Walking through the Ford Exhibit Hall, a new booth is among the vendors: The Foundation for the Horse is bringing their message of horse welfare to the NRBC. Originally known as the American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation, the Foundation rebranded to be known as “The Foundation for the Horse” in December 2019 after celebrating 25 years.

            Since inception in 1994, the Foundation has been raising and dispersing funds to improve the health and welfare of horses across all disciplines and breeds. Senior Development Officer, Paul Ransdell, Ed.D., is honored to be a part of the foundation and has greatly impacted fundraising.

            “Historically we have relied on equine veterinarians and members of the AAEP, we just completed a multiyear comprehensive campaign, and our goal was to raise $10 million in 3 years, we exceeded that goal to raise $12.3 million,” Ransdell said.

            There are three ways the Foundation contributes to the horse industry. The first is providing scholarships for equine veterinary students.

            “The supply of equine veterinarians and graduates coming out of vet school and moving into the equine world is at a rapid decline, that is a real issue that makes scholarships all the more important,” Ransdell said.

            The second way the Foundation contributes to the horse industry is through research, which is greatly underfunded, though largely beneficial for equine veterinarians. Thirdly, the Foundation invests in programs for horses in harm’s way and in dire situations. 

             “We invest in disaster relief in areas of wildfires such as Australia, or northern California or Oregon, and where floods and hurricanes occur such as in Florida, Texas, Louisiana and more,” Ransdell explained.

            The Foundation funds programs for veterinarians and technicians that also help horses, donkeys, and mules in developing countries that may need assistance and urgent care. These animals can most often be overworked and undernourished.

            There are many programs the Foundation works with including groups like the Veterinary Emergency teams at University of California—Davis and Texas A&M University, or the British Equine Veterinary Association, and are referred to as trusted partners. Yet, it is not only the veterinary community the Foundation looks to reach and educate. Ransdell and others visit shows across the country that include FEI events, the Pin Oak Cherry horseshows, jumping and dressage events at Wellington and in the Ocala, Florida-area, at Land Rover Three-Day Event in Lexington, Kentucky, and more.

The NRBC is the first Western horseshow for the Foundation to attend. Many Foundation volunteers and board members are Texas based, so Ransdell feels this is the first of many Western events the foundation will be making an appearance.

            While veterinarians and equine veterinary students benefit from the Foundation, it also hopes to impact horse owners with one to two horses. A program that stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic and due to inflation, a program was created to assist horse owners in a veterinarian reimbursement program.

            Success of the Foundation is contributed to the government, trust associated with and credibility of those in the equine veterinary profession. The AAEP backs the Foundation and oversees the work it is doing to better the welfare of the entire horse industry.

             “The goal and what success looks like for us is that this brand will be the go-to charity for everyone who cares about the health and wellbeing of the horse,” Ransdell said.

            To find out more about The Foundation for the Horse, visit www.foundationforthehorse.org or contact a veterinarian, or call the AAEP office directly at (859)233-0147.

The National Reining Breeders Classic has been enrolling foals in its program since 1997. The enrollments climbed steadily through 2008 then, like the rest of the equine industry, experienced a large drop in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Since then, the numbers have gradually trended upward.

The enrollments are just being finalized for 2021, and the news is exciting! With 2,633 foals enrolled, 2021 has become the third-highest enrollment year in the history of the NRBC, exceeding 2020’s enrollments by 180 foals, and nearing the high numbers set in 2007 and 2008.

“We are excited to see this recovery and upward trend for our industry,” said NRBC President Tom McCutcheon. “All the exposure that reining is getting nationally is reflected in enrollments and the reining horse business in general.”

NRBC Secretary-Treasurer Cheryl Cody agreed. “That impulsion has made it more important than ever to have foals in the NRBC. We are so glad that the reining world has recognized the significance of enrollment and how it adds value to foals.”

“With the eligibility for the Classic now including 4, 5, 6 and 7-year-old horses, the benefit has been substantially enhanced. Plus, enrolled horses 8-years-old and over are eligible for advancement to the Classic Challenge program, which continues to reward their performance.”

In another aspect of the NRBC program, the large number of new stallions coming into the program, it appears that upward trajectory has extended to stallion enrollments. “Although stallion enrollments are not due until February 1, our best preliminary projections show an increase from previous years,” Cody added. 

The NRBC was created in the fall of 1997, and through the support of the breeder and exhibitors of the reining industry, has grown to become one of the top three reining aged events in the world and the most successful stallion incentive program in reining history. Now known as the Million Dollar Show, the NRBC has paid out over $24 Million in the past 24 years.

This year’s NRBC is slated for April 17-24 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas and the Silver Anniversary event marks the 25th year for the NRBC!

