Recreational Rider Programs

The popularity of the Paso Fino breed continues to grow among recreational riders both young and old. The amazing stamina of the Paso Fino coupled with its extremely smooth ride is a significant factor in its choice for recreational riding. The Paso Fino is mak­ing its mark in recreational competition, proving to be a highly competitive horse in all types of recreational competitive venues.

Following is a brief description of the recreational rider programs offered by PFHA that are the rewards of riding the smoothest gaited horse. All participants must be current PFHA members and the horses must be registered PFHA Paso Fino horses.

The complete rules governing the Pasos for Pleasure, Ticket to Ride as well as the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) and the North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC) Breed Awards are printed on the respective forms for each program. Rules governing the three pointed programs, Competitive Trail, Endurance Trail, and Pleasure Long Distance Trail are located in the PFHA Rule Book.

Rewards participating PFHA members for time spent riding registered Paso Fino horses.

• Earn cumulative hour patches and gift awards.
• Non-pointed riding activities such as everyday trail rides, arena work, saddle training, parade and drill team venues, etc., qualify.
• One time registration fee to join the program.
• Participants keep a log of time spent in the saddle and then submit their logs upon reaching specified cumulative hours for respective patches and gift awards.
• Top Ten awards presented annually with publication in PFHA’s Paso Fino Horse World magazine.

Prizes awarded to yearly drawing of “tickets” submitted by PFHA members participating in the Ticket to Ride program.

• Qualifying activities include trail competitions, parades, drill teams and benefit events, as well as other non-show events.
• Five documented qualifying activities make up one complete Ticket to Ride.
• Participants send in completed tickets by September 1 to be entered in a drawing held at the PFHA Grand National Championship show. Participants do not have to be present to win.

Yearly presentation of title with award presented to a partici­pant’s horse with the most sanctioned points.

• Current PFHA members who participate in endurance trail rides on registered Paso Fino horses are eligible to apply for points for their horses for each successfully completed ride.
• Rides must be organized by organizations such as the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) and must be sanctioned by PFHA.
• Appropriate completed form, fee and documentation must be mailed or faxed to PFHA within 20 days of the ride.
• Title of PFHA Endurance Trail Horse of the Year award is presented at the Grand National show and published in PFHA’s Paso Fino Horse World magazine.
• Horse’s points accrued in the program are applied toward Society of Merit Awards.

Yearly presentation of title with award presented to a partici­pant’s horse with the most sanctioned points.

• Must be an organized ride of 10 or more miles with a trail manager or boss, and either be sanctioned or pre-approved by PFHA no less than 10 business days prior to the date of the ride.
• Qualifying rides include benefit rides such as those put on by some hospice organizations, hunter or cavalry paces or PFHA regional rides.
• Appropriate completed form, fee and documentation must be mailed or faxed to PFHA within 20 days of the ride.
• Title of PFHA Pleasure Long Distance Trail Horse of the Year award is presented at the Grand National show and published in PFHA’s Paso Fino Horse World magazine.
• Horse’s points accrued in the program are applied toward Society of Merit Awards.

• The Paso Fino Sport Horse (PFSH) rewards both Riders and Horses that excel in all-breed competitions outside of the traditional Paso Fino horse community.
• The horse must be registered with the Paso Fino Horse Association (PFHA) and Owner and Rider must be current members of PFHA for points to count.
• An application form must be submitted each year prior to competing. A yearly fee per horse must accompany the application.
• The show year will be the same as the PFHA show year.

The Paso Fino Horse Association is introducing the Trail Horse Test Program (THTP) which provides a way to demonstrate the horse’s ability to perform trail riding skills based upon a series of tests that gauges the horse’s natural ability and training against a standard of performance. This is not a competitive trail riding obstacle course, but a gauge of your horse’s abilities to complete the tasks normally preformed before, during and after a trail ride.

Objectives:

1. Highlight the pleasure of a trained and responsive trail horse.
2. Set non-competitive goals for the horse in an effort to improve both horse and rider.
3. Provide a structured method to judge a trail horse.
4. Recognize the harmony between horse and rider where there is good communication between them.
5. Record the Trail Horse Level Achieved in the horse’s PFHA registry. Just as PFHA records the show points, PFHA will record if your horse achieves a Junior Level, a Senior Level or the most prestigious Master Level award.
6. The registry entries will aid individuals who are researching Paso Fino horses/bloodlines that may be well suited to the trail.

American Endurance Ride Breed Award

About the Award

The PFHA/AERC High Mileage Rider Award is an annual award presented by the PFHA. It recognizes the Recreational Rider with the most limited distance and/or distance miles, combined, in rides sanctioned by the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC). The AERC “year” runs December 1 through November 30, therefore this award is based upon that time frame, not the calendar nor the PFHA year.

Who qualifies?

Participants may compete on any number of Paso Fino horses as this is a rider, not a horse, award. The rider must be a member in good standing with the PFHA and AERC and all horses must be registered with PFHA and AERC at the time the miles are accrued and at the time application is made for the award.

How to participate?

At the end of the AERC year, AERC submits a list of all riders of Paso Fino Horses who have competed in limited distance and/or distance rides for that year. The rider with the highest total AERC mileage gets the award.

It’s FREE!

There is no charge to participate in this award program and no paperwork to maintain or submit.

North American Trail Ride Breed Award

About the Award

The PFHA NATRC Award is an annual award presented by the PFHA. It recognizes the Paso Fino with the most competitive trail points in rides sanctioned by the North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC). The NATRC “year” runs from the third week in November through the second week in November. Therefore, this award is based upon that time frame, not upon the calendar nor upon the PFHA year.

Who qualifies?

The rider of the horse must be a PFHA and a NATRC member in good standing and the horse must registered in PFHA and in NATRC at the time the points for the award are accrued and at the time the names are submitted to PFHA for the award. NATRC requires either a copy of the horse’s PFHA papers or a PFHA registration number in order to submit the horse for the award.

How to participate?

PFHA members do not need to apply to participate. The top five (5) horses’ names will automatically be submitted by the NATRC to the PFHA at the end of the NATRC year. Five (5) names are sent in case the top name does not qualify based on PFHA criteria.

It’s free!

There is no charge to participate in this award program and no paperwork to maintain or submit.

Additional Organizations & Links

• American Competitive Trail Horse Association
• American Endurance Ride Conference
• Eastern Competitive Trail Ride Assocation
• North American Trail Ride Conference
• Ontario Competitive Trail Riding Association
• South Eastern Distance Riding Association
• Southeastern Endurance Riders Association
• Upper Midwest Endurance and Competitive Rides Association