Inaugural $10,000 Added All American Novice Horse Futurity at The Big A – Brought to You by the Cook Family
By JR Cook and Delores Kuhlwein
Update from JR Cook: Rod Patrick has donated a pair of full quill ostrich boots to the winner.
3-Year-Old & Over Novice horse owners and trainers, take note.
The inaugural 2023 All American Novice Horse Futurity brought to you by the Cook Family will be held July 5th at The Big A to showcase the 3-Year-Old & Over Novice horse, but how it differs is newsworthy.
The eligibility for the 3-Year-Old & Over Novice horses is as follows, says JR Cook, whose family, along with Dr. Tony Roconni of MidSouth Equine Sports Medicine & Surgery, have teamed up to bring you the inventive, limited futurity:
“The horse cannot have won $1000 as of January 1st,” explains JR. “If you were an overall Champion or Reserve Champion in the 3-Year-Old & Over Slot classes at the March to the Arch, The Virginia Maiden, The Madness, or the Premier LTD/LTD class, you are not eligible.”
With the exception of Premier’s LTD/LTD class, the Limited Champions and Limited Reserve Champions in the other three events are still eligible, he adds. “The class is going to have $10,000 added with a $250 entry fee, with 90% of the entry fee going straight into the purse. Courtesy of Mid-South Equine Sports Medicine & Surgery, we will also be giving away a Blue Ribbon work saddle to the first horse out of the money; if the class pays five places, for example, the sixth place horse will receive the Blue Ribbon work saddle. This will be in addition to the $10,000 added purse.”
On top of that, JR says, The All American Futurity and Mid-South Equine Sports Medicine & Surgery will be bringing you a $1,000 added Novice Horse Non Pro Futurity at The Big A as part of the All American, and that class will follow NSBA rules for Novice Horse.
JR Cook and Line Up Behind after winning the 3-Year-Old Ltd. Non Pro Western Pleasure, Tom Powers Christmas Challenge, December 2020.
“Melissa and I are always looking for ways to better the industry and give back,” he explains. “The maiden classes have become rather popular and rightfully so – they are good for the industry. Years ago, the big money was offered in the 2-year-old futurities, but the 3-year-old classes have given the horses that could not make a 2-year-old a chance to compete for big money.”
He says the 2-year-old classes at Congress are always a must-watch for Melissa and him, since there’s so much to be appreciated and respected about seeing a nice, strong 2-year-old lope around the pen. “I’m pro-2-year-old, but these novice classes also take the pressure off those twos that are not going to make it, or that require a push to make it.”
JR explains just one way they can improve the industry is by taking the opportunity to offer big money bonuses and tangible awards in classes where they normally are not offered, such as another class they are planning something special for, taking place at Back To Berrien, likely a Novice Non Pro and Limited Non Pro Futurity.
The start, JR says, is the celebration at The Big A – a fitting show over the 4th of July with plenty of fun for the entire family, with kids being out of school and a patriotic time for everyone. “It has always been such a fun show for us, and it presented a good opportunity to do one more before we all head to NSBA and the Congress and everyone’s attention goes to the fall majors.”
Exhibitors and owners can enter at the show – The Big A entry and stall information can be found here: https://www.anequineproduction.com/stars-n-stripes-big-a
