ABC’s of APHA Breeders’ Trust, Futurity, and Sale

The 2016 APHA World Championship Show just wrapped up, and select Paint Horses brought home more than just buckles and ribbons … they also loaded up their trucks with hefty paychecks, thanks to the cash available in APHA Breeders’ Futurity classes and the lucrative Farnam Pleasure Stakes. But the bucks don’t stop at the World Show—Breeders’ Trust-enrolled Paints are earning cash with every point earned at APHA-approved shows throughout the entire year.

Whether you’re new to the Breeders’ Trust program or a seasoned veteran using your payouts to fund your show habit, there’s a lot of information to absorb. To help, we’ve concocted this short guide about a trio of programs: the APHA Breeders’ Trust, the Breeders’ Futurity and Farnam Breeders’ Trust Select Sale.

A is for APHA Breeders’ Trust

Established in 1994, the APHA Breeders’ Trust program was designed to reward everyone responsible for the success of an outstanding foal—including the stallion subscriber, the foal nominator and the owner—by paying cash dividends for points earned by nominated horses at APHA-approved events*.

B is for Big Payday

Huge payouts took place in the 2016 Paint World Show Platinum Breeders’ Futurity. Revamped for 2016, the elite weanling halter futurity catered exclusively to non-pro exhibitors, with payouts exceeding $94,000 this year based on entries. Make sure your future foals are enrolled in this program to get a chunk of the payout in 2017!

C is for Consignments

Consigning your Paint to the Farnam Breeders’ Trust Select Sale is the only way to get in on the huge Farnam Pleasure Stakes payouts at the World Show. A new World Show policy now permits solid Paint-bred horses with two Regular Registry parents to join the sale and become eligible for the stakes payouts.  Thanks to a new online auction format, you can buy and sell these talented prospects without ever leaving home.

D is for Dividend

The stallion subscriber receives 20%, the foal nominator receives 10% and the foal’s recorded owner receives 70% of the Breeders’ Trust annual dividend.

E is for Eligibility

The Breeders’ Futurity is divided into four levels of competition: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Although requirements differ by level, as a general rule, eligible foals must be nominated to the Breeders’ Trust and their dams to the Breeders’ Futurity. Complete details are available online.

F is for Futurity

The Breeders’ Futurity is a prestigious competition held during the APHA World Show featuring the finest American Paint Horses and exhibitors competing in a select slate of classes designed to showcase the offspring of APHA Breeders’ Trust-subscribed stallions and the mares bred to them.

G is for Gold

The Futurity is divided into four levels of competition. The Gold division is for the Regular Registry offspring and the Solid Paint-bred offspring that have two Regular Registry Paint parents of stallions whose breeding fees are at or above the Breeders’ Trust Private Treaty fee ($700).

H is for High-Selling

Last year’s high-selling horse was Known To Be Lazy, a 2014 chestnut tobiano stallion purchased by Ida Wright of New Berth, North Carolina. The sale had an average of $6,382.46 on horses sold.

I is for Internet Sale

In an exciting new twist, the  Farnam Breeders’ Trust Select Yearling Sale took place online for the first time in 2016. Yearlings could stay at home, and buyers and sellers could take part in the sale without having to make the trek to Fort Worth.

J is for Journal

Check the Paint Horse Journal or APHA website for a list of stallions subscribed to the Breeders’ Trust. Beginning with the January issue, a list of stallions subscribed for the upcoming breeding season is published monthly through May.

K is for Kids

Although points earned in Youth and Novice Youth classes don’t count towards Breeders’ Trust earnings, Youth showing Breeders’ Trust nominated horses are eligible for the Farnam Breeders’ Trust Youth Scholarship Program.

L is for Late Fees

Don’t pay more than you have to! Submit your paperwork at the earliest possible deadline to avoid paying extra late fees. Visit the Breeders’ Trust website for all deadlines. 

M is for More Money

Last year, Breeders’ Trust paid out $607,070. Each point earned at an APHA-approved event by a nominated horse in Open and Amateur classes* is worth a specific amount. With a Breeders’ Trust-nominated horse, those earnings can make showing a little more affordable.

N is for Foal Nominations

The easiest way is to nominate your eligible foal at registration time. And if you register and nominate online before December 31 of the foaling year, you can get in at the lowest fee—just $100. Considering the foal nominator receives 10 percent of the horse’s lifetime annual earnings, it’s an investment that could pay back for years and years.

O is for Owner

The owner or show lessee receives 70 percent of the horse’s earnings. With a Breeders’ Trust-nominated horse, those earnings can make showing a little more affordable. Some owners cover all their showing expenses with their Breeders’ Trust winnings.

P is for Platinum

The Platinum division of the Breeders’ Futurity is an elite weanling halter futurity that paid out nearly $100,000 this year. Foals are made eligible for this division by the stallion owner paying a $5,000 nomination fee and the mare owner paying a $200 nomination fee. These foals are also eligible to enter the Gold, Silver or Bronze divisions, provided all requirements, fees and payments are met accordingly.

Q is for Questions

You’ve got questions? We’ve got answers. For more information, contact APHA Director of Breeders’ Trust/Breeders’ Futurity Candy Jebavy at cjebavy@apha.com or (817) 222-6441.

R is for Re-enrollment

Any future buyer (new owner) of a horse enrolled in the Breeders’ Trust has the option of re-enrolling at the time of transfer to their ownership for $100. Need a re-enrollment form? We’ve got you covered!

S is for Stallion Subscription

Every single horse nominated to Breeders’ Trust was sired by a stallion subscribed to the program. If your target market is breeding show horses, then Breeders’ Trust is key to promoting your stallion. The stallion’s subscriber receives 20 percent of the annual dividend earned by his foals every year. Now, it’s more affordable than ever before to subscribe your stallion to the Breeders’ Trust.

T is for Trust

Trust money is divided and paid annually, beginning when a subscribed stallion’s foals reach their yearling year. Payouts are based on the total number of point-earning horses nominated to the program and the number of points earned by those horses during a given year.

U is for Ultimate Honor

A Leading Sire of Money-Earning Foals Award is presented annually to the stallion with the highest number of money-earning foals in the Breeders’ Futurity. Last year, the ultimate honor went to Intensions, owned by Billy and Suzonne Franks of Cisco, Texas.

 V is for Value for Mare Owners

Even if you don’t show, as a mare owner, you can get your share of Breeders’ Trust payout by breeding to a subscribed stallion and then nominating that foal—who’ll be more marketable when it comes time to sell.

W is for World Show

Home of the Breeders’ Futurity and Farnam Breeders’ Trust Select Yearling Sale, there’s almost $200,000 alone in added money earmarked for select events, in addition to world championship classes and more. Make plans to attend in 2017—the big event is moving to September—to get your hands on this cash.

X is for APHA Xtras

What do APHA Xtras have to do with the Breeders’ Trust? Both offer great benefits to APHA members. Using these member discounts just one time can help you recoup the cost of your APHA membership.

Y is for Yearling

There’s only one way to make your yearling eligible for APHA’s elite Farnam Pleasure Stakes classes and big payouts (more than $50,000!) at ages 2, 3 and 4. That’s through the Farnam Breeders’ Trust Select Yearling Sale.

Z is for Zippos Sensation

Since 2001, Zippos Sensation has topped the Breeders’ Trust Leading Sires list. In 2015, “Zippo” had 130 offspring amass 6,830 eligible points, yielding total Breeders’ Trust earnings of $52,207. That amounts to average earnings per foal of more than $400.

* Except at the APHA World Championship Shows.