Questions on the NATIONALS futurity class for offspring....

[Terry Wallace]

How many owners show their own sons & daughters of the PFHA auction stallions themselves?

Are most of those yearlings shown by PFHA trainers?

Have non-pro owners won over trainers?

Is it a worthwhile idea, for owners to show their own yearlings?
OR...is it a waste of time and money for those non-pros?

And finally.....I hate to even have to ask this question...but..... has a pinto colored horse ever won that class against solid colored offspring?

Just trying to get a general feeling or tone... on how that class works.
Who are the judges for the classes for that this year?

Please remind me.... does the offspring shown still have to garner enough points in other shows to get into Nationals for that class?

Please explain the judging percentages....what the judge is looking for percentage wise....in that class.

THANKS! Yep...I have a friend thinkning about doing this....its a very, very good colt...but its a sabino colt....should they proceed? That is the question!!

[Cindy]

Most of the horses are shown by trainers but that does not really matter. There are also some amatuers who show there and do well because they know how to show the horse. There are also amatuers who go in the class with shaggy looking horses that look like they just came out of the pasture, don't gait a step and act like lunatics in the line up. Those amatuers obviously do not do well. If the amatuer knows how to prep and show the horse, they have the same chance in the class as the rest of us.

I cannot recall a pinto ever winning the class but I think there have been some that have placed. The horses do not have to be qualified in order to show but I would sure take them to at least one show prior to going to Nationals so they can have some experience. From the horses that I saw at Clemson this year, the colts class is going to be very good. We will see more in Asheville next week as well. I have 2 colts that I am showing this year. Had three but now one is a gelding.

[CarolU]

There are also some amatuers who show there and do well because they know how to show the horse.

That probably should be BOLDED. I think it is the most critical part: to show the horse professionally and gaiting correctly.

And not just ANY professional is good at this either, some do no better then the amature(s) Cindy mentioned. But SOME professionals really DO train and show Bella Forma very well - and worth the money if you come home with a $10,000 check. Cindy is one of those, as are Betsy McHugh, Robin, Pam Maulsby, Pat, Charlie...a few others. I'm one of those idiots who gets up and watches Bella Forma classes - it is pretty easy to see who puts the time/energy into TRAINING the horses and shows them at their best advantage.

[Terry Wallace]

About what percentages of lscement do the following count for?

Over-all confo
Gait
behavior

[Cindy]

Overall conformation counts a lot. The horse, of course, must gait. Quality of gait, movement, quickness, drive, etc. is important as well. As they are yearling colts, I would say behaviour is not as big an issue unless of course the behaviour is really bad. They are given some slack because of their age but should not act like monkeys. And you will be up against horses that are good AND well mannered so it is best to have them pretty well mannered.

[Terry Wallace]

Are the majority of the yearlings shown with a single line, single person?

[Cindy]

They can only be shown with a single line and one person. This is not a Bella Froma class. It has it's own rules.

[Terry Wallace]

I've never seen this sweepstakes class...would you please elaborate?

What is different from Bella Forma in this class? Different requirements?

[Cindy]

I think the prize list for the National show is on the PFHA website. If you go look at that, it will have the class description and proceedures. Let me know if you cannot find it and I will muddle through it as best I can.