The Kentucky Morgan Horse Association has developed a Morgan horse breeders’ incentive program that is structured to promote growth in every sector of the Morgan horse market. The number of awards has been limited to assure that each award carries a significant dollar amount. The Kentucky Morgan Horse Breeders Incentive Program is an economic development program. Therefore, the awards program is focused specifically on those Kentuckians who are building businesses, paying taxes, and employing workers based on a Morgan horse operation. These businesses primarily stand stallions, breed mares, and train show horses which are sold around the country.
The American Morgan Horse Association has certified that 1,225 Morgan horses (25 years of age or younger) are registered to Kentucky residents as of October 20, 2008. This number may slightly under-represent the total census of Morgan horses residing in Kentucky because those Morgans boarded on Kentucky farms, but owned by out-of-state residents are not captured in this number.
Definition of Kentucky-bred Morgan Horse
Consistent with the language of KRS 230.804, Kentucky-bred Morgan horses are those AMHA registered pure-bred Morgan horses bred (by live cover or artificial insemination) and foaled in Kentucky.
Program Objectives:
- Establish Kentucky as the premier venue for production of registered Morgan horses.
- Increase census of Morgan horses residing in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
- Increase revenue for Kentucky’s breeding, boarding, and training stable/farm operators by providing unprecedented annual monetary awards to qualified Kentucky-bred Morgan competition horses.
- Increase market share for Kentucky-bred registered Morgan horses by providing incentives to key market segments, e.g. class A Morgan breed competitors, Morgan horses competing in open (all breed) USEF sanctioned events, Morgan horses competing in Kentucky State Fair eligible competitions.
Morgan Horse Breeders Incentive Fund (KMHBIF) Distribution Guidelines:
The Kentucky Morgan Horse Association defines below the competition categories eligible for KMHBIF payouts for the competition years, 2009-2011. Competitors are eligible for one award only in any competition year. In the event a competitor qualifies for an award in more than one category listed below, the competitor will be awarded the highest payout earned and be ineligible for payout in any other category.
I. Class A Registered Morgan Competition:
Seventy (70) percent of breeders’ incentive funds available in any year will be awarded to Kentucky-bred Morgan horses ranked first through fourth place in overall USEF points attained in Class A Morgan shows. Class A Morgan horse competitions sanctioned by both the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) include a broad array of disciplines all of which are eligible for awards.
Rationale:
Morgan horse breeders derive significant income from sales of top quality show horses (finished competition horses and show prospects), and from related income sources such as board of broodmares with and without foals, foaling services, stallion board and services, and show horse board and training. Class A Morgan horse shows provide venues for Morgan horses to compete in a very broad array of disciplines, all of which are equally eligible for awards as points accrue equally regardless of discipline or amateur or professional status of the exhibitor. Allocation of 70% of total breeders incentive funds to top Class A Morgan show horses enhances the desirability of the Kentucky-bred Morgan horse nationally and will promote purchase of Kentucky-bred horses, and increase related breeding farm revenues as mare owners move mares to Kentucky for breeding and foaling in order to facilitate eligibility of resulting offspring.
Eligibility:
- Registered Morgan horses bred and foaled in the State of Kentucky, in the years 2001 or later, are eligible for fund distributions according to the distribution guidelines contained herein.
- Horses must be nominated to the Kentucky Morgan Horse Breeders Incentive Program by September 1 of the competition year.
- Award recipients must be members in good standing of the Kentucky Morgan Horse Association, the American Morgan Horse Association, and the United States Equestrian Federation.
Point calculation:
- Point rankings will be determined by year-end point listings provided by the United States Equestrian Federation, which is the National governing body of these sports.
- Points are awarded to first through fourth place horses in any class.
- Only classes with three or more entries are eligible for points.
Fund allocation:
The Class A Competition pool will be allocated as follows:
- First place 45% of pool
- Second place 30% of pool
- Third place 15% of pool
- Fourth place 10% of pool
- Distribution of funds for each place will be allocated 75% to current owner of eligible competition horse, 25% to breeder.
Rules:
- All eligible horses must be nominated for the Kentucky Morgan Horse Breeders Incentive Program by September 1 of the competition year.
- Proof of registration and ownership are required.
- Winners must be members in good standing of the American Morgan Horse Association and the United States Equestrian Federation.
- In the event of a tie for any placing, funds for tied places will be combined and divided equally among winners.
- Funds that cannot be distributed under the rules established above will be returned to the overall fund pool and prorated among all other award categories.
II. Open Competition Awards:
Twenty (25) percent of the total fund pool will be awarded to the top three ranking Kentucky-bred Morgan horses in open USEF sanctioned competition. All USEF sanctioned disciplines will be recognized.
Rationale:
The Morgan horse is known for its versatility. Morgan horses successfully compete in all-breed (open) competition in a variety of disciplines including (but not limited to) dressage, reining, hunter/jumper, and combined driving. This annual award will encourage potential purchasers to prefer the Kentucky-bred Morgan horse for these uses. This should increase market share for the Kentucky-bred Morgan horse at the local, regional, and national levels.
