.The Paint Horse originated in the USA. The American Paint Horse shares a common ancestry with the American Quarter Horse and the Thoroughbred. A registered Paint horse should conform to the same "stock horse"body type desired in Quarter Horses: a musclular animal that is heavy but not too tall, with a low centre of gravity for manoeuvrablility, and powerful hindquarters suitable for rapid acceleration and sprinting.
The first registered Paint Horse to be imported to New Zealand from Australia was the bay tobiano stallion Van Dee Bars in 1983 by one of the foundation members Grey Siteman of Taumaranui. He is by the USA imported bay tobiano stallion Lee Van Dee Dee and out of the Chestnut QH mare, Secos Miss (Bimbo Bow USA x Magnolia Bar USA).
The first overo, an American import was the sorrel overo mare, Calligraphy in January 1986 by honourary member, Jan Curran. Calligraphy was a beautiful mare who was sadly euthanised on 25 March 2011 in her 30th year. This mare is the dam of sorrel overo Prairie Sequoyah born 1989 by QH, Di Bar Flit that has produced quality foals with the overo pattern until his untimely death in February 1995. She also produced a couple of beautiful stud stallions who were exported to Australia and which they in turn produced many champions.
After Calligraphy came Docs Silverado a sorrel overo stallion by Docs Warrior (Docs Poco Bar imp x Warbird Nina Imp) out of Salvation Jane (Scenic Bailey Bars x QH Riverina Sapphire) from Australia in 1989.
One more foundation stallion would be the chestnut overo stallion, Cabin Fever Man imported from the USA. (Mr Norfleet x By Jingo) also in 1989.
At first the Paint Horse Association was combined with the New Zealand Pinto and Paint Horse Association until August 1995 after a five year breed up program, was when the Paint Horse Association of New Zealand was formed.