Chrome Cash: Boost Your Payouts for Top-Performing Paint Horses - APHA: American Paint Horse Association

Chrome Cash

Chrome Cash is a unique incentive program that provides bonus payouts for top-performing registered Paint Horses outside of APHA-approved competitions. It’s offered as a class within a class at select Western performance horse events, all-around shows and international competitions. All APHA-registered horses can compete in Chrome Cash.

More than $1.6 million has been paid to APHA horses since Chrome Cash began in 2020. Chrome Cash is offered at participating National Cutting Horse Association, National Reined Cow Horse Association, National Reining Horse Association, American Rope Horse Futurity Association, Stock Horse of Texas events and more. New events are continually being added! Find an event and learn more about how your chrome can pay you cash!

A Paint Horse competing at an NCHA futurity.

Eligibility

APHA registration is the only requirement to enter Chrome Cash classes. Once your horse is registered, you enter with the event’s show office. You must be entered in the main class to add the Chrome Cash side pot (additional entry fee applies).

See individual event’s rules for additional information. The show producer runs the Chrome Cash class, tabulates results and provides payout.

Register Your Horse

To apply for registration, your horse must:

  • Have one APHA registered parent (dam or sire); the other parent must be APHA, AQHA or Jockey Club

OR

  • Your Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred has at least 2 inches of solid white hair in the qualifying area

Need help registering your qualifying horse?

Email, text or call Sunny Bates at 817-219-7985.

How to Enter

National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA)

  • Horse must be registered with APHA
  • Entries
    • Look for “Chrome Cash” classes at NCHA events
    • Entries are taken by the show producer and must follow the rules of that event
    • Entry form, fee, and a copy of APHA papers must be submitted to the show secretary
  • Results & Payouts
    • Each show producer takes the entry, tabulates the scores, determines the winner and does the payout
    • Only shows designated with Chrome Cash sponsors will have added money
    • Added money to Chrome Cash classes at select NCHA aged events
  • Chrome Cash is a class within a class, no working finals
  • Chrome Cash is like any other NCHA jackpotted class. It is run exactly the same as the gelding. The only difference is instead of your horse needing to be a gelding to qualify for entry, your horse needs APHA papers to qualify for entry. All other rules are the same. If the horse is in more than one class, you have to add Chrome Cash to each class you want entered in.
Cutting horse, Hashtag Blessed, in the show pen.
Cutting horse, Lone Woolf, in the show pen.

2024 NCHA Events

  • Abilene Spectacular
  • Ike Derby & Classic
  • Arbuckle Mountain Futurity – $2,000 added
  • Cattlemens
  • Super Stakes
  • PCCHA Derby
  • Summer Spectacular
  • Cotton Stakes
  • Cascade Futurity – $3,000 added
  • PCCHA Futurity
  • Brazos Bash
  • The Southern Futurity
  • Waco Futurity
  • NCHA Futurity

National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA)

  • Horse must be registered with APHA
  • Entries
    • Look for “Chrome Cash” classes at NRCHA events
    • Entries are taken by the show producer and must follow the rules of that event
    • Entry form, fee, and a copy of APHA papers must be submitted to the show secretary
  • Results & Payouts
    • Each show producer takes the entry, tabulates the scores, determines the winner and does the payout
    • Only shows designated with Chrome Cash sponsors will have added money
    • Added money to Chrome Cash classes at select NRCHA aged events
  • Chrome Cash is a class within a class, no working finals
A Paint Horse going down the fence at an NRCHA event.
A Paint Horse doing fence work at an NRCHA event.

2024 NRCHA Events

  • Celebration of Champions – $2,000 added
  • Stallion Stakes – $2,000 added
  • Western Derby – $2,000 added
  • Eastern Derby – $2,000 added
  • Snaffle Bit Futurity – $3,500 added

National Reining Horse Association (NRHA)

  • Horse must be registered with APHA
  • Entries
    • Look for “Chrome Cash” classes at NRHA events
    • Entries are taken by the NRHA office
    • Entry form, fee, and a copy of APHA papers must be submitted to the show secretary
  • Results & Payouts
    • Each show producer takes the entry, tabulates the scores, determines the winner and does the payout
    • Only shows designated with Chrome Cash sponsors will have added money
    • Added money to Chrome Cash classes at select NRHA events
  • Chrome Cash is a class within a class, no working finals
A Paint Horse doing a sliding stop.
A Paint Horse stopping at an NRHA event.