Eligibility:
- Registered Morgan horses bred and foaled in the State of Kentucky, in the years 2001 or later, are eligible for fund distributions according to the distribution guidelines contained herein.
- Horses must be nominated to the Kentucky Morgan Horse Breeders Incentive Program by September 1 of the competition year.
- Award recipients must be members in good standing of the Kentucky Morgan Horse Association, the American Morgan Horse Association, and the United States Equestrian Federation.
Point calculation:
- Point rankings will be determined by year-end point listings provided by United States Equestrian Federation, which is the National governing body of these sports.
- Points are awarded to first through fourth place horses in any class.
- Only classes with three or more entries are eligible for points.
Fund allocation:
Funds will be allocated as follows:
- First place 45% of award pool
- Second place 30% of award pool
- Third place 15% of award pool
- Fourth place 10% of award pool
- Distribution of funds for each place will be allocated 75% to current owner of eligible competition horse, 25% to breeder
Rules:
- All eligible horses must be nominated for the Kentucky Morgan Horse Breeders Incentive Program by September 1 of the competition year.
- Proof of registration and ownership are required.
- Winners must be members in good standing of the American Morgan Horse Association and the United States Equestrian Federation.
- In the event of a tie for any placing, funds for tied places will be combined and divided equally among winners.
- Funds that cannot be distributed under the rules established above will be returned to the overall fund pool and prorated among all other award categories.
III. Kentucky Association of Fairs and Horse Shows (KAFHS) Participation Award
Five (5) percent the total Morgan horse breeders’ incentive fund pool will be awarded to the eligible Kentucky-bred Morgan horse with the highest number of points earned by competing in KAFHS competitions.
Rationale:
Morgan horses are well established as desirable family pleasure horses. Their tractable, people-oriented temperaments combine with their natural athleticism and stamina to make them among the best breeds for family enjoyment. KMHA offers this annual award with the dual objectives of recognizing and rewarding the best Kentucky-bred Morgan horses selected for family pleasure, and promoting and supporting the Kentucky County Fair and State Fair horse shows. Further, as this award becomes established among county fair enthusiasts, potential purchasers of family pleasure horses will begin to think “Kentucky-bred Morgan” for future equine partnerships, a direct benefit to breeders of family pleasure Morgan horses.
Eligibility:
- Registered Morgan horses bred and foaled in the State of Kentucky, in the years 2001 or later, are eligible for fund distributions according to the distribution guidelines contained herein.
- Horses must be nominated to the Kentucky Morgan Horse Breeders Incentive Program by September 1 of the competition year.
- Award recipients must be members in good standing of the Kentucky Morgan Horse Association, and the Kentucky Association of Fairs and Horse Shows.
Point Calculation:
- KMHA will obtain official show results from KFSA at the end of the competition season. The season culminates with the annual Morgan Horse show at the Kentucky State Fair. These results will be cross referenced to the list of eligible Kentucky-bred Morgan nominated to the KMHBIF, and a high point winner will be identified.
- Classes with three or more entries are eligible for this award.
Rules:
- Horses must be nominated to the Kentucky Morgan Horse Breeders Incentive Program.
- Proof of current ownership is required.
- If no winner is identified, award money will be returned to overall fund pool and prorated among identified winners in all other categories.
Effect of this program on the economic development of the Morgan horse in Kentucky.
The Kentucky Morgan horse industry is well established and positioned to use breeders incentive funds to make a positive economic impact on our breed. There is no state in the union that can offer more than Kentucky to a show horse breeder. The Kentucky Morgan Horse Breeder’s Incentive Program is a significant enhancement to the historical and economic infrastructure for horse breeders and related businesses in the Commonwealth.
- Since the inception of the Kentucky Horse Breeders Incentive Program in 2005, modest growth in Morgan breeding farms has been realized in Kentucky.
- At the national level, significant emphasis has been placed on expanding the Morgan horse presence at the Kentucky Horse Park.
- At the regional level, KMHA officers have been approached to participate in dialogue with the show committee of an important Morgan regional horse show with the purpose of attracting this show to a Kentucky show venue.
The Kentucky Morgan Horse Breeders Incentive Program is an unprecedented program in the Morgan breed. Interest in the program has grown steadily as evidenced by dramatic growth in the pool of nominated competition horses and breeding farm membership in the Kentucky Morgan Horse Association. As local, state, and national awareness of the program continues to increase, market share for Kentucky-bred Morgan horses for a broad array of uses will grow and directly impact those business owners who provide the horses, both breeding stock and show stock, which drive this industry.
Requirements:
Horses eligible for the awards must be registered with KMHA. This is a lifetime registration. Please fill in the Registration form on-line, print and mail to KMHA along with a copy of the AMHA registration documentation and the nomination fee for each nominated Morgan.
Owner, Breeder and Sire Owner must all be members of KMHA at time of the award. Winners will be notified prior to award so that they may join the association if they have not already joined.
