We’re gearing up for our ApHC UK National Show this August on the 22nd & 23rd, and now is the perfect time to secure your sponsorship and be part of something truly special. Whether you’re a business, a breeder, or a proud Appaloosa owner, sponsoring a class or championship is a meaningful way to support the community and celebrate the horses we love.

What’s on Offer?
• Class Sponsor – £25
• Championship Sponsor – £50
• Supreme Championship Sponsor – £100
• Main Show Sponsor – £1,200

Sponsor in Honour of a Special Horse
Sponsorship isn’t just for businesses – it’s also a heartfelt way to honour an Appaloosa who has meant the world to you.
You can dedicate your sponsorship:
• In memory of a beloved horse you’ve lost, keeping their legacy alive in the show ring, or
• In celebration of a horse you still adore, showcasing the bond you share.

Many sponsors choose classes that hold personal meaning, making the day even more special.

Your support helps us keep entry fees affordable, continue offering a top-tier show experience, and celebrate this year in true ApHC UK style. If you’ve been thinking about getting involved, now is the time – sponsorship slots are already filling up!

Ready to sponsor?

sponsorship is now officially open for the ApHC UK National Show this August — and we already have our first  few sponsors in!

Message this page with your chosen class or championship and any details you’d like included.

Let’s make this year one to remember as we celebrate 26 years of spots, spirit, and community!

Show info: https://aphcuk.org/shows/
-Lil, marketing director

Well, there is lots going on at ApHC UK HQ at the moment. We are busy organising the National Show and the AGM. Please do attend the AGM and give your ideas and views, we appreciate your input! You do need to be a current paid up member for 2026. If you have not yet renewed, please do so and let me know if you would like to attend the AGM which is being held via zoom. The show schedule and entry form is already up on the website – big thank you to Shannon, we are just waiting for the patterns and they will be put up shortly.

In the registrations department there have been many big changes during the last 10 years or so, culminating in a restructure from DEFRA. This affects all breed societies with registering and passporting foals. There have been suggestions that DEFRA want to have all passports issued from a central office, taking out the breed societies completely. This would mean that all passports would be ID only. The simple fact is that Passports are the main source of income for all breed societies/PIO’s, such a change if DEFRA are successful would significantly reduce our income as well as negatively affecting the integrity of the breed. We and all UK breed societies are fighting this.

How we plan to protect our Society and Breed

1. We are lucky in that we are a daughter society of the ApHC in America, so the USA/A register is protected from change.

2. Our UK/B register is in the process of being re-structured which has been provisionally approved by DEFRA. We are submitting a (very long) form to be formally approved and verified.

3. To help this process we are going to implement DNA testing and parentage verification for ALL breeding stock.

4. If you already register in the USA then your horses DNA will already be on file with Animal Genetics and this can be accessed by us too.

5. Animal Genetics already do our genetic and colour tests. I am in the process of setting up an account with them for all DNA tests, which I will be share shortly.

6. If you have a DNA profile from another lab eg: Weatherby’s, Animal Genetics will add it free of charge if you send it to me first.

7. We are aiming to have a deadline of 1st September 2026 to have both existing and new DNA tests uploaded. Next year’s foals can have a little hair pulled by the vet when they are microchipped. Until then please could you take a photo of this year’s foals suckling from their mother within a week of birth please. You can WhatsApp it to me on 07827858120, with the mares registered name. This will only be necessary until the DNA database is up and running.

Could you also, please make sure I have a breeding report on file which is due before 31st December each year, but it can come through anytime from the end of the breeding season. It costs £10 plus £2 per mare listed. You can send me the USA breeding report if appropriate to avoid duplicating paperwork.

Remember ALL forms are on our website to download and print. Most forms can be sent to me via email or WhatsApp, except for the registration forms. They have to be sent snail mail as I need the originals. The photos can be sent digitally but please make sure they have the foal’s name and your name on them so I can link them with the paperwork.

Why DNA

Having DNA on file gives us credibility as a Society, and accountability when registering horses as an Appaloosa, which is a breed not a colour. Many other societies including the ApHC USA have been doing DNA Parentage testing for some time and we feel it is the way forward to preserve our beautiful breed within the DEFRA guidelines and to maintain our PIO status.

Thank you for your continued support, it is really appreciated by all of the Directors.

Contact me on registrations@aphcuk.org or on WhatsApp/phone: 07827858120 if you need more info or have questions.

Thank you,

Auriol

Registrar

Most of our members will know the history of our club, the Appaloosa Horse Club UK (ApHC UK) which was formed in early 2000 by a small group of enthusiasts led by our late founder member Joyce Nutland, owner of the Amazing Appaloosa Stud in the UK. The main objective being to set up an international club, affiliated to the mother-breed, The Appaloosa Horse Club of America (ApHC). The aim being to preserve and promote the Appaloosa horse in the UK, in accordance with the rules and principles of the ApHC which was established in the USA in 1938. The ApHC UK is a charity and limited company registered in the UK and is a separate organisation to the ApHC USA.

The history of the Appaloosa breed is an interesting one and today we continue to learn about the development of the breed and its early influences including the spotted horses brought over by early Spanish settlers to the Americas. “More recent genetic research suggests that early predecessors of the Appaloosa may have travelled from Asia over the land bridge. Regardless of the direction of the migration, the Appaloosa eventually found its home among the plains of the Palouse region in the west of the United States” (Reference the 2026 ApHC Handbook’). You can read more interesting facts about the fascinating history of the breed in the ApHC’s current published Handbook on their website www.appaloosa.com. You don’t have to be a USA member to access it.

