Incentive fund stallion enrollment deadline is extended to January 16.

When the AQHA Incentive Fund began back in the early 1980s, it was the most innovative show-based incentive program to hit the industry, and it immediately made offspring of stallions nominated to the Incentive Fund worth more money because when the foals were enrolled, the owners of those foals got paid for AQHA eligible points they earned.

AQHA is proud of the Incentive Fund and the value it has brought to the industry for nearly 30 years.

Some changes needed to be made in order to reward stallion owners and to keep the program viable for another 30 years and beyond.

AQHA is extending the deadline to enroll stallions to January 16, 2012 with no penalties.

AQHA wants to make sure that all stallion owners understand the changes being made and give assurance that these changes were made with special consideration given to stallion owners who, since the program’s inception, have been the chief supporters of the Incentive Fund.

1. Stallion owners will get a bigger percentage back. Previously, stallion owners received 10 percent of the pool of money each year. Now that percentage has increased to 15 percent, and the hope is that stallion owners can more than recoup the investment it takes to enroll your stallion.

2. While 2013 foal nominations will increase by $25 if the stallion owner nominates the foal, your percentage has increased – from 10 to 15 percent. This is the first time foal nominations have ever increased.

3. Exhibitors will pay a competition license of $50 for the amateur division and $50 for the open division in order to earn Incentive Fund payouts. That fee can be paid any time during the year and will become effective when it’s received by AQHA or by show management. AQHA hopes stallion owners will encourage owners of their stallions’ offspring to pay their annual Incentive Fund license. However, even if they do not pay their annual Incentive Fund license – the stallion owner is still going to get his or her percentage as the stallion owner or foal nominator. For the stallion owner, the payback will be based on the points the stallion’s offspring earn regardless of whether the current owner paid the license fee.

The same holds true if for a foal nominator. The foal nominator will continue to be paid as a foal nominator regardless of whether the current owner has paid the annual fee. In addition, if a stallion owner also nominates a foal and is the current record owner of the foal, the first year’s Incentive Fund competition license is free!

4. One hundred percent of annual license fees go directly into the fund. As has been the case since inception, AQHA is not taking any of this money. It’s an investment exhibitors will make every year to boost the Incentive Fund’s value so again, AQHA asks all stallion owners to encourage owners of their stallions’ offspring to invest in their showing program and pay the Incentive Fund license fee.

The goal of the license fee is to raise the available pool of money in the Fund to reward a larger cross section of exhibitors. The hope is to move toward a $50 per point value in the years to come. With support, it can get there, which would mean it won’t take long for an owner to recoup his or her $50-$100 investment.

To enroll a stallion and participate in the Incentive Fund, please call (806) 376-4811. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please send them to AQHA. For more information on the Incentive Fund,  visit www.aqha.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal or America’s Horse, visit  AQHA Publications.

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Founded in 1940, the American Quarter Horse Association is the largest equine breed organization in the world. With headquarters in Amarillo, Texas, AQHA has a membership of more than 300,000 people in 86 countries and has registered more than 5 million horses in 95 countries.