Prize Programs: Futurities

A futurity is a prize program for young horses, which awards purses made up of entry fees paid over a period of time by participants. Futurities are held to encourage the breeding and showing of American Saddlebred horses.

Showing a foal in a futurity enhances his value and increases his earning potential; the value of the sire and dam may also be enhanced through the success of their progeny shown in futurities. Amateurs and juveniles, as well as professionals, have the opportunity to show young horses in futurities.

The experience should be entertaining to both audience and participants, and should present the American Saddlebred at his best, providing an opportunity for fun, competition and good sportsmanship. In 2015, ASR Futurities awarded over $152,316 in prize money.

A Guide to Futurities, Sweepstakes, and State Futurities.

Kentucky Futurity

The ASR Kentucky Futurity holds three divisions each year: Weanling In Hand, Yearling In Hand and Two-Year-Old Fine Harness. The divisions are open to the offspring of stallions and mares nominated to the ASR Kentucky Futurity. The classes are held at the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show each August and are conducted under the rules of the U. S. Equestrian Federation. All Futurity payments must be made to maintain eligibility. Foals may show as weanlings, yearlings or two-year-olds, but are not required to do so in order to stay in the Futurity. The ASR Futurity of Kentucky ends after the two-year-old year. In 2015, $54,409 in prize money was distributed in the Weanling, Yearling and Two-Year-Old Divisions.

Kentucky Amateur Futurity

The ASR Kentucky Amateur Futurity holds three divisions each year: Weanling In Hand, Yearling In Hand and Two-Year-Old In Hand. The divisions are open to the offspring of stallions and mares nominated to the ASR Kentucky Amateur Futurity. Entries are to be shown in the ring by amateurs only, although a professional may own the horse. The classes are held at the Kentucky State Fair World's Championship Horse Show each August and are conducted under the rules of the U. S. Equestrian Federation. All Futurity payments must be made to maintain eligibility. Foals may show as weanlings, yearlings or two-year-olds, but are not required to do so in order to stay in the Futurity. The Futurity ends after the two-year-old year. In 2015, the prize money distributed in the Weanling, Yearling and Two-Year-Old Divisions totaled $16,926.

National Three-Year-Old Futurity

Currently, entries can be shown in one of four classes:  Five-Gaited, Three-Gaited, Fine Harness Three-Gaited Park and Three-Gaited Park Pleasure. The classes are open to the offspring of stallions and mares nominated to the ASR National Three-Year-Old Futurity. Entries may compete in only one of the five classes, which are held each year at the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show in August; these classes are conducted under the rules of the U. S. Equestrian Federation. All Futurity payments must be made to maintain eligibility. Entries are shown only as three-year-olds and do not need to declare in which class they will participate until their three-year-old year. The Futurity ends after the three-year-old year. In 2015, the prize money distributed in the five classes was $80,982.

National 3YO Futurity Buy-In Nomination Form

Affiliate Futurities

ASR helps provide continuity in the different futurities held throughout the country by bringing the state futurities into agreement on providing consistent rules for the administration of a futurity. ASR established a State Futurity Committee, which consists of two representatives from each ASR affiliated futurity. This committee meets annually to review the guidelines that all ASR Futurities should follow. These guidelines are not in place to suppress the local flavor of the futurities, but rather to assure participants of some standardization from one futurity to another and to help futurities avoid pitfalls. To help affiliated futurities run smoothly, ASR provides the following services:  accurate recording of results for permanent record and statistical use; review of entry blank; publication of futurity dates and contact persons on ASHA's Web Site and the ASHA Membership Directory; and publication of results in the Journal Of The American Saddlebred.

If you are interested in starting an ASR affiliated futurity, please contact ASR at 859.259.3899 or p.edwards@asha.net.

• Affiliate Futurities (pdf)
• Guidelines Brochure (pdf)

Mailing Lists Request

Effective date August 1, 2012

We will provide mailing lists of mare owners by State to Affiliate State Futurities.  The reason for the mailing list must be provided as well as a copy of the proposed communication.  Requests from other entities will be reviewed by the Registrar and/or Registry President who may approve the request.  We will not provide email addresses under any circumstances. 

For electronic mailing lists, the Registry will send it directly to the mailing house or to the person printing the labels or addresses on envelopes with a provision that it is not to be reproduced. 

The current fee for Affiliate State Futurities is 5 cents per address label.  (See below for orders less than $10)

The fee will be waived for requests from Affiliate State Futurities for mailing lists that would cost $10 or less under the current fee schedule.  Note – there is a limit of one fee being waived per mailing list request from the same Affiliate State Futurity in a calendar year.

For more information on mailing lists and fees for Affiliate State Futurities, please contact Patricia Edwards at (859) 259-3899 or p.edwards@asha.net.