The following is an extract from our own published book which is part of the J Allen Guide – The Appaloosa, published in the UK in 2009.

“The Appaloosa has a bold and colourful ancestry, which can be traced back to earliest recorded time. Spotted horses were depicted in cave paintings of prehistoric man, and many colourfully marked horses appear in art throughout the centuries, but it is in the American ‘melting pot’ that the spotted horse established itself as a true breed.”

The ApHC USA established a breed register to rebuild the dangerously low numbers of horses before the Appaloosa horse in America was lost forever. In doing so they allowed breeding to main register horses on three permitted outcross registers: Quarter horses, Thoroughbreds and Arabs in order to re-establish the breed which are still permitted today.

In the UK we follow the rules of the ApHC USA and any Appaloosa registered with a USA American certificate is automatically eligible to be registered with us on our USA (A) register. As the Appaloosa breed has grown and increased in popularity around the world including here in the UK, it has become the norm for our UK breeders to breed Appy x Appy with some specialising specifically in breeding FPD (Foundation Pedigree Designation) Appaloosas. The ApHC USA runs approved FPD classes which we affiliate to and include in our UK national show schedule. This is to specifically recognise and also show-case these FPD Foundation Appaloosas with their own UK Supreme Championship. If you are interested in finding out more about the FPD scheme and would like to know if your own USA registered Appy is eligible, you will find an FPD calculator on the ApHC USA website.

At the time the ApHC UK was established in 2000, it was acknowledged by our founding members that many of the Appaloosa horses in the UK were not derived from American bloodlines but owe their origins more to the spotted horses and ponies of Europe, many of which had also been out-crossed with Thoroughbreds, Arabs and some other imported breeds. The founders also recognised that many of these horses had been acknowledged as Appaloosas for many years in the UK. Consequently, the ApHC UK established a second register, the B (British) register, now known as our UK register, for Appaloosas of proven Appaloosa pedigree (or approved out-crossing) but which are not registered with the ApHC USA.

These registers have served the club very well over the past 25 years and have allowed the two main strands of our bloodlines to develop alongside each other in harmony, with many horses over the years being dual registered with shared pedigrees. It makes for an inclusive and versatile club offering activities and disciplines across all our registers. We strive hard to cater for everyone at our national show and within our club. We hold inhand/halter breed classes for all registers with ridden classes taking place in both English and Western disciplines that are open to all registers, both USA and UK. Many of our Appaloosas have demonstrated their true versality by taking part in both English & Western disciplines. This approach applies equally to our annual Performance Schemes, Registers of Merit, Most Versatile Awards and the Saddle Log Programme.

With this history in mind, it is extremely interesting to read the following article written by recent ApHC UK member, Jeanne Walsh about her experiences being part of the British Appaloosa Society in the early years and the development of the ‘melting pot’ of the British Appaloosa horses in the UK.

We hope you enjoy Jeanne’s article. Jean has kindly provided her email address. If you would like the opportunity to learn more about these early bloodlines in the UK please do contact Jean directly. Please note that for legal privacy reasons neither Jean or any breed society will be able to provide you with any individual’s personal data including breeders, owners, past owners or any other person subject to GDPR Regulations.

We would like to be able to publish more articles in the newsletter from our members about themselves, their experiences and their Appaloosas. If you would like to submit an article please email our Marketing Director, Lil Duncombe on marketing@aphcuk.org.

The ApHC UK Celebrating: The Appaloosa, The breed of choice.

Introductory Article by Jeanne Walsh:-

Hi everyone! I’m Jeanne Walsh,

I am a long-time Appy supporter. I joined the ApHC UK as a member a couple of years ago, but historically, most of my support has been with BApS. I wasn’t quite a founder member of that Society (membership number 460), but I was instrumental with Michael Howkins in introducing their grading system in the 1980’s. Up until early 2000, there was one Society in the UK and my interest focuses on those early years, which are a shared heritage of both organisations.

I have my own database of registered horses, compiled not just of BApS registrations but also the previous Society called The British Spotted Horse and Pony Society, inaugurated in 1943!

I am therefore able to conduct pedigree research on those early horses which many of you will have in the pedigrees of your current horses.

Sadly, the source material for my studies dried up when stock registers stopped being published. There was a time when I could look at a horse in the showring, check its sire and dam from the show programme and then be able to run its entire pedigree in my head!

I can’t do that now, which means for me at least, I don’t know what I’m looking at in the showring anymore!

However, I have thousands of photographs from those early days, and a wealth of information compiled from visiting breeders from Inverness to Penzance, and I welcome the opportunity to share some of that with you in this Newsletter. I am also very happy to take requests for pedigree information that predate the earliest horses stated in your horses’ passports. (My email address is below).

For now, what I would like to do is to profile some of the earliest horses and I will start next time with the fascinating story of Spangled Prince, who was foaled in 1961. He was registered with the British Spotted Horse and Pony Society in 1962 following his arrival from Denmark. He was one of the colourful Knabstruppers that helped establish the British bloodlines in those early years.

Until next time…….

Jeanne Walsh. Email: jeanneyvonne.tss@btinternet.com

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)