As a participant, observer and/or chronicler of the "Western Horse" show scene for more than 40 years, I have seen a number of trends come and go. There are two trends that seem to concern many of today's show oriented people. 

The first involves the hiring of professional handlers to present horses in important classes and events, and the second involves the new "high dollar" slot futurities. 

There seems to me to be a need for a show or series of shows that offer the non-professional and/or small breeder an opportunity to compete without having to contend with the high costs associated with professional handlers and four-figure entry fees. 

After much study and thought and in concert with my wife Loyce and four of my most trusted equine acquaintances - Laura Lyon, Howell, Michigan; Sandy Matthews, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Tracy Meisenbach, Brookneal, Virginia; and Junior Robertson, Waurika, Oklahoma - I have decided to initiate a series of slot halter futurities that will debut in the fall of 2007. 

The futurities will be held at the following locations: Rocky Mountain division - The Colorado Horse Park, Parker, Colorado; Southern Plains division, the Stephens County Fairgrounds, Duncan, Oklahoma; Southeast division - Virginia or "Colors of the Fall Futurity Series." 

Here are some of the basic tenets of the futurity series: 

Each of these futurities will feature three divisions - Appaloosa, Paint/Pinto and Buckskin/Dun/Palomino - and each of the three divisions will further feature six classes - early weanling fillies, late weanling fillies, early weanling colts/geldings, late weanling colts/geldings, yearling fillies and yearling colts/geldings. 

This is a "slot" futurity, with entry to each of the 18 halter classes set at $750. Entries will open on February 1 and close on July 1.  

After the 18 classes have been judged, the 1^st and 2^nd place fillies, colts and yearlings will be invited back into the ring to compete in three "All-Breed Championships." 

These futurities and classes are designed to service that part of the Western Horse industry populated by those non-professional horsemen and horsewomen who wish to breed, own, condition and show their own horses. Consequently, entries will be "limited" according to the following key conditions:   

The above conditions do not represent all of our rules and/or regulations. They do, however, hit most of the high points. 

Our goal for each of these futurities is to reach a total entry count of between 150 and 300 horses - an average of 9-17 per class. Depending on the number of entries, the total cash payout for each one of the four futurities is projected to be between $75,000 and $150,000. Again, depending on the number of entries, monies will be paid to down either third or fifth place in the breed-specific classes and down to two places in the all-breed championships.  

In the non-monetary department, each "breed-specific" class will award an exclusively designed trophy to the first place finisher and ribbons to the first- through fifth-place finishers. The all-breed championships will award both a championship buckle and a reserve championship buckle. These awards will bolster the over-all payout in all four shows by more than $40,000. 

Each show will be judged in its entirety by one highly-qualified individual and, make no doubt about it, we all understand how crucial it will be to both the initial and continued success of this futurity series to select those horsemen/horsewomen who will absolutely examine each and every horse and judge that horse...  WITH ABSOLUTELY NO REGARD TO BREED, COLOR OR HANDLER! 

It is critical that everyone grasps these two very important disclaimers however: 

To begin with, the above payout projections are just that - projections that are based on the anticipated entry numbers. 

Secondly, some of the facilities we're negotiating with have limited stalls available. The Colorado Horse Park has 300 permanent stalls and we plan on filling them. The Stephens County Fairgrounds only has 225 permanent stalls but the facility manager has indicated that should the need arise; he will explore ways to set up some additional stalls. Once we reach our saturation stalling point at each location, however, entries will have to be cut off. In other words, its going to be "first come...first served" in each and every location. 

I realize going in that a $750 entry fee is not to be taken lightly and that it might, in fact, deter some people from participating. There have been a number of slot halter and pleasure futurities launched recently by such entities as the American Paint Horse Association, The World-Wide Paint Horse Congress and the Reichert Celebration. As a rule, the entry fee for these futurities is $2,500 to $3,500 - with entries generally being limited to 35 horses per class. By comparison, the entry fee to the Colors of the Fall Futurity Series is from 70 to 80 percent lower. 

The Colors of the Fall Futurity Series is a concept whose time has come. It has been designed for those people from all the western color breeds who love good horses, breed good horses and have been clamoring for the opportunity to exhibit these horses for lucrative cash prizes on a level playing field. 

The following two dates are firm: The Stephens County Fairgrounds, Durant, Oklahoma - September 14 -16; and The Colorado Horse Park, Parker, Colorado - September 21-23. Dates for the remaining two locations will be announced as soon as the facilities are secured.  

We welcome your comments and your participation...

Frank and Loyce Holmes
Ramah, Colorado
Owner/Business Mgr. 

Laura Lyon
Howell, Michigan
Mgr. - Upper Midwest Regional

Sandra Matthews
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Mgr. - Rocky Mountain Regional

Tracy Meisenbach
Brookneal, Virginia
Mgr. - Southeast Regional

Junior Robertson
Waurika, Oklahoma
Mgr. - Southern Plains Regional