Exciting Changes For MWG Performance Incentive Award Program
Thursday, January 31, 2019
The Morgan Weanling Gala (MWG) Performance Incentive Award is awarded to the first foal(s) sired by a MWG Nominated Sire from each Class year to win a World Championship in ANY Performance Division beginning their two-year-old year for the weanling classes of 2016 and 2017. Beginning with the weanling class of 2018, this has changed to beginning in their 3-year-old year to allow greater opportunity.
From the inception of the program, the mission of the Performance Incentive Award has been to provide a very inclusive award that promotes each year’s “pretty babies” as the future “performance powerhouses” that they are. With now three class years under our belt (two of which have rolled to their three-year-old year), we took the opportunity to evaluate the program to determine if we are upholding our mission. With the greater opportunities to win a World Championship across more divisions in the three-year-old year, it made sense to make this change beginning with the Class of 2018 (competing as three-year-olds in 2021).
The Class of 2015 was won in 2018 by a three-year-old in the hunter division. Cingate All Star (Merriehill After Hours GCH x Cingate Starry Night) owned by Glitter Farms, LLC captured the honor presented by Lauren Osborne under the watchful eye of trainers John and Belle Hufferd. Merriehill After Hours GCH was nominated by Cingate Morgans – Gaeton & Cindy Lorino and is owned by Ted & Elaine Olsen.
The Class of 2016 rolled over this past October so there will be expanded opportunities this fall at the 2019 Morgan Grand National. Also competing at the 2019 Morgan Grand National will be the Class of 2017 in what will be the final year for a two-year-old to win the award.
The MWG committee is very excited about these changes and hopes to expand the number of nominees for each class year. Currently there are 14 nominees for the Class of 2016, 9 nominees for the Class of 2017, and 4 for the Class of 2018.
With 19 nominated sires for the 2019 Morgan Weanling Gala to be held at the Jubilee Regional Morgan Horse Show on August 30th at the MEC Center, Shipshewana, IN coupled with the change to the program, the committee anticipates a large number of nominees for the Class of 2019.
Remember, the more nominees included, the more support there is for the Morgan industry, and the more money we have to award!
Stallion nominations, Performance Incentive Award nominees, and nomination forms for each class year are available on the web site – www.morganweanlinggala.com.
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