The World Morgan Futurity chalked up another highly successful year featuring some of the breed’s finest youngsters on display at the 2018 Morgan Grand National & World Championship Horse Show in Oklahoma City during the week of October 6-13.
Offering a total payout of $108,561, including Jackpots, Auction Rewards and Auction Bonuses, the Futurity enjoyed well-filled performance classes and a slight increase in the in-hand division from recent years.
The yearling in-hand division offered $20,838 of prize money in classes for fillies, geldings and colts. The division welcomed 10 entries, with each World Champion winning $1,400 and the Reserve World Champions taking home $1,100. LVM Full Regalia (Regal Masterpiece x Fire Run China Doll), owned by Eric and Jessica Balsis and presented by John and Alejandro Vicente of Triumph Stables, earned an additional $603 in Auction Rewards, and Eric and Jessica also received another $335 for nominating the dam, making their total take over $2,300. Winning trainers also received $65 and the sire owners collected $335.
Earning the biggest paycheck in the Yearling division were breeders/owners Greg and Kathy Janes, whose Jagged J Gentleman Jack (SpringMill Superstition x Seaway Showgirl) not only earned his $1,400 for being our Futurity Yearling Colt World Champion, but also earned an Auction Bonus of $10,000, because they purchased their service to Superstition in the AMHA/WMF Stallion Service Auction.
The Two-Year-Old division enjoyed strong numbers with a total of 13 youngsters showing in hand, seven in Park Harness and 11 in Pleasure Driving, all vying for their portion of the $29,465 jackpot. Each World Champion earned $1,425 and Reserves earned $1,140. The winners of each Two-Year-Old division earned an additional $603 in Auction Rewards.
With Morgan versatility in the forefront of the Three-Year-Old divisions, the $33,458 jackpot for these 2015 models was spread through seven different classes. A total of 31 entries made the gate calls for these classes and each World Champion earned $1,300, while Reserve World Champions earned $1,100. An additional $603 in Auction Rewards premiums were added to the Champions, bringing their total to $1,703 each, which doesn’t include the extra Rewards going to the owners of the sire and dams, as well as the trainers, for each Champion.
The Futurity Alumni division paid out $24,800 to 26 different horses. Four-year-old Alumni horses paid $50 per class entered at the Grand National and took home outstanding dividends for their efforts. Most notable in this group were Tim and Carol Selinsky’s Fieldcrest Major Of War (Whispering War Chant x Sarde’s Scintillation), who earned $2,400 in the Western Dressage division with trainer Liz Thomas of Equestrian Elite. Also bringing home the bacon for owner Ann Blankenship was Private Eyes (Ultras Private Eye x MFM Chances Are), presented by Frank Miller of Miller Equestrian Services in-hand and in Four-Year-Old Pleasure Driving for a $2,400 paycheck. Intense CH (SpiceOLife Present Tense GCH x S & R’s Mephisto’s Waltz), owned by Glitter Farms and trained by Triumph Stables, has been earning her way to the Grand National every year in the World Morgan Futurity and this was no exception. She collected a check for $1,800 this year. TDM Excelsiora (Mizrahi x Gracious Moment Immortal) presented owner Francine Bretschneider with a check for $1,800 after two strong showings in the Hunter Pleasure division.
William Haines’ Ledyard Farms has enjoyed great success in the World Morgan Futurity and his four-year-old Alumni nominees earned a $1,900 check during their week in Oklahoma City, which was added to more than $2,300 earned by Ledyard’s 2YO Pleasure Driving World Champion, Whitemud Shimmer (Astronomicallee x Whitemud Flite Of Fancy).
Another successful supporter of the futurity taking home significant earnings this year was Robin Molaskey Herrick of Cherrydale Manor, whose Cherrydale Casanova (Graycliff Tony GCH x Cherrydale Cassiopeia) earned back to back World Championship titles in 3YO Park Saddle and Harness under the direction of Waterford Farm, which earned his breeder nearly $4,500 in futurity premiums and Auction Rewards. Dr. Grace Steere also enjoyed a check more than $4,000 from double World titles owned by her 2YO stallion, Ledgefields Jagged Edge (Get Busy x Queen’s No Mercy), shown to his titles in-hand and in park harness by David Rand. And the Fu family’s Dragonsmeade also earned more than $4,000 from their own World Morgan Futurity entries.
For those that are serious about breeding Morgan Horses on a national level, there are no greater rewards available than the recognition provided by the World Morgan Futurity and the growing premiums it provides. And to breed a foal eligible for the $10,000 Auction Bonus, choose a sire and be the high bidder in the American Morgan Horse Aassociation/WMF Stallion Service Auction. Explore the donated stallion services at www.MorganHorse.com/media-events/service-auction. To find out more about the World Morgan Futurity and how you can nominate and participate, visit their website at www.WorldMorganFuturity.com.
2018 WORLD MORGAN FUTURITY CHAMPIONS
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity Yearling Gelding In Hand
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity Yearling Filly In Hand
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity Yearling Filly In Hand
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity Yearling Colt In Hand
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity Yearling Colt In Hand
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity 2YO Gelding In Hand
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION 2YO Gelding In Hand
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity 2YO Mare In Hand
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity 2YO Mare In Hand
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity 2YO Park Harness & 2YO Stallions In Hand
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity 2YO Stallion In Hand
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity 2YO Park Harness
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity 2YO Pleasure Driving
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity 2YO Pleasure Driving
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity 3YO Classic Pleasure Driving
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity 3YO Classic Pleasure Driving
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity 3YO English Pleasure
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity 3YO English Pleasure
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity 3YO Hunter Pleasure
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity 3YO Hunter Pleasure
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity 3YO Park Harness & Park Saddle
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity 3YO Park Harness
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity 3YO Park Saddle
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity 3YO Pleasure Driving
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity 3YO Pleasure Driving
WORLD CHAMPION Futurity 3YO Western Pleasure
WORLD RESERVE CHAMPION Futurity 3YO Western Pleasure
-- via MasterWorks Creative