Having qualified for the Spotfest Champion of Champions at the NW Show back in April, Enzo headed to the event for what would only be his fourth ridden show- and his first appearance in the Open Ridden Class, having won and qualified through the Novice earlier in the season. In preparation, he had to learn to accept a double bridle, and true to his adaptable and intelligent nature, Enzo took it all in stride, mastering the new challenge within just a few weeks.

After travelling solo for three and a half hours, Enzo arrived calm, relaxed, and ready to shine. His performance was nothing short of outstanding: he won The Open Ridden Class, went on to take The Ridden Championship, and to top it all off, was crowned Supreme Champion of Show!

As Deb proudly shared, “We were absolutely thrilled with how he took everything in his stride at such a high-profile venue he’d never been to before. Despite not turning six until October and having been shown very lightly, he was so composed and mature- my very ‘grown-up’ boy!”

The most emotional moment came when both judges awarded Enzo the Champion of Champions title, describing him as “ A beautiful animal, ridden so elegantly – it was a unanimous decision to award him our overall Champion of Champions.” Deb added, “Thank you so much for appreciating the love and effort that has gone into training and producing my special boy. He’s literally gone from baby to athlete in the past two months – we are so proud of him!”

Deb also expressed heartfelt thanks to the organisers Zena and Rosie, the judges, and the kind sponsors Spilsbury Stud and Animal Aunts for a truly memorable event. The rosettes, sashes, and trophies were as spectacular as the results—especially the sparkling diamante Champion of Champions rosette that made the day feel extra special. A special mention goes to Robyn-Jayne Hadland, whose professional turnout and training of Enzo helped bring out his brilliance in the ring, and to Dressage Instructor Adrian Wong for his guidance.

Looking ahead, Deb and her team are preparing for winter dressage competitions and developing Enzo’s love of jumping- with eyes on even greater achievements in 2026.

Congratulations, Deb and Enzo, on such a phenomenal accomplishment! Your journey perfectly embodies the Appaloosa’s versatility, heart, and grace, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for this remarkable partnership.

We’d love to feature YOU in our upcoming newsletters and social media! All the best- Lil (Marketing Director)

I am actually sitting in some sunshine currently as the Year of the Fire Horse begins. Hopefully this will bring some energy and clarity to us all.

It has been a horrendous winter for everyone with livestock, with the relentless rain and price of hay has been a huge challenge for all of us. We hope that you are all surviving and you still have some sense of humour intact!

Kim and I are still ploughing on with DEFRA re-jig. We have to fill in a form that has epic proportions……in fact, War and Peace may be a doddle compared to this.
The changes only apply to the UK register; nothing changes with USA registered horses. The Part-Breds are the most affected and are now classed as being on our Supplementary breed register and going forward will only qualify for an ID only breed passport from their registered breed society. This means they do not have a full Zootechnic certificate which protects their higher welfare as non-meat animals. The ApHC UK are still going to be providing lovely Part-Bred passports to these horses which will include their pedigree breeding in the back of the passport but not the full Zootechnic certificate.

What this means is that if you travel your Part-bred to Europe to compete or want to export, you will have to comply with strict lairage principals, long travel times and mountains of paperwork. If this applies to you, we strongly suggest you think about over-stamping with a Sport Horse Society or if your horse is a gelding and fits the USA hardship criteria consider registering them with the ApHC USA via their hardship clause. This will make them eligible to upgrade to our Main Register. See the fact sheet on the USA website https://sub.appaloosa.com/pdfs/HardshipFactSheet.pdf

If you are planning breeding for this year, please think carefully about what you are hoping to breed and make sure all your paperwork is done correctly. We can no longer accept Part Breds onto our breed register that are Paint, Cob, Pony, Draught or Vanner characteristics or do not meet the minimum height criteria of 14hh.

Please use a registered and licensed UK stallion or registered USA stallion to cover your UK or USA registered mare. If you have a full-bred mare and breed to a non-Appaloosa the foal will only be eligible for the Supplementary register (as above). You will also find that as we will have percentages for up-grading offspring through the UK register, this will affect where the future offspring are added in the register. Even Main register to a permitted out-cross will only produce enough Appaloosa blood to go on the lower part of the register in the 50% category. We will publish the full class categories and percentages once they are approved by DEFRA.

In lots of ways we are luckier than some of the other breed societies, so we are hanging on in there and trying to stay positive as we think it will improve the already awesome quality of our horses and stop indiscriminate breeding which will improve welfare and breed standards.

Sorry my article is soooooo dry this month (at least something is!!! ) – I promise it will be more exciting in the next one!

Stay warm and dry…. Spring is on its way!

First up we have Jo Prestidge-King and her Appaloosa Gelding Spot. They have recently began volunteer work on horseback for Northamptonshire Police!

