Breeders Trust awards reach all-time high
American Paint Horse Association pays out $663,260 as part of special incentive program

FORT WORTH-The American Paint Horse Association Breeders Trust, an incentive program for the breeders and owners of competitive Paint Horses, this year awarded $663,260 to 1,545 individuals-a 34 percent payout increase over last year's award of $493,805 to 1,147 people.

"It has been our goal, through the Breeders Trust program, to give Paint Horse breeders, as well as stallion owners and show horse owners, the chance to win money for their horses' accomplishments," said Ed Roberts, APHA's executive secretary. "Based on our annual payout figures, it is obvious that the program is becoming more valuable to these people every year."

The 2001 payout, for the 2000 show season, is the fifth Breeders Trust disbursement made by APHA since the program was launched. The figure represents more than four times the amount awarded in 1997-the year of the first payout.

The Breeders Trust pays cash dividends for points earned by nominated horses at APHA-approved events and is designed so everyone responsible for the success of an outstanding foal is rewarded. The stallion owner, foal nominator and the horse's owner all share in the profits.

Following are some highlights of the program:

-- Stallions are subscribed annually for their highest advertised breeding fee. Stallions must be enrolled by Dec. 31, prior to the start of the breeding season.

-- Offspring resulting from the stallion's breedings can then be nominated for life for a one-time enrollment fee, ranging from $100 to $800. The fee varies depending on the age at which the horse is enrolled.

-- No horse is accepted in the program after its 2-year-old year, or if it has earned points in APHA competition.

-- Trust money is divided and paid annually, beginning when a subscribed stallion's foals reach their yearling year. Payouts are based on the total number of point-earning horses enrolled in the program and the number of points earned by those horses during a given year.

-- The stallion owner and foal nominator each receive 10 percent of the dividend, while the recorded owners of the foal receive 80 percent.

For more information on the American Paint Horse Association Breeders Trust program, visit http://www.apha.com/breederstrust or call (817) 222-6416.

More about APHA

The APHA was founded in 1962. By that year's end, early association members had recruited 150 fellow Paint Horse enthusiasts and registered 250 horses. By the end of 2000, APHA had enrolled more than 100,000 members and registered nearly 593,000 Paint Horses.

The Fort Worth-based non-profit association employs 165 people and maintains an operating budget of more than $15 million for activities worldwide.