Upcoming Events
Gaited Versatility Show
🐴 SAVE THE DATE! 🐴
- Saturday, August 8th
- West Salem Fairgrounds – West Salem, Wisconsin
- All gaited equines welcome!
Join us for a fun, inclusive day celebrating the versatility of gaited horses!
- Indoor arena for the show
- Outdoor warm-up arena available
- Stalls available
- Camping available Friday and Saturday on the grounds
We’re building a class list designed to offer something for everyone! What class would you like to see on the list? Tell Us!
This event is being designed to be a casual, fun, welcoming experience — perfect for beginners, young horses, riders new to the ring, and anyone looking for a supportive atmosphere to gain experience and confidence.
We need volunteers! If you’d like to help with registration, checking, gates, setup, or general support, please email us. Shows like this only happen because of great people stepping up — and we’d love to have you involved!
April can’t come soon enough — MN Horse Expo
The Minnesota Horse Expo returns April 24–25–26, 2026, at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds — and excitement is already building!
This year, MAPFHA is proud to announce that four wonderful and diverse Paso Fino breed ambassadors will be representing our incredible breed. Each horse–rider pair brings something unique to the arena, showcasing the versatility, beauty, and temperament that make the Paso Fino so special.
There are exciting whispers of a refreshed Expo format for 2026, including:
- Two daily Parade of Breeds appearances
- Daily breed demonstrations
- And best of all — our own 30-minute Paso Fino breed presentation!
The Minnesota Horse Expo draws thousands of equestrians from across the Midwest. Many attendees have never experienced a Paso Fino up close. Seeing four ambassadors together — demonstrating different strengths and styles — allows us to showcase the depth and diversity within our breed in a powerful, memorable way.
This is more than a demonstration. It’s outreach. It’s education. It’s inspiration.
If you’re attending Expo this year, be sure to cheer on our ambassadors, stop by to support MAPFHA, and help us share the Paso Fino story with the broader horse community.
Paso Finos Taking the Spotlight at Midwest Horse Fair!
The Midwest Horse Fair is just around the corner at the Alliant Energy Center — and we’re excited to share that Paso Finos will be represented!
While MAPFHA was unable to meet the minimum requirement of six official breed ambassadors this year, that certainly doesn’t mean our breed will be absent. The Paso Fino spirit will still be in the arena!
Jinx Sin Par and Casadero Sin Par will be attending with the Central Liberty Horse Club, proudly showcasing the versatility and presence that make Paso Finos so memorable.
- Jinx will participate in liberty demonstrations.
- Caz will step into the spotlight during the Grand March.
This is a wonderful reminder that breed promotion doesn’t only happen through formal programs. It happens whenever passionate owners step into the arena and share their horses with the world. Every demonstration, every appearance, and every conversation helps educate others about our smooth-gaited partners.
If you’re attending the Midwest Horse Fair, be sure to watch for Jix and Caz, cheer them on, and thank them for carrying the Paso Fino banner this year.
Our breed may not have an official group — but we absolutely have representation.
The MAPFHA Events Committee is excited to share our 2026 meeting schedule — and we invite you to join us!
Our Events Committee Meetings are held every even month via Zoom and are open to all members. These meetings are where ideas come to life — from planning shows and clinics to brainstorming outreach opportunities and building fun, welcoming experiences for our gaited horse community.
Whether you’d like to help shape upcoming events, volunteer your time, share ideas, or simply stay informed, your voice matters and your participation is welcome.
2026 Meeting Dates (All meetings at 7:00 PM CST via Zoom):
- Thursday, February 26
- Thursday, April 16
- Thursday, June 25
- Thursday, August 6
- Thursday, October 22
- Thursday, December 17
The success of MAPFHA events depends on member involvement, creativity, and teamwork. We encourage both new and longtime members to attend — even if you can only join occasionally. Fresh ideas and helping hands are always appreciated!
Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86302235962
Meeting ID: 863 0223 5962
Call In:
- +1-309-205-3325 US
- +1-312-626-6799 US (Chicago)
We look forward to seeing you and working together to make 2026 a fantastic year for MAPFHA!
2025 MAPFHA Trail Ride Schedule
We are excited to share that three rides are already scheduled for 2025! Mark your calendars and plan to join us for a fantastic season of trail riding and fellowship.
Spring Kick-Off Ride – May 9–10
- Location: Governor Knowles State Forest, Grantsburg, WI
- Hosted by the MAPFHA Board A great way to reconnect after winter, get horses legged up, and enjoy relaxed miles together. Location details coming soon.
Foothills at Backus, MN – September 10–12
- Hosted by Chuck Hauser The highlight of 2025! Beautiful northern Minnesota trails, wonderful camaraderie, and a welcoming weekend.
Fall Ride at Running Deere Ranch – Rochester, MN – October 9–11
- Hosted by Sue & Jim Bartels A perfect way to close out the season with crisp fall air, gorgeous scenery, and great riding in southeastern Minnesota.
These rides are designed to be welcoming, social, and enjoyable for all. We look forward to riding with you! 🐴
Past Events
Missed the Annual Meeting? Catch the Presentation!