“Spot is a striking and steady Appaloosa who exemplifies the breed’s renowned versatility- calm under pressure, responsive in varied environments, and a natural partner for community engagement.

Together, we have already begun patrolling the village of Potterspury and will be regularly visible across Potterspury, Deanshanger, and Wicken, offering reassurance and a friendly presence to local residents. As part of Northamptonshire Police’s Volunteers on Horseback scheme which has been running since 2014 with around 50 active volunteers- we work closely with Neighbourhood Policing and the Rural Crime Team”

Jo and Spot recently took part in the Northamptonshire Community Open Day at Delapré Abbey, where they met several members of the public and their families- many of whom had never encountered a horse before. Spot stood calmly among crowds, sirens, pushchairs, dogs, wheelchairs and children, demonstrating the temperament and adaptability that make Appaloosas such valuable partners in public-facing roles.Their presence is a practical and impactful way to connect with rural communities, support crime prevention, and promote public confidence in policing.

Great work team!

To feature in our new spotlight, members are warmly encouraged to get in touch with the Society to have their achievements featured in an upcoming newsletter. Let’s come together to honour the versatility, beauty, and spirit of the Appaloosa – and the dedicated people who make up the ApHC UK family. You could be next!

All the best, Lil (Marketing Director)

I keep promising to explain the new passport legislation but as yet DEFRA haven’t approved the restructuring of our studbook. They have assessed it, made some comments and it seems to be compliant but Kim and I attended the 826 Breeds Society AGM this week and all the breed societies are having similar but slightly different issues – particularly with part-bred status.

So, I will do my best to advise breeders but please keep in mind that this may change….

At the moment, there is no problem for you as breeders with full bred Appaloosas. Our USA studbook is a closed studbook and nothing will change there.

The B register is now called the UK register and there will be several categories within it, these have yet to be finalised and will be categorised by the percentage of Appaloosa blood and our breed profile.

We have to allow up-grading through the UK register with each generation if appropriate.

So that leaves our C register and part-bred register in the supplementary studbook currently. Our C register applications fit the breed profile but have no known breeding, usually this is an overstamp of their passport but if we provide a passport it is ID only.

As things stand Part-breds can now only be issued with an ID passport (with breeding in the back) so they will not be counted as registered animals with a Zootechnic certificate because they lack pure-bred status. This may not matter if your part-bred stays in the UK but if they are exported into the EU or travel over to the EU to compete, they will have to go through strict lairage protocols – like farm animals! It is actually beyond bonkers! especially as since 2016 all the PIO’s have been audited and passed by DEFRA for studbook compliancy. This is why all breed societies are fighting against this new take on the legislation. Also, most of our part-breds are 50% Appaloosa or over, this is a lot more than some part-breds with other societies. Our out-crossed breeding of TB, Arab or Quarter Horse are still legit.

You can help by really thinking hard about breeding a part bred in the next breeding season, especially if you hope to export. You could possibly register with a Sport Horse Society then overstamp with us, obviously, we don’t want to push away our registration income or our members!

We will keep fighting on with the other breed societies and with guidance from Chris and Anna from Equiventus (who make our beautiful passports) Hopefully, everyone will get some clarity soon and I will keep you in the loop. A slight hope is that there may be a moratorium, which could potentially mean that all equines with a UK passport will still be in the higher welfare category if exported. Fingers crossed this will happen soon.

Auriol

Main Register – Western Most Versatile:-
1st – CA Syzygy Invitation & Tim Keeley – 40 points
2nd – Mels Back to Black & Emma Hardy – 36 points
3rd – Xtremely Hollywood CA & Janette Keeley – 14 points

Part Bred Register – Most Versatile:-
1st – Zand Edition & Holly Brown – 24 points

Characteristic Register – Most Versatile:-
1st – Cranfold Atticus Zebadia & Evie Williams – 36 points

Western Open Hi Points:-
1st – CA Syzygy Invitation & Tim Keeley – 40 points

Western Novice Hi Points:-
1st – Cranfold Atticus Zebadia & Evie Williams – 36 points
2nd – Zand Edition & Joanne Prestidge-King – 26 points

Junior Youth – Age Up to 12 years – The Rum Youth Challenge Award:-
1st – Cranfold Atticus Zebadia & Livvy Johncock – 40 points
2nd – Mels Back to Black & Annabelle Tear – 22 points

Senior Youth – Age 13 to 18 years – The Bloxham Bluebell Youth Challenge Cup:-
1st – La Mauniere Grace & Sophie Bacchus – 50 points
2nd – Cranfold Atticus Zebadia & Evie Williams – 32 points

Founder ApHC UK member & supporter Julie Sands sadly passed away recently on 11 September 2025.

