Lots of pretty little three year olds are being prepared to make the journey to Oklahoma City for the NRHA Futurity. The planning for many of these prospects took place about this same time in the year 2002.
The Quarter Horse News Stallion Registry arrived and mare owners browsed the stallion ads, looking for the "hot cross" on bloodlines similar to their mares. Phones call were made, contracts were mailed, fees were paid and in the spring of 2003 the mares were shipped off to the stallion station or the fresh cooled semen was shipped to the mare. In some cases multiple embryos were flushed from famous mare, or frozen semen was thawed from busy and even deceased stallions.
Veterinarians were called, palpations and ultrasounds performed, and if the reproduction angels were smiling, mares were checked safe in foal somewhere around 45 days post breeding.
In early 2004 most of the current crop of futurity hopefuls foaled out and owners registered them with official names that they hoped sounded good when called by the announcers! As late yearlings, owners now made plans to send the colts and fillys off to trainers and again, journals were browsed, phone calls were made, and fees were paid. Trainer's opinions helped owners determine if the the futurity payments should be started.
This year's futurity hopefuls have had approximately 23 months of formal training.
And the reason that I don't have one is that I ADDED UP ALL THE COSTS TO GET THERE! (This is something that trainers, vets, and breeders never ever want you to do).
Read the cost and more interesting stuff at The Practical Guide to Reining.
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