Club History

The Oregon Paint Horse Club began on August 18, 1960 when seventeen people gathered in the conference room of the Bank Of St. Helens in St. Helens, OR.  Doc and Butch Wonderlich came in from Idaho to lend their assistance.  Norman and Mary Jenkerson were the first President and Secretary of the club.

In 1969, the OPHC was instrumental in getting APHA classes approved at the Clark County Fair and the Columbia County Fair.  The first OPHC show approved by the APHA was held at Glendale Acres in 1970.

State awards were first granted in 1971, and the club's first multiple-judge show was held at Laughlin Arena in Yamhill, OR.

Oregon's first APHA Champion and APHA Supreme Champion was awarded in 1972 to Cherokee War Chief, owned by Dale Delphla.

The club offered its first Stallion Service Auction in 1974.

In 1975, the club held their first Paint show across the mountains.  The show featured cutting classes and a Yearling Futurity.  The first Paint races were held in Prineville.  The Oregon Bred Registry was formed.

In 1982, OPHC, along with four other Oregon Paint Horse clubs, helped form the Oregon State Paint Coordinating Committee (OCC).

The OPHC celebrated their 20th anniversary in 1989.  The banquet featured past Presidents from all but one year, and all but one charter member was present.  Ed Roberts, Executive Secretary of the APHA, was the guest speaker.

The club celebrated 30 years of history in 1999.