The Palomino Horse Association is the Original Palomino Registry incorporated in 1936.  Today's Palomino Horse Association is the continuation of the registry which officially began in California in 1935, when Dick Halliday registered the golden stallion El Rey de los Reyes. Mr. Halliday researched the golden horse for many years.  He started writing magazine articles that brought the Palomino into public attention.  His articles created a great deal of interest in the Palomino, and within a few years, hundreds of breeders were specializing in the production of this color.

                    The Palomino has come down through the pages of history.  There are stories of the Golden Ones linked to the Crusades; the mail-clad Crusaders saw them on the battlefield when they fought the desert chiefs of Saladin who rode them.  You will find stories about them among the Arabs and the Moors.  During the days of the Crusades the Emir Saladin presented Richard-Coeur-de-Lion with two splendid war horses, one was a gray and the other a Golden Palomino.  The place of origin of the Palomino probably never will be conclusively determined.  Myths and legends of various countries shroud the beginnings of the golden horse which is no modern phenomenon.  The golden horse with ivory-colored mane and tail appears in ancient tapestries and paintings of Europe and Asia, as well in Japenese and Chinese art of past centuries. Nowhere has the history of the Palomino been recorded, but most horsemen agree that all light bodied horses have descended from the Arab and the Barb.

                    These splendid golden horses were favored by her Majesty Ysabella de-Bourbon, that beloved queen who pawned her jewels so the expenses of the expedition which discovered the New World might be paid.  In the Remuda Real of Spain, Queen Ysabella kept a full hundred of these animals and as the chosen favorites of the crown, only the members of the royal family and the nobles of the household were permitted to ride them.  A commoner might not even own one.  It  is on record that the Queen Ysabella sent a Palomino stallion and five mares to her Viceroy in New Spain, which is to say Mexico, to perpetuate the Golden Horse in the New World.  From this nucleus, the blood spread to the Texas plains, and from Texas to California.  

                    The word "Palomino" is a Spanish surname.  Many feel that Palomino is only a color and not a breed, which is true that the color of Palomino comes in all breeds, but the Palomino of Spanish times the Golden Dorado, was as close to being a breed as any strain of horse.  The Dorado was of Arabic-Moorish-Spanish blood and breeding, closely akin to the Arabian and the Moorish Barb.  The Palomino of Spanish times was not bred by being crossed with sorrels.  The Spanish had many shades of golden horses, and when they did use "Corral Breeding" a light color Palomino mare would be mated with a very dark-colored Palomino stallion.  This point has been noted in an old book and printed in Barcelona in 1774.

                    The Palomino is a multi-purpose horse.  They are admired not only for their beauty but for their versatility, maneuverability, and endurance.  They are to be found in ranching, racing, rodeos, pleasure riding, parades, shows, fiestas, jumping, trail rides, and all other equine activities.  We even have a few movie stars including, Mr. Ed, Trigger, and Trigger Jr., which were registered with The Palomino Horse Association.

                    The Palomino Horse Association is a registry that does not discriminate against any breed.  We recognize all breeds based on color and conformation.  If a particular horse is not registered with a breed registry and the color proves to be Palomino we will register on color.  We have horses from every breed registered with PHA.  The ideal color is that of a gold coin, but the shade can vary from light, medium, to dark gold.  The mane and tail should be white, ivory, or silver, but we allow 15% dark or sorrel hair mixed in.  In the last few years we have opened our doors to creme colored horse with blue eyes.  It has been researched and proven that these light colored Palominos always produce a Palomino.  Therefore, they are definite breeding stock for the Palomino.

                    The Palomino Horse Association, which originated in California, was moved to Jefferson City, MO in 1972 under the leadership of Robert E. Dallmeyer.  After Mr. Dallmeyer's death in 1992, PHA was moved to Dornsife, PA under the leadership of Steven and Raelene Rebuck.  After the passing of Raelene Rebuck in 2005, the PHA was moved again to Nelson, MO under the direction of Vincent and Patricia Rebuck.  The PHA has many sanctioned shows and members throughout the US, Canada, and around the world.  We have horses registered with us in many different countries.  The fee for registering a horse is $45.00 US. The yearly membership fee is $30.00 US.  A quarterly newsletter is issued to our members with much of the input coming from our readers.  The editor for PHA is Jean Plankenhorn of Cogan Station, PA.