Julie was an active supporter in the early days when the club was formed in 2000 helping Joyce Nutland and her daughter, Kim Sands at shows and events promoting the club and attracting new members. Julie also helped form the Tuscany Sands Stud with daughters, Karen, Tracy and Kim and had a life long interest in the Appaloosa breed. For those that wish to leave a message there is a condolence book online and the family are collecting for the Diabetes UK charity in her memory.  See the link below.

https://funeral-notices.co.uk/notice/sands/5266483

Whether you’re competing, trail riding, training a youngster, or simply enjoying time with your Appaloosa in the field – we want to hear from you!

At ApHC UK, we’re passionate about celebrating the incredible Appaloosa breed and the amazing community behind it. Every story, big or small, helps showcase just how special these horses are and the unique bond we all share with them.

We’d love to feature YOU in our upcoming newsletters and social media!

Here’s how to get involved:
Email us your story and photos (to marketing@aphcuk.org) 

Tag us in your Facebook/instagram posts @aphc_uk so we can follow along on your journey!

We can’t wait to hear from you!
-Lil (Marketing Director)

Those early lessons only deepened my respect for the Appaloosa breed’s intelligence, versatility, and heart. Growing up, I lived through countless foaling seasons, early mornings, and show days, each moment shaping not just my horsemanship but who I am.
My own journey with these incredible horses has been filled with unforgettable highlights- most notably in 2023, when I was honored as USA Reserve Supreme Champion with Redheart Revelation, who was carrying SPD Bring To Light at the time. Introducing SPD Bring To Light into the world myself and watching her follow in her dam’s footsteps, winning championship title at county level as a yearling, has been a true source of pride. But beyond the trophies and titles, it’s the daily bond, the trust, and the connection with these horses that mean the most.

Outside the barn, I run my dad’s wholesale fruit and vegetable business… a fast-paced, hands-on role that starts before dawn. Driving lorries, managing orders, and keeping operations running smoothly demand the same dedication and discipline I learned from working with horses.

Horses aren’t just what I do- they’re who I am. Being part of the Appaloosa community is a legacy I’m proud to carry forward, and I’m always excited to connect with fellow enthusiasts to share stories, memories, and our shared passion for these extraordinary spotted companions.

Thank you for letting me share my journey with you.

—————————————————-
Assisting Lilly in her new role is Jo:

I’ve been riding horses since I could walk, and today I proudly share my journey with my Appaloosa gelding, Spot. He’s the ultimate all-rounder — we compete in showjumping, dressage, showing, Western disciplines, and we’re also part of the Northamptonshire Police’s Volunteers on Horseback team, helping support rural policing efforts from the saddle.
Outside the arena, I enjoy the thrill of motorbike riding and lend my heart and home to fostering rabbits for the RSPCA until they find their forever families. I also share my life with five fabulous cats (some happily rescued), and my ever-supportive husband, Bryn.
And when I’m not riding horses or motorbikes, I suit up as a Ghostbuster! I’m a proud member of both the East Anglia and East Midlands Ghostbusters — keeping spirits high and smiles wide at fan events and charity appearances.

• The role is to work with the ApHC UK Board to promote the Appaloosa breed and the club including:-
• Co-ordinate and build our social media presence and website content
• Write articles, leaflets advertising, press releases and newsletter updates and articles
• Organise and represent the Appaloosa breed and the club at events and exhibitions
• Support and help members and third parties interested in the Appaloosa breed
• Encourage members to show and promote their Appaloosas
• Build and share knowledge about the breed, the club activities including showing, performance schemes and other opportunities
• Co-ordinate the development and requirements of ApHC UK Ambassadors to promote the breed and the club
• Assist in setting up a breed consultation group with members to help disseminate Defra’s new breed structure requirements and help preserve and promote the Appaloosa breed
• Jo Prestidge-King has very kindly agreed to work with Lilly and support her in this role.

“As one of the younger voices on the Board, I bring a fresh perspective – blending the ApHC UK’s rich history with modern tools and ideas to help the Club grow and engage a new generation of Appaloosa enthusiasts.

I’m committed to being an open, approachable, and engaged Director; supporting members at every level, from long-time breeders to those just beginning their journey with the breed. I’m here to listen, represent, and help ensure the ApHC UK continues to thrive for years to come.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me. I’ve always admired, respected, and appreciated the dedication the ApHC UK Directors put into running this fantastic Club.

I’m excited for what lies ahead and truly honoured to serve this incredible Appaloosa community.”

You will hear more from Lilly in the next newsletter as we have asked her to introduce herself and write about her own personal journey and her Appaloosas.

On behalf of all the ApHC UK Directors, please join us in wishing Lilly every success in her new role. It is certainly exciting times ahead and the start of a new chapter for the Club.