Barrel racers win big with PBRIP

Love barrel racing? Love winning cash? Then you’ll love PBRIP, APHA’s Paint Barrel Racing Incentive Program. That’s what 330 APHA members are saying this year as they race for $25,000 in cash prizes at barrel events around the country.

This unique program is designed to make it easier for barrel racers to be a part of APHA—even if they don’t compete at traditional breed shows. Instead, PBRIP brings the association to barrel-racing events nationwide by adding money to a special sidepot just for those enrolled in the program.

Besides the chance to win cash, you can also qualify your Paint for the the APHA World Championship Show. In addition to exciting prizes and world championship titles, there’s $7,500 in prize money up for grabs in the PBRIP sweepstakes and futurity classes, with an additional $3,000 bonus offered by APHA Corporate Partner Farnam.

Teresa Watson of Nowata, Oklahoma, has been competing successfully in PBRIP for a few years, and she was the program’s leading rider in 2014.

“PBRIP is somewhat well-known in my area,” she said. “I found out about it through friends and online.”

Once she tried it, Teresa was hooked.

“I have ridden a few different horses in PBRIP,” Teresa said. “Nates Skipster was the 2014 year-end high-point winner. EZ Jet Express was second. Mega Legacy is my youngest who I will be running in the 2015 PBRIP futurity and sweepstakes. And Mainliner is another young one I have qualified for 2015.

“What I like best are the people that share my interest in fast Paint Horses and seeing all of the Paints running barrels in one place,” Teresa continued. “My advice is to become familiar with the rules—which are pretty simple—attend the qualifying number of races and then go to the sweepstakes at the World Show and enjoy!”

Getting involved in PBRIP is easy:

Who can ride?
If you are running barrels on a registered American Paint Horse, getting started in PBRIP is quick and easy. Download the enrollment form online or sign up right at a PBRIP-approved event for just $35 per year. Both the horse owner and rider must have current APHA memberships to participate (the rider must have an individual membership, per APHA rules).

Who can run?
All APHA-registered horses foaled prior to January 1, 2013, are eligible to participate in PBRIP. Regular Registry (tobiano, overo and tovero) Paints foaled after that date also qualify for PBRIP. Solid Paint-bred Paints foaled in 2013 or later must have a Regular Registry sire and dam or at least one Regular Registry parent in both the first and second generations of their pedigree.

Where can you race?
Currently, approximately 75 PBRIP-approved events are taking place in 11 different states: Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas. More events are added every week. Check out the complete PBRIP calendar online, or get your local barrel-race producer onboard! Any event or show manager can host a PBRIP sidepot event. The rules are simple and the application fee is only $25.

What can you win?
For starters, there’s $25,000 in cold, hard cash. Participants can also earn APHA points and titles with their Paints and run for year-end awards. APHA also pays out an additional $2,500 to the exhibitors of the top two horses in each division (1D through 4D), along with even more awards from our sponsors.

Want to know more?
Go to apha.com/pbrip for the latest PBRIP news, results, forms and information about the new PBRIP Stallion Bonus Program, or contact APHA Director of Racing Karen Utecht at 817-222-6444 or [email protected]. Remember, you can’t win if you don’t play!