American Paint Horse Association
Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century brought two-toned horses with them, descendants of horses from North Africa and Asia Minor. Over time, these colorful horses became a cherished staple of the western frontier. Throughout the 1800s and early 1900s, these horses were known by a variety of names, including Paint, Pinto, Skewbald and Piebald. In the early 20th century, they were largely excluded from registries in North America. At the Curtwood Motel in Gainesville on February 16, 1962, sixteen dedicated horsemen and horsewomen met to discuss a new association dedicated to colorful stock horses. The group determined a new equine breed registry was needed. Christened the American Paint Stock Horse Association (APSHA), the new organization’s directives were to collect, preserve and record the pedigrees of paint stock horses; publish a stud book; maintain a registry; and regulate the breed’s exhibition, publicity, sales and racing. The first registered American Paint Horse, Bandit’s Pinto, was registered on August 11, 1962. By the end of the year, 250 paint horses were registered and the association counted 150 members. In the 1960s, a second paint horse registry, the American Paint Quarter Horse Association (APQHA), opened its doors. The two associations merged in May 1965; from that point, it was known as the American Paint Horse Association (APHA). The APHA is the world’s second-largest equine breed association, registering more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories since it was founded. APHA preserves the history of the American Paint Horse, creates and maintains programs that increase the value of the breed and enriches members’ experiences with their horse. (2013)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The colorful two-toned horses celebrated here descend from mounts brought by Spanish conquistadors and became a beloved staple of the western frontier under names like Paint, Pinto, and Piebald. Though largely shut out of North American breed registries in the early 20th century, sixteen dedicated horse enthusiasts met at Gainesville's Curtwood Motel on February 16, 1962, to found a registry of their own. Within a year they had registered 250 horses, and after a 1965 merger the American Paint Horse Association grew into the world's second-largest equine breed association.
Why it matters
The marker records how a handful of Texans preserved a distinctly Western breed's heritage, turning a roadside meeting into a global institution rooted in the culture of the American frontier.
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Related events
- · Founding of the American Paint Stock Horse Association, 1962
Themes & tags
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