All American Futurity Highlights Wednesday's Breeders Night
Monday, August 9, 2004
"In 1976 a group of New England Morgan Breeders conceived the idea of The All American Futurity. The Futurity's objective was to promote the breeding and competition of high quality Morgan horses." Since then the New England Regional Horse Show has done everything in its power to uphold this mission statement. Otherwise known as Breeders night, the New England Regional features an entire session to exhibit and judge the in-hand horses in the All American Futurity. While the morning and afternoon sessions on Wednesday, July 28th were forced to be held inside because of rain, the clouds cleared up and the All American Futurity was able to held in the grandstand ring. Placed sporadically between the in-hand classes are All American Fun Classes. These classes are family oriented and directed towards the younger generation of Morgan enthusiasts. They were developed two years ago when the Futurity committee totally revamped the Breeders Night. Their hope is that it will inspire the younger generation to continue to participate in the Futurity Program. Another change that was implemented was that separate Futurity performance classes are no longer offered. They now show in the regular performances classes and the award money is given away to the highest placing futurity horses in the class. A total of $10,500 is given out each year to highest placing Futurity horses in the performance classes. The specialty classes were also developed to help prospective hunt, western, classic or sport-type horses still prosper from the futurity program. This year's futurity performance winners were, Highover Tea Time (Three-Year-Old Pleasure Driving Mares), Whispering Bellavante (Three-Year-Old Pleasure Driving Stallions and Geldings), FR Freedom First (Two-Year-Old Specialty Driving), Whispering Suite Image (Three-Year-Old Pleasure Driving Specialty), MEM Say My Name (Two-Year-Old Pleasure Driving Stallions and Geldings), Rebellion (Three-Year-Old English Pleasure Mare), and Starboard Blitz Krieg (Three-Year-Old Park Harness). Points are accumulated for horses from their weanling year through their three-year-old year. The points are tallied at the New England Regional and on Breeders Night they award the graduating three-year-olds with a cash prize. The “Pot Of Gold” purse is an accumulation of sponsorships, funds collected for the age groups, and futurity fund raising money. After all of the winners are paid out plus the nominated sire and dam of the high point three-year-old, the remaining amount goes to the graduating three-year-olds. The winner receives 40% of the purse, the reserve champion receives 25%, the 3rd place horse receives 15%, the 4th place 10%, and the 5th and 6th place horses receive 5%. The in-hand division uses a three judge panel to tie the winners. Each of the Futurity in hand classes has an annual purse of $2300. The winner receives $1,000, while the reserve winner is rewarded $500, the third place horse gets $250. The All American Weanling Futurity featured the first sweep of the night as Rick Lane showed a pair of Serenity Masterpiece offspring to the tricolors for George Schott's Maine Event Morgans. The winning filly MEM Shock & Awe is out of AFF Evening Episode while the reserve colt MEM Chill Factor is out of Cabot Joie De Vivre. The All American Yearling Futurity featured a sweep by Mark and Melissa Wahl as Jim and Carole Bradford's Liberation First Star daughter Cabot First Confession captured top honors. The reserve tricolor also headed back to Oregon with Jan Van Dusen's Ultra's Special Agent son Ultra's Special Trademark. The All American Two-Year-Old Futurity featured a tricolor reversal from a year ago. This time it was the lovely Riverside Radiance sired by Beethoven getting the nod for top honors to the delight of Michael Scanlon and owner/breeders Judy and Charles Dorr. The white trimmed Stonecroft Byzantine daughter KD Electra this year captured reserve tricolor honors for Kimberly Dunn presented by Rick Stevens. This year's presentation of the Two-Year-Old Futurity Specialty In Hand saw the Townshend Farm breeding program registered the win with Townshend After The Bell. Michabou Traditional Lad and Lori St. Hilaire Cash collected the reserve tricolor honors. The Three-Year-Old Futurity Specialty In Hand saw Whispering Suite Image graduate with top honors. John and Sheri Lampropoulos presented Geraldine McLoud's Suite After son to the tricolor victory. Townshend Call Her Emily finished up in the reserve spot for Nancy Caisse and Townshend Farm. The All American Futurity Three-Year-Old In Hand Championship closed out Breeders Night's competition with the Whispering Hill breeding program continuing its success in the All American Futurity. Whispering Bellavante garnered top honors with Michael Scanlon on the lead of the bold chestnut son of HVK Bell Flaire and T-Well Turk's Shadow for Judy and Charles Dorr. The War And Peace daughter Rebellion closed out her tricolor futurity career as the reserve champion with Wendy Sogoloff on the lead for Joanne Podles. Breeder's Night came to an exciting conclusion with the pinning of the Overall Three-Year-Old All American Futurity Champions. The graduating three-year-olds were brought back into the ring in reverse order with announcer Peter Fenton welcoming each of the ribbon winners back into the ring. Beginning with a tricolor start as a weanling, Rebellion finished out her futurity campaign as the reserve grand champion presented by Wendy Sogoloff for Joanne Podles. Michael Scanlon and Whispering Bellavante had one more moment in the limelight. Bellavante was awarded the first leg on the newly created Maine Event Morgans/Troutbrook Farm Challenge Trophy, along with the All American Championship cooler and 40% of the Pot Of Gold purse. Charles and Judy Dorr are the proud owners of this years High Point Graduate.
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