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American Royal – Horse Show
November 5, 2018 @ 8:00 am - November 10, 2018 @ 5:00 pm
UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show
Nothing can match the fire and brilliance of the Saddlebred Horse! The American Royal is once again honored to be hosting the UPHA (United Professional Horseman’s Association) National Championship. The very best Saddlebreds, Hackney Ponies, and Road Horses from UPHA chapters throughout the country will come to Kansas City to compete for the prestige of being National Champions.
Ticketed sessions start at 6:30pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Be sure to attend The National Championship Stake Night (Saturday Night), where the competition comes to an exciting close as National Champions are crowned in 14 Classes. The final class will be the Five Gaited National Championship.
In support of Folds of Honor, the Veteran’s Class will feature “Veteran” 3-gaited Show Pleasure American Saddlebred horses, 11 years and over. To honor and showcase the longevity and competitiveness of the American Saddlebred, and in appreciation of our military veterans, this new division is being introduced to promote our seasoned American Saddlebred horses. The horse must be turning 11, or older, in the current year of competition. 11 years was chosen to coincide with Veteran’s Day, which is celebrated annually on November 11th.
Origins of the Saddlebred Horse
The Saddlebred originated in Colonial America and can be traced to pre-Civil War times. The preferred horse for families of that era, the majestic Saddlebred horse was both a stylish harness horse and a trusted partner under saddle. Their ability to pull a buggy and also carry men across the fields to monitor their crops made them a versatile partner for families. Smooth gaits, plus speed were important.
Today, the standard of excellence is beauty, symmetry and balance. The Saddlebred possesses animation, brilliance and extreme grace of movement. The Saddlebred is seen in Three Gaited classes, Five Gaited classes, Pleasure classes and Fine Harness classes. No other breed of horse can match the smooth, beautiful gaits of the American Saddlebred Horse.