The National Reining Breeders Classic will celebrate its 25th-anniversary event April 17-24 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. Known as the Million Dollar Show for its annual payout in excess of a million dollars for each event since 2005, the show added money is funded by the NRBC stallion and foal enrollments. The NRBC program has long been regarded as the most successful of its kind in reining history, paving the way for similar entities.

Since 1997, fees and structure for NRBC foal enrollments have stayed constant with no increases or changes. However, according to NRBC Secretary-Treasurer Cheryl Cody, there will be a change in 2022. Cody explained, “After 25 years, we are finally going to have a slight fee increase of $50 for the weanling foal enrollment, changing it to $250.”

What is unique about NRBC foal enrollments is that 100% of the enrollment funds go directly into the show’s purse, so this change will impact the amount of money that is paid out to riders of all levels. Cody continued, “Knowing how fee increases can impact breeders, the Officers and Board of the NRBC have been very slow to make any changes or fee increases, but we all definitely want the NRBC to keep up with other events in terms of payouts.”

She outlined the organization’s structure. “Per our original by-laws, NRBC foal enrollment money is placed into FDIC insured Certificates of Deposit until the foals’ 4-year-old year, just prior to the show. When we began, the interest rate was such that the money grew substantially in three-and-a-half years and really enhanced the purse. In recent years, with interest rates so low, that type of interest growth has been stagnant, so we are excited to track the impact this will have on the purse in 2026!”

Fees for other age foal enrollments – yearlings, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds and up – will remain the same as they have been since the NRBC’s beginning in 1997 – and foal enrollments will continue to be due each year by September 15. NRBC enrolled foals have four years of eligibility and can be shown as 4, 5, 6 and 7-year-olds; then can be advanced into the Classic Challenge program to continue showing throughout their careers. For more information or to enroll foals, go to nrbc.com or call 580-759-3939. 

Reiners have been enrolling foals in the National Reining Breeders Classic Program since 1997. After so many years, enrollment in the NRBC has become an integral part of raising reining horse prospects, adding value and creating opportunities. Last year, 2,645 foals from around the world became a part of the program, pushing the total number of horses enrolled in NRBC to nearly 54,000.

The first enrollment deadline of the year doesn’t come until September 15, but many foals are now enrolled upon birth. The first one to become an official 2022 NRBC enrollee, a foal by Jacs Electric Spark out of Wind Her Up Chic, was born on January 3 and enrolled within weeks of her birth by owner Tim Anderson of Milbank, South Dakota.

Wind Her Up Chic (Smart Chic Olena X Wind Her Up Doc) is on the National Reining Horse Association’s Leading Dam Top 10 List with $752,894 in offspring earnings and Jacs Electric Spark is an NRHA $3 Million Sire, so the lovely bay filly has a bright future ahead of her.  

Anderson didn’t get to keep her long. He explained, “She was born at Toyon Ranch, and Mike McEntire got to see her before I did. He was down there and fell in love with her. He called and wanted to buy her for Shenandoah Ranch, in Plymouth, Calif., which he manages. I usually don’t keep fillies for the most part, so we made the deal. After I saw her in person, even though I know she’s going to a great program, she was so good-looking that I wasn’t sure I had done the right thing!”

But the purchase was complete, so Tim immediately enrolled her in the NRBC. He said, “I’m a strong supporter of the NRBC. It’s a great program and the show is a great model for any event.”

Interestingly, Anderson’s first trip to the NRBC was with another Jacs Electric Spark mare he owned, Lost In Tinseltown, that was the high scoring mare of the 2011 L4 Classic.

Since its inception, the NRBC has grown to include over 225 subscribed stallions with over 30 new sires coming into the program in the past year. The 2022 NRBC Show will take place April 17-24 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. For information on the NRBC, visit the web site at www.nrbc.com or call 580-759-3939.

The National Reining Breeders Classic Incentive Program experienced a substantial increase in foal enrollments in 2018. According to the NRBC headquarters office in Byars, OK, the numbers confirmed a 3% increase in foal enrollments from last year.

In 2016, 2,235 foals were enrolled in the program; this year, that number increased by 80 enrollments bringing the tally up to 2,315 enrollments. “In a breeding industry that has continually had its ups and downs in recent years, this is a very positive sign,” said Cheryl Cody, NRBC Secretary-Treasurer.

With the deadline for stallion re-enrollments tomorrow, the numbers are looking good there too. Stallions that are already enrolled in the program must be renewed by tomorrow, but new stallions can enroll for the first time at any time of the year. Many will come in after their foals are on the ground.

The NRBC is a stallion incentive program. After a stallion becomes part of the program, his foals may be enrolled. Those foals, as 4, 5, and 6-year-olds, can then compete at the prestigious week-long event which has paid out $20 million in its past 20 years. For more information including the event schedule and entry forms, visit www.nrbc.com.