ARHA Unveils Stallion Stakes and Three-Year-Old Challenge Programs
The American Ranch Horse Association (ARHA) has developed Stallion Stakes and Three-Year-Old Ranch Horse Challenge programs to provide financial and promotional incentives for ARHA breeders and competitors. This and other new membership benefits were announced during the Second Annual ARHA Convention in Bowling Green, Kentucky, February 24-26.
The ARHA Stallions Stakes and Three-Year-Old Ranch Horse Challenge are set up much like a breeders’ classic or futurity, with money paid out for both events. In order for a horse to be eligible to compete in the Three-Year-Old Ranch Horse Challenge, it must be registered with ARHA and its owners must be ARHA members. In addition, the horse’s sire must have been nominated for the Stallion Stakes program during the horse’s two-year-old year. For example, an ARHA member who plans to compete his 2004 colt or filly in the 2007 Three-Year-Old Ranch Horse Challenge needs to have the horse’s sire nominated for the program in 2006.
The first ARHA Three-Year-Old Ranch Horse Challenge will be held in conjunction with the 2007 ARHA World Show. The Challenge consists of three events: ranch riding, ranch cutting, and ranch roping. The scores from the three classes will be averaged to determine the overall placings. The $200 entry fee includes all three classes.
The top three horses overall in the ARHA Three-Year-Old Ranch Horse Challenge will receive payback of 50 percent of the entry fees, divided as 50 percent to first place, 30 percent to second place, and 20 percent to third place. In addition, 10 percent of the entry fees collected will be paid back to the top three horses in each class, again divided as 50-30-20. Any added money will be contributed to the pool for overall winners.
For a stallion to be eligible for nomination in the ARHA Stallion Stakes and its get to be eligible for the Three-Year-Old Ranch Horse Challenge, the stallion’s owners must be current ARHA members and the stallion must be registered with ARHA. Anyone may nominate a stallion as long as the stallion and owners meet these criteria. A stallion is considered nominated when the ARHA receives a completed Stallion Stakes Nomination Form and the $100 nomination fee. Nominations do not carry over from year to year; stallions must be nominated each year. Late nominations may be made from January 1 of the get’s three-year-old year up to 30 days prior to the Three-Year-Old Ranch Horse Challenge for an additional $100.
Eighty percent of the stallion nomination fees collected will be paid back to the stallion owners based on their offsprings’ placings in the Three-Year-Old Ranch Horse Challenge.
In addition to these financial incentives, nominated stallions will receive promotional benefits through program advertising in the ARHA magazine and links on the ARHA website, as well as advertising and promotions in equine-industry publications.
Formed in 2004, the American Ranch Horse Association promotes the abilities of the all-around versatile working horse in a positive atmosphere where western tradition is genuinely honored. Rapidly growing with more than 2,800 members, ARHA hosts competitions, clinics, and educational events for registered stock-type breeds throughout the year.
To join in the fun and for more information about the Stallion Stakes and Three-Year-Old Ranch Horse Challenge, visit www.americanranchhorse.net, call 606-872-2742, or e-mail info@americanranchhorse.net.
For more information about the ARHA Stallion Stakes program and Three-Year-Old Ranch Horse Challenge or to set up interviews with ARHA executive board members, contact Lisa Munniksma at munniksmal@geetel.net or 765-258-3913.
