Page 220 - January 2018

paint horse bulletin
Dashing to the Win
honoring the apha paint Racing Champions of 2017
The 2017 racing season was filled with thrills as colorful Paints dashed to the finish line with their tenacious jockeys aboard. It takes a village to raise a Champion running horse, though, and APHA’s racing program makes sure to recognize all involved.
2017Leading Breeder
Courtesy APHA
2017 Leadin g Tr ain er
Matt Whitekiller was this year’s APHA Leading Trainer. He
trained 138 starters
that included 28
u 2017 RegulaR RegisTRy Champions
aPHa wOrLd cHamPiOn
HOrse, cHamPiOn 2 year OLd
and cHamPiOn 2-year-OLd geLding
Hotwiredotcom snagged three Regular Registry Champion titles in 2017. A 2015 brown tobiano gelding by CRM Livewire
and out of Iwilliewantarunner QH, Hotwiredotcom was bred by Shirley Wheeler of Boynton, Oklahoma, and owned by Samuel and Elizabeth Mendoza of Garden City, Kansas. The gelding had a speed index of 84 and race record of 11-5(1)-1(1)-3(1), which earned him $114,526. This extraordinary steed passed away from colic in early December.
cHamPiOn PainT 2-year-OLd FiLLy
Sparketta was awarded Champion Running Paint 2-Year-Old Filly. She also earned a Register of Merit in racing for 2017. The 2015 sorrel tobiano mare had a speed index of 87 and a race record of 7-3-0-1(1) and earned a total of $28,673. By CRM Livewire and out of Recketta, she was bred by Chuck and Henry Bowlan of Tecumseh, Oklahoma, and was owned by Kylene Whiteman of Woodward, Oklahoma.
cHamPiOn PainT2-year-OLdcOLT
Im The Captain Now, a 2015 bay tobiano stallion by Favorite Cartel QH and out
of Sexy Senorita, was crowned Champion Running Paint 2-Year-Old Colt for 2017. With a record of 6-1-1(1)-1(1) and a speed index of 80, there was no stopping this colt. Im The Captain Now was bred by Wade Leggett of Morris, Oklahoma, and is owned by Charles Leggett of Muskogee, Oklahoma. Altogether, he won $25,847.
Shirley Wheeler of Boynton, Oklahoma, took home the title of 2017 APHA Leading Breeder. This past
year, she had eight
starters, 10 wins
and three stakes
winners. She earned
a total of $179,899.
She owned
Hotwiredotcom
during his racing
career and recently
sold him in
October.
2017 Lea d in g O w n er s
2017 Leading Owners Kaye & Dan Jones
The 2017 APHA Leading Owners are Dan and Kaye Jones of Kemp, Texas. They ended the year with six starters, 11 wins and $239,963 in earnings. Dan and Kaye are the owners of notable Champions such as Bully Pulpit and the sire CRM Livewire.
first places, 18
seconds and 23
thirds. The trainer,
who hails from
Sallisaw, Oklahoma,
earned $430,276
this year. Matt
trained magnificent
racing Paints such
as Painted Turnpike, Bully Pulpit, Sparketta and Alwinsumbigstuff.
2017LeadingJOckey
2017 Leading Breeder Shirley Wheeler
218 SPEEDHORSE, January 2018
2017 Leading Trainer Matt Whitekiller
2017 Leading Jockey Cody Smith
No race is complete without a good jockey. The Leading APHA Jockey for 2017 was Cody Smith of Sallisaw, Oklahoma. Cody had 124 starts and earned 30 first places, 15 seconds, and 23 thirds with his equine partners.
Some of Cody’s remarkable mounts include Painted Turnpike, Bully Pulpit, Sparketta and Alwinasumbigstuff. All in all, Cody earned $379,107 aboard Paints in 2017.