Thank you to everyone who attended the MAPFHA Annual Meeting January 24th! We had a great turnout and some excellent discussions about the year ahead.
If you weren’t able to join us in person — or if you’d like to review what was shared — check out the presentation from the MAPFHA Annual Meeting, hosted on google.
The presentation includes:
- A recap of last year’s events and accomplishments
- Plans for upcoming shows and education opportunities
- Volunteer opportunities and how you can get involved
- Goals and initiatives for our association in 2026
We encourage all members to take a look — it’s a great way to stay connected and informed about what’s coming up!
If you have questions or feedback about the presentation, feel free to reach out.
News
We Need Camp & Ride Hosts! 🌲🐴
MAPFHA has ride ideas ready to go — now we just need you to help bring them to life!
We know there are so many beautiful places throughout our region that would be perfect for a relaxed weekend of camping, trail riding, and camaraderie. Whether it’s a favorite hidden gem or a well-known destination, your idea could become our next great gathering.
Here are just a few locations we’d love to see on the calendar:
- Outback Ranch (MN)
- Kickapoo Valley Reserve / Wildcat Mountain (WI)
- Big Valley Ranch (WI)
- Kettle Moraine (WI)
Or suggest your personal favorite!
Hosting a MAPFHA Camp & Ride Weekend is one of the easiest — and most rewarding — ways to connect our community. There are no formal requirements, no pressure, and no complicated planning. Simply:
- Choose a park, campground, or trail system you enjoy.
- Pick a date that works for you.
- Share the details with MAPFHA.
We’ll help promote it to the membership.
These weekends are intentionally relaxed and flexible. You can organize a group ride, or keep it open so riders decide who they ride with and which trails they explore. Some weekends are peaceful and quiet. Others are filled with laughter, stories, and horses tied along a row of trailers. Both are perfect.
Camp & Ride weekends are truly the heart of MAPFHA — friendships built on the trail, new members welcomed around a campfire, and miles shared with our Paso Finos.
We have ideas. We have riders. We just need hosts.
If you’re willing to put a date on the calendar, reach out with your location and weekend idea. Let’s fill this season with hoofbeats, campfires, and great company.
Information
Your Voice Matters
As members of the Mid America Paso Fino Horse Association (MAPFHA) and the larger Paso Fino Horse Association (PFHA) family, we all care deeply about the future of our breed and the long-term health of our association. That future is shaped by membership — and more specifically, by voting members.
Right now, the Florida region is the largest region within PFHA. In fact, it has more full voting members than all of the other regions combined by approximately 330 members. Because every Full PFHA member receives one vote, this means that one region alone has the numerical ability to determine outcomes for the entire association.
A recent example illustrates this clearly. For the 2028 National Show, every region except Florida voted to host the show at Tryon in North Carolina, as it is more central for many members to travel to and more cost effective for the association overall. Florida preferred to return to Ocala. Due to the number of full members in that region, their vote carried and overrode the combined decision of all other regions.
This is not about one location versus another. It is about representation and balance.
What this tells us is simple: we are only 330 full PFHA members away from creating balance in voting power. Just 330 additional full members across the combined non-Florida regions would meaningfully shift the dynamic and ensure that decisions reflect broader geographic input.
At our PFHA annual meeting, MAPFHA, as the smallest region, had 25 full member votes present. To vote, members must be current for that year and have been a member at least 30 days prior to the Annual Meeting. That means membership timing matters. Planning ahead matters. Participation matters.
This is not only about where Grand National Show is hosted. It affects long-term strategic decisions, financial stewardship, accessibility for members, and the overall direction of PFHA. Interest in exploring a voting structure that gives some weight to regions in addition to straight membership numbers is being discussed. However, any change to the voting system itself would require a vote to pass. Without stronger membership numbers outside of Florida, we cannot realistically bring that conversation forward.
The encouraging part is this: we are not thousands of votes away. We are 330 votes away.
If you have been on the fence about becoming a Full PFHA member, please understand that your membership is not symbolic. It carries real influence. Each vote shapes policy, show locations, governance decisions, and the future direction of our association.
MAPFHA is active, growing, and committed to strengthening our presence within PFHA. But we cannot do that without full members. If you believe in balanced representation and want your region to have a meaningful voice in national decisions, please consider becoming a Full PFHA member.
Every vote truly does matter.
PFHA Rule & Constitution Updates – Quick Summary
PFHA Rule & Constitution Updates – Quick Summary
Want to see more? Clink the link to see all the rule changes.
Constitution Updates
Article IV – Regional Groups
- Updated list of members, officers, and committee chairs due to PFHA office by January 31 annually.
Chapter 7 – Recreational Rider Program
- Sanctioned Trail Rides require approval 10 business days prior.
- Competitive Trail/Endurance must meet NARC/AERC-type guidelines.
- Open points count toward Merit awards.
- New sports added: Mounted Orienteering & Liberty.
- Multi-day CTR/END must be fully completed (no partial credit).
- 20-mile mileage points added.
- Veterinary scoring and rounding clarified.
Glossary
- “Open” defined as no age/sex restrictions unless division rules specify otherwise.