Skip to content

Paint season closes at Calnash Centre

The Alberta Paint Horse Club held its Fall Classic — the last show of their season — Sept 21 and 22, and 140 horses and their handlers

The Alberta Paint Horse Club held its Fall Classic — the last show of their season — Sept 21 and 22, and 140 horses and their handlers showed up for the competition.

The two-day event took place as the Calnash Ag Event Centre and $6,750 was up for grabs.

The aggregate champion also wins a horse trailer to use for one year.

“It’s a competitive show. There’s money up for grabs in some of these classes. People bring their best horses,” said club president Greg Gavelin.

Horses from British Columbia through to Saskatchewan are shown and judged in classes such as conformation, showmanship, longline and riding.

The four judges are flown in from the United States and are approved by the American Paint Horse Association.

“They judge on the standard of what paint horses should look like,” said Gavelin.

A weanling halter class was split between colts and fillies, and 46 foals born this year competed.

While the horse show offers tough competition, Gavelin says it’s common for the judges to hold similar opinions. “Often you’ll see one judge place a horse in first and another judge place the horse in second.