage and a paint pattern gene. I would like to eliminate the paint pattern gene requirement and also include the opportunity to show in the Farnam Classes.

My plea is on behalf of all breeders who strive to breed a quality paint horse, and support our APHA stallions by breeding to them, but be that as it may, are left with a solid baby that carries no genetic markers. Many are left unregistered in back yards and lack the value deemed necessary to send them out to be trained and shown. That is lost revenue to APHA, both from a registration and showing aspect, not to mention the APHA trainers. I myself have sold numerous solids with their breeders certificates and the new owners have never registered those babies. It was a financial loss for me, as well as a loss to APHA and the industry. I have a solid filly at home by the late Zippo Sensation that takes my breath away to watch move. She carries no markers whatsoever. But I spent the same breeding costs, and had the same hopes and dreams for the foal when I bred for her. If I knew she had the future to show and win in futurities at the big shows, I would certainly spend the time and money to realize that dream.

In closing, I feel like the solid breds with paint parents and paint gene markers are getting the opportunity to step into the show ring, but we are still left with the true solid breds, with no chance of proving their worth. The futurities wouldn’t take points or world titles away from their colored counterparts and would still showcase the breeding and talent of the American Paint Horse.

Thank you for your consideration,

Melissa Ilic