02/17/2026
🏇Year of the Fire Horse: Then & Now 🔥🏇
The Year of the Fire Horse only comes around every 60 years— and the last time it sprinted past was 1966.
That same year marked a historic moment for Paint Horse racing. 1966 was when Paint racing was officially recognized, with just nine races offering a total of $1,290 in purse money. It was also the year of the very first recognized Oklahoma Paint Horse Club Futurity trials in Stroud, Oklahoma — where Painted Jewel, a 1964 chestnut tobiano stallion, sprinted 250 yards in 13.79 seconds to earn the first Register of Merit.