Fancy Youngsters Highlight Michigan Morgan Breeders Futurity
Thursday, September 25, 2003
By Erin E. Thomas
CORUNNA, Mich. – Once again horse breeders and enthusiast gathered to showcase their Michigan-bred Morgan Horses the weekend of September 20. The Michigan Morgan Horse Breeders Futurity has always been an opportunity for Mid-westerns to take a sneak peak at Michigan based stallions and see their offspring at all different ages.
The highlight of the show has always been the Breeders Sweepstakes Weanling Championships that are held Saturday night. The 2003 Michigan Futurity Horse Show had an outstanding 21 entries compete this year for top honors. John and Belle Hufferd showed a flashy Aljaks Double Whammy colt of Jean and Richard Withers to the first place spot in the Weanling championship. Show Your Colors, appropriately named, is an exact replica of his sire. This flashy chestnut is trimmed in white all the way up to his knees and has his father's trademark white blaze. He towered above his competition, and modeled with precision and talent.
The MMHBF prize money has always been a highlight for the show. The show committee offers not only a pay back in the weanling championship, but also offers older horses a chance to collect prize money as well. In specified Futurity pay back classes, the highest placing Michigan Futurity horse wins a hundred dollars and a commemorative plate. This is all made possible by a Gala Fundraiser held in February. Thanks to the silent auction, a live stallion service auction and donations made at the Gala, the show committee is able to offer more and more prize money each year.
No show would be complete without the dedication of the show committee and everyone else involved in the MMHBF. Richard Boule was in charge of judging this year and Shane Shiflet captured the winning pictures from center ring. Leonard Kitchen and Jan Martin once again shared the honors of making sure the show ran smoothly. Mrs. Martin runs an incredibly efficient office and made sure every entry was accounted for, and had time to run out and watch her Double Whammy babies show. The show committee is enthusiastic about this year's turn out and anticipates that with each year that passes the show will draw more and more exhibitors.
Complete show results follow and can also be found on the Internet at www.saddlehorsereport.com.
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