UKPHA celebrates 10 years

November 28, 2011

November 26 marked the tenth anniversary of the United Kingdom Paint Horse Association (UKPHA). In honor of this major milestone, we asked Sue Painter, who has been president since the club’s foundation, to tell us about how the UKPHA got started, how it has grown and how they celebrated this historic occasion.

UKPHA honorary patron Bob Mayhew and founding members Sue Painter and Lou Fryer accepted the commemorative plaque awarded by APHA in honor of the club's tenth anniversary.

With a last name like Painter, it comes as no surprise that Sue and her husband Rob, the club’s secretary-treasurer, have been the driving force behind the club since the beginning. According to Sue, the catalyst that got the club going actually dates back more than 15 years ago, when she got lucky at their first attempt breeding a Paint.

“In May 1995, we bred our Thoroughbred mare to an American Paint stallion, Sonny Steele,” said Sue. Sonny Steele was one of the first registered Paints imported to the U.K. after he was purchased by Louis Massarella in 1992. That cross produced a filly the Painters named Taome, short for The Apple Of My Eye.

“Taome was fantastic and I became hooked on Paints,” recalled Sue. Without a Paint club or APHA-approved shows, Sue began showing her mare with the British Skewbald and Piebald Association (BSPA). It was there she met Lynda Lodge and Lou Fryer who both shared her passion for colored stock horses. One thing led to another, and in March 2001 a group of eight enthusiasts, including the Painters, Lodge and Fryer, met and drafted an action plan to apply for affiliation with the APHA.

“In May 2001 we issued our first newsletter and the club was born,” Sue said. “Back then to join it was only £10 ($14) for adult, £5 ($7) for a Junior and £15 ($21) for a family. During the summer we put together our application, bylaws and constitution, and on November 26th we were granted our charter.”

Since then, the club has evolved and expanded, changing with the times and the members’ desires. “Like APHA, our membership has risen and fallen over the years,” explained Sue. “We got close to 100 members a few years ago but are now back to about 55. That said, there are now over 100 APHA members in the UK.”

The number of Paint Horses in the club’s territory—which covers England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands—has increased from 36 in 1996 to over 550 today.

Promoting the Paint Horse has not always been easy, however, in a country steeped in rich equestrian traditions. “Those showing in Western attire were initially seen as odd by our English-showing colleagues,” said Sue.

But many attitudes changed as reining rose in popularity. In 2005, Sue’s stallion Whata Smoke captured the attention of the British—and the rest of the world—when he won a coveted spot on the British reining team competing at the FEI European Reining Championships in Manerbio, Italy. He was the highest-scoring Paint there, and that had a profound effect on the breed’s image back home. Afterward, all the leading Western trainers began riding Paints, according to Sue. “That is thanks to Bob Mayhew who told us about Whata Smoke,” said Sue. “He competed him for us and helped show our Quarter Horse friends just what a great horse can do regardless of color.”

After Whata Smoke was sold to Sweden, new stars hit the British stage. “The club has new ambassadors now,” said Sue. “Docs Smokin Apache is owned by Michelle Rickard and ridden by Alan Payne. Michelle is hopeful he will make the Paint Europeans in 2012. And there’s Sue Middleton who shows Strait Cookys N Cream.”

Not only are there more high-quality Paints, but there are more opportunities to show. Today, the club organizes two APHA-approved shows annually and works with other associations in the U.K. to have their classes approved through the PAC program or as APHA special events. The club also publishes a quarterly magazine and a member newsletter and holds an annual membership meeting and awards banquet.

This year, of course, there was a special occasion to celebrate. “We had a special Pimms O'Clock (cocktail) event at the Western Equestrian Society Nationals in August where we gave away over 120 glasses of first class Pimms,” said Sue. “And we had a special annual general meeting and awards night.” Seventeen members attended the event held at The Olde Bull Inn in Suffolk on November 19th, including the club’s honorary patron, trainer and APHA judge Bob Mayhew.

In the past decade, the UKPHA has faced many of the same issues confronting American clubs. “Our challenges are much like all associations—keeping and growing members and showing opportunities during a difficult economic cycle. We would love to get more folks out in the ring but that’s a tough job just now,” said Sue. “Also [it’s difficult] finding the time to drive on the club when day jobs seem to take over more and more of life.”

Of the founding members, only Lou Fryer, Sue and Rob Painter remain. Sadly, Lou lost his wife Lindy—a great Paint fan and founding member—in May, making it difficult for him to attend club events, but Sue still relies on him for advice. “Lou had broken and shown some fantastic Paints over the years,” said Sue. “Without his sound council, we would not have built the foundations upon which we continue to move forward.”

The UKPHA has come a long way in the past 10 years, with even brighter days ahead. “We need to get youth involved more, and we are looking at working with the Pony Club,” said Sue. “We have always promised we would run a trail ride too. We are looking forward to another 10 years plus.”

For more information about the UKPHA, visit www.ukpha.co.uk. More photos from the club’s tenth anniversary celebration can be found on the UKPHA Facebook page.

Above: With Mark How in the saddle, Whata Smoke was the highest placing Paint at the 2005 FEI European Reining Championships.

Above: Bob Mayhew was very successful competing with Whata Smoke in reining and several other disciplines. In 2003 Mayhew exhibited the Painters' stallion to win the Western Equestrian Society All-Around Champion title.

Above: Sue Painter, seen here with Strait Gunsmoke N County, has been an avid Paint Horse enthusiast since 1995 and president of the UKPHA since its foundation.

Above: Strait Cookys N Cream, by Strait From Texas, is one of UKPHA's rising stars under the guidance of Sue Middleton.

Above and below: Alan Payne and Docs Smokin Apache are following in the footsteps of Whata Smoke, hoping to leave a mark on the European reining scene.

Irene Stamatelakys

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