The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) will host the 52nd Annual Chief Joseph Trail Ride, July 18-22, 2016. The Chief Joseph Trail Ride is a progressive ride. A portion of the ride is completed each year, with the entire sequence taking 13 years to complete. Its route traces, as closely as possible, the route Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce took while attempting to escape the US Cavalry in 1877. This year’s portion of the ride will follow the final path taken by Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Tribe, ending at the historic Bear Paw Battlefield near Chinook, Montana where the famous Battle of the Bears Paw took place.

This year marks the fourth time the ride will reach the final leg at Bear Paw Battlefield; the first sequence was completed in 1977. The ApHC is working with the Nez Perce Tribe to coordinate a variety of special presentations in respect of this significant event where after five days of battle with the US Calvary, Chief Joseph gave the eternal speech, “From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.”

The ApHC hosted the first Chief Joseph Trail Ride in 1965 in respect of the historical journey taken by Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Tribe. The ride is exclusive to the Appaloosa breed and is the longest-running and most popular trail ride hosted by the ApHC.

For additional information on this year’s Chief Joseph Trail Ride and the official ride entry form, visit http://www.appaloosa.com/pdfs/2016_CJTR_Application.pdf or contact the ApHC Trail & Distance Coordinator Mark Bogar at 208-882-5578 ext. 264.

The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) was established in 1938 with a mission of honoring the heritage and promoting the future of the Appaloosa horse. The ApHC has since registered more than 700,000 Appaloosas, which are known for their distinctive color, intelligence and even temperament. True to their reputation as an extremely versatile breed, Appaloosas can be found in nearly every discipline including racing, endurance riding and serving as reliable family horses. The international breed registry is headquartered in Moscow, Idaho, the heart of the Palouse region—the Appaloosa breed’s namesake and point of origin.