APHA Awards & Standings

The APHA represents a wide variety of horse-lovers with a wide variety of interests. If you are competitive by nature, check out these awards designed just for you! These awards are won by showing your Paint horse in APHA-Approved competition. Research performance records to discover what perpetual awards your Paint has won, and visit the links below to see the current and past Year-End Award standings! You can find the detailed qualifications any any exceptions for each of these awards described in the current APHA Rulebook.

APHA Perpetual Awards

• Register of Merit– awarded to the horse who has won 10 or more points in one event.
• Superior Event– awarded to the horse who earns 50 or more points in one event.
• Champion– awarded to the horse that earns at least 40 points in a minimum of five shows, contests, or races and under five or more judges. Of those 40 points, 16 points must be earned in halter classes (with a minimum of 10 points won in “A” or “B” class shows), and 16 points must be earned in performance classes. To qualify, the horse must earn at least five points in two different categories of performance events. For the amateur and youth divisions, the remaining 8 points needed can be earned in Amateur or youth, respectively, halter or performance events excluding categories IX and X. Available in the Open, Amateur, and Youth divisions only.
• Performance Versatility– awarded to the horse earning five ROMs in at least four Categories and a Superior award in one of the five events in which an ROM was earned. (excluding Categories I, VIII, & XI). Available in the Open, Amateur, and Youth divisions only.
• Supreme Amateur Champion & Supreme Youth Champion– awarded to the exhibitor/horse that has earned at least 270 points in Amateur or Youth, respectively, halter or performance classes in APHA-approved “A” shows. At least 30 of those points must have been won in Amateur or Youth, respectively, halter classes, and of the 30 a maximum of 15 points may be earned in the yearling year. At least 240 of those points must have been won in Amateur or Youth, respectively, performance classes, excluding categories VIII-XI. Must have also earned a Superior in four (4) of the categories specified in Rule AM-030 or YP-025, respectively, excluding category VIII-XI. Must have also earned an ROM in four (4) of the categories specified in Rule AM-030 or YP-025, respectively, excluding category VIII-XI in an event other than that in which the qualifying Superiors were won.
• Superior All-Around– awarded to the horse earning a Superior Award in Halter and in one performance event, as well as ROMs in four of the five performance categories. (excluding Categories VIII and X through XII). Available in the Open division only.
• Supreme Champion– awarded to the horse named Grand Champion in at least five APHA-approved A shows under five or more judges. This horse has won at least 80 points in recognized halter and performance classes in APHA-approved A class shows or in races recognized by the APHA. At least 30 of those points have been won in halter classes, and at least 50 in performance events. No more than 10 points may be counted in one performance event. The horse must have earned at least one ROM in Categories II-IV and IX, have earned at least four racing points and have run at least one race with an official speed index of no less than 80. Available in the Open division only.

APHA Year End Awards

• Zone Top 5– recognizes the top five horses in each of the regional zones, based on total points earned within the respective zone the horse is owned in (Open division) or the respective zone the exhibitor lives in (Amateur and Youth division) during the calendar year (Excluding WS Points). Minimum of 8 points required in the Open and Amateur divisions, minimum of 6 points required in the Youth divisions.
• Honor Roll– awarded to the 10 horses earning the most points in each event during the calendar year. In order to be eligible for the award, a minimum of ten points must be earned. Individual age divisions in halter and performance events will be recognized; however, awards will only be presented to the overall age division winner of each event (Excluding WS Points).
• Ranch Horse High-Point– presented in each division to the horse earning the most points overall (excluding WS points) in all ranch classes combined. Horses must earn at least one point in the following ranch classes to be eligible for this award: Ranch Trail, Ranch Pleasure, Ranch Reining, Ranch Cow Class (Cow Work or Cutting), Ranch Rail Pleasure, and Ranch Riding.
• Top 20– awarded to the top 20 open horses and top 10 open solid-paint bred horses who have the 20 highest pointed shows (each “show” is one judge) during the calendar year (maximum of 20 APHA-approved shows will count towards total points, WS points do not count towards this award). Minimum of 8 points needed to qualify.
• Rookie of the Year
  • Novice Youth– award based on total points accumulated on a one-horse/one-rider basis per calendar year (excluding WS points). Eligible exhibitors cannot have won any equine association points, money, and/or World or Reserve World titles at any time prior to the year of the award (excluding Youth W/T and Youth Halter points). Exhibitor must be a first time AjPHA Novice Youth card holder for Novice Youth ROTY. Ownership requirements must be met. Minimum of 6 points must be earned to be eligible.
  • Amateur– award based on total points accumulated on a one-horse/one-rider basis per calendar year (excluding WS points). Points can be accumulated in amateur, novice amateur, or amateur walk-trot but are counted separately for each division. Eligible exhibitors cannot have won any equine association points, money, and/or World or Reserve World titles at any time prior to the year of the award (in open, youth, novice youth, amateur, novice amateur, or amateur walk-trot). Exhibitor must be a first time APHA Amateur card holder . Ownership requirements must be met. Minimum of 8 points must be earned to be eligible.
• Leading Sires– halter and performance stats collected on leading sires of Paint Horses, including class winners and points earned. Similar stats for leading Dams and Breeders can be found under the Previous Year-End Standings at the link below.
• Previous Year-End Standings can be viewed HERE