The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) and Professional Auction Services will debut the APHA Fall Championship Show Select Sale presented by Markel Insurance on November 8, 2008, in the W.R. Watt Arena at the Will Rogers Memorial Center complex in Fort Worth, Texas.  Featuring multiple sessions, the new auction format offers first-session Paints the chance to enroll in the innovative “APHA Sale Stakes” program—special reining, Western pleasure, hunter under saddle, longe line and halter competition—that promises big cash payouts.

The Select Sale, which is presented by Markel Insurance and produced by Professional Auction Services, Inc., will be held in conjunction with APHA’s newest world-class specialty show—the inaugural APHA Fall Championship Show.

The APHA Fall Championship Show will feature world title classes for weanling and yearling halter, yearling longe line and 2-year-old performance horses. It will also showcase new added-money and jackpot classes, slot classes and select Challenge and Sweepstakes classes.

The APHA Fall Championship Show Select Sale will include a new Sale Stakes series of classes, which are open only to horses that go through the sale. These classes will be offered during the 2008 and 2009 APHA Fall Championship Shows. The Association’s goal in creating the classes is to create a program with purses of over $75,000 that will add value to horses in the Select Sale. Prize money will be funded from sale fees.

The Select Sale will feature two sessions. Session One will be open to horses eligible to be enrolled in the APHA Sale Stakes, which include all ages of reining horses, 2-year-old and younger Western pleasure horses, weanling and yearling hunter under saddle horses and weanling and yearling halter horses. Session Two is open to other select show horses, prospects, broodmares and breeding-age stallions. Session One sale entries will pay an additional $750 enrollment fee for each entry. All of the enrollment fees will be added to each corresponding class’ purse.  Horses must be consigned by August 5 for the 2008 Select Sale.

Sale Stakes classes will be held in 2008 for all age reining horses, 2-year-old Western pleasure horses and yearling halter horses. These are Open classes that will show in one go-round just days following the sale. 

Sale Stakes Futurity classes will be offered at the 2009 APHA Fall Championship Show. Western pleasure and hunter under saddle classes will be offered for yearling longe line and 2-year-olds. Halter classes will be held in 2009 for yearlings that are offered as weanlings. A 3-year-old reining class will be held for prospects sold as 2-year-olds this year.

Markel Insurance, the official equine insurance provider of the APHA will provide “fall of the hammer” 24-hour coverage to all APHA Fall Championship Show Select Sale graduates.

To learn more about APHA Sale Stakes eligibility requirements and full details about the APHA Fall Championship Show Sale, visit www.professionalauction.com or contact Professional Auction Services, Inc. at (800) 240-7900. Or, visit aphafallchampionship.com, where you can also find details about the APHA Fall Championship Show.