Futurity

SMALLESTHORSE GROUP FUTURITY PROGRAM

PURPOSE

To encourage the breeding and showing of quality 30” and Under Miniature Horses through a Halter Futurity Program designed to showcase the stallions, mares and young stock of SHG member farms. This shall be accomplished through the nomination of stallions or mares who meet the 30” and under requirement, and through the participation of their foals, expected to mature at 30” or under, in yearling and two-year-old Futurities.

INAUGURAL PROGRAM

1. Because there is insufficient time to nominate sires or dams for the 2007 show season, all yearling and two-year-old fillies and colts who meet the height requirements shall be considered qualified for participation. Nomination of the sires or dams will not be required for these horses.

2. Nominated horses must measure no more than 28” as yearlings and no more than 29” as two-year-olds, and must have at least one parent 30” and under.

3. For 2007 ONLY, the nominating deadline will be April 30, 2007, for all yearlings and two-year-olds to be shown this year.

4. 2007 yearlings shall be eligible to participate in the 2008 Futurity as two-year-olds provided they were nominated and shown as yearlings.

5. All 2007 two-year-olds are eligible to participate in the inaugural program.

6. 2007 foals shall be eligible to participate as yearlings in 2008 provided their nomination is received by November 30th, 2007. Nomination of the sire or dam will not be required for 2007 foals; foals may be nominated either by the breeder or the current owner if the foal is sold at weaning.

7. All foals born in 2008 and after must have one parent nominated by the November 30th deadline.

8. Because many of the horses eligible to show in 2007 and 2008 have already changed ownership, the nominations for these classes may be made by the current owner, even if that owner is not the breeder.

NOMINATIONS

1. Nominations must be made by members in good standing of the SmallestHorse Group who are the recorded owners of the stallion or mare, except as noted under “Inaugural Program” wherein the current owner may nominate for the 2007 and 2008 programs.

2. All nominated mares, stallions and foals must be registered with a recognized national or international registry for Miniature Horses, or breeds with Miniature Horse divisions (e.g., PtHA).

3. The height of nominated sires or dams must not exceed 30”, as shown on their permanent registration papers. Stallions who are temporarily registered must not exceed 29” at two years of age.

4. Beginning in 2007, stallions or mares shall be nominated by November 30th of the year preceding foaling in order for their get to participate in the yearling and two-year-old Futurity. This nomination must be made by the owner of the stallion or mare.

5. Foal eligibility shall be maintained through a sustaining fee, to be paid by November 30th of the year foaled. This sustaining fee may be paid either by the breeder or by the owner of record on November 30th, if different from breeder.

6. Nominated foals should not be expected to exceed 28” as yearlings or 29” as two-year-olds.

7. Nominating fees:

    a. All nominating fees are NONREFUNDABLE.

    b. The nominating fees are as follows:

        (1) Nominating fee for Inaugural Program, due 4/30/07
             Yearlings: $10
             Two-Year-Olds: $10
        (2) Stallion or mare, due 11/30/07: $10 (for eligibility of foals born in 2008)
        (3) Sustaining fee for 2008 foals, due 11/30/08: $10
        (4) Sustaining fee for 2008 yearlings (for 2009 two-year-old Futurity), due 11/30/08: $10

    c. Beginning November 30, 2007, all nominating and sustaining fees will be due November 30th of the year preceding the Futurity competition.

    d. After the initial two years, fees are subject to change if so voted by the membership.

FUTURITY CLASSES

1. The following halter classes, including Open, Amateur, AOTE, and Youth, shall count toward Futurity points. NOTE: only classes in which the horse is judged 100% on conformation shall count. “Specialty” classes such as Color, or classes in which the handler is judged (Showmanship), will not count toward Futurity points.

Yearling Fillies 28” and Under
Yearling Colts 28” and Under
Two-year-old Fillies, 29” and Under
Two-year-old Colts, 29” and Under
Junior Mares (heights combined or not specified)
Junior Stallions (heights combined or not specified)
Junior Horses (gender and height combined)
Open halter (local shows where no age, height and/or gender is specified)

2. A horse which, at any time during the show year, measures above the Futurity class height of 28” for yearlings or 29” for two-year-olds shall not earn points for classes entered which exceed those height limits. However, all points earned in the smaller height classes shall remain in effect for those horses.

3. Official measurements at each show shall be considered the official Futurity measurement for the purpose of earning points at that show.

POINTS

1. Points shall be awarded to any nominated horse placing at any local, open and/or breed show, to include, but not limited to, recognized AMHA and AMHR shows, State Fairs, Livestock Expositions and Pinto Horse Association shows.

2. Points shall be based on total entries in each class, with the winning horse receiving the same number of points as horses entered in each class, not to exceed 10 points in any one class. Subsequent placings will receive one point less than the horse placing above it. For example:

10 or more entries:

1st place – 10 points
2nd place - 9 points
3rd place - 8 points
4th place - 7 points
5th place - 6 points
6th place - 5 points
7th place - 4 points
8th place - 3 points
9th place - 2 points
10th place - 1 point

6 entries:

1st place - 6 points
2nd place - 5 points
3rd place - 4 points
4th place - 3 points
5th place - 2 points
6th place – 1 point

If there is only one entry, the winning horse shall earn one point.

IT SHALL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE EXHIBITOR OR BREEDER TO ADVISE THE COMMITTEE , EITHER IN WRITING OR BY EMAIL, OF ANY PLACINGS THE HORSE RECEIVES AT ANY SHOW, WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THAT PLACING. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN THE HORSE’S POINTS NOT BEING INCLUDED IN THE YEAR-END TABULATION.

END OF YEAR TABULATION

1. ALL results MUST be submitted to the Committee by no later than December 31st of the FuturityYear. The Committee will tabulate the results and post the Top Ten placings on the SmallestHorse Group website in each of the Futurity classes, based on the highest point earners.

2. The horse earning the most points in each class shall be declared the Futurity Champion and shall receive a rosette, plaque or trophy, and a cash award. The horse earning the second highest number of points shall be declared the Reserve Futurity Champion and receive a rosette, plaque or trophy and cash award. Horses placing 3rd through 10th shall receive a rosette and cash award.

3. Cash awards shall be distributed based on the total amount of all nomination fees received for each class, with at least 80% payback in that class and no more than 20% designated for a General Futurity Fund for awards and other expenses. The earnings of each placing shall be divided so as to provide the Champion and Reserve Champion the highest amounts, with the remainder divided among the other Top-Ten placing horses in lesser amounts for each descending placing.

4. The names of all Top Ten Futurity Horses, their nominated sire or dam, breeders and current owners shall be published on the SmallestHorse Group website. One SHG advertisement, in each breed publication containing such an ad, shall include photos of the Champion and Reserve Champion in each class.