2024 NRHA Events

  • NRBC Reining – $5,000 added
  • NRHA Derby – $5,000 added
  • 100x Reining Classic – $5,000 added
  • NRHA Futurity – $5,000 added

American Rope Horse Futurity Assoc. (ARHFA)

  • Horse must be registered with APHA
  • Entries
    • Look for “Chrome Cash” classes at ARHFA events
    • Entry form, fee, and a copy of APHA papers must be submitted to the show secretary
    • ARHFA Chrome Cash entries have a separate entry form that needs to be completed with payment and sent to Sunny Bates
    • Equinity Plantinum entries must be submitted to the show producers
  • Results & Payouts
    • Only shows designated with Chrome Cash sponsors will have added money
    • Added money to Chrome Cash classes at select NRHA events
  • Chrome Cash is a class within a class, no working finals
Paint Horse during Team Roping at the World Show.
A roper receiving his awards at World Show.

2024 ARHFA Events

  • ARHFA Arizona Sun Circuit Roping – $3,000 added
  • ARHFA Redbud Roping – $3,000 added
  • ARHFA Cow Town Classic – $3,000 added
  • Equinety Platinum Roping
  • ARHFA World Championship Roping – $3,000 added

Stock Horse of Texas (SHTX)

  • Horse must be registered with APHA
  • Two incentive options
    • APHA Year-End High-Point Trophy – One trophy will be awarded to the year-end high-point APHA horse during the World Finals.  There is no fee to participate, you just need to complete the application found online at the Stock Horse of Texas website.
    • $1,500 added to the Chrome Cash class at the World Finals – To participate you must enter the class at the World Finals and pay the entry fee.  Entry form is on the Stock Horse of Texas website.
  • Chrome Cash is a class within a class, no working finals
A Paint Horse and rider at a Stock Horse of Texas event.

Chrome Cash is a simple program that gives exhibitors a monetary incentive to show APHA-registered horses. International show organizers can apply for matching Chrome Cash funds to help attract more Paint owners to their events, including both APHA-approved and discipline-specific competitions.

How does Chrome Cash International work?

  • Show organizers request Chrome Cash matching funds starting at $1,000 USD and up.
  • Approved events are required to provide matching funds equal to or exceeding the amount requested. For example, if $1,000 USD in Chrome Cash matching funds is requested from APHA, the approved event must match at least $1,000 USD. The entire amount—$2,000 USD in this example—must be paid out to eligible Paints in designated Chrome Cash classes.
  • Show organizers must agree to promote Chrome Cash prior to the event.
  • Show organizers determine which Chrome Cash classes/sidepots/races they want to offer and how added money is distributed.
  • Show organizers determine entry fees to be charged for each Chrome Cash class/sidepot/race.
  • Show organizers must submit Chrome Cash results using APHA’s template within 14 days of the completion of the event, including all Chrome Cash entries and amounts paid to each placing.
  • Show organizers must submit $10 USD/Chrome Cash entry to APHA upon the completion of the event, along with show results.

Who can compete for Chrome Cash?

  • Horses must be registered with APHA; both Regular Registry and solid Paint-breds are eligible.
  • Owners must be current APHA members in good standing.
  • Owners/exhibitors must enter Chrome Cash classes as per the event’s rules and pay the event’s entry fees.
  • Show organizers are responsible for verifying horse and owner eligibility.

How can we apply for Chrome Cash?

  • Submit your application online here.
  • APHA will accept applications until all 2024 funds have been dispersed.
  • APHA will approve applications based on their potential for generating memberships, registrations and transfers. Geographic location will also be a consideration.
  • In subsequent years, events must demonstrate 10% growth in horses in horses in Paint classes/sidepots/races from year to year to be eligible for funding again.

Looking for the Chrome Cash Matching Fund?