BREED
The versatile Sportaloosa Sportaloosas, or Appaloosa Sport Horses are as distinctive as they are athletic, writes MATHILDE GREGOIRE.
D
espite being a young breed, the Sportaloosa – also known as the Appaloosa Sport Horse
– has rapidly grown in popularity over the past few years, generating interest internationally and competing at top levels in equestrian Olympic disciplines. While their striking coat color makes them esthetically pleasing, their cool and easy temperament also qualifies them as a pleasure breed and a wonderful family horse.
A potted history Spotted horses genetically predate any horses imported to the Americas by Spanish settlers, and the Appaloosa’s eye-catching markings have since made it popular around the world. Originating from the wild Mustangs selectively bred by the Nez Perce, a First Nation tribe in the US Pacific Northwest, they were once referred to as Palouse horses after the nearby Palouse River, their name evolving over time to Appaloosa.
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In the United States, the classification of Appaloosa Sport Horse applies to horses of light and athletic build, resulting from crosses between Appaloosa and various breeds of sport horse. Initially registered within the Appaloosa Sport Horse Association, its dissociation in 2014 resulted in transfer of the breed’s management to the American Warmblood Society & Sporthorse Registry, creating a specially dedicated category within the registry. Today, the Sportaloosa is a non-breed specific spotted sport horse that excels in a variety of disciplines, including dressage, jumping, and eventing. Some Appaloosa Sport Horses have already won international acclaim for their Olympics performances. In 2016, Paralympic dressage rider Anne Dunham and her spotted Leopard stallion LJT Lucas Normark famously won the team gold and two individual silver medals for Great Britain.
A star breed In Australia and New Zealand, Sportaloosa International is the governing body for spotted athletic horses. To qualify, Sportaloosas must exhibit Leopard Complex (LP) gene markings, which can be inherited from Appaloosas, Knabstruppers and other
