APHA Gelding Plus winners cash in at Reno American Paint Horse Association awards $10,000 at NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity FORT WORTH, Texas--The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) awarded $10,000 to two successful Paint gelding owners during the National Reined Cow Horse Association's (NRCHA) GMC Sierra Snaffle Bit Futurity, held Sept. 19-30 in Reno, Nev. It was the second selected show at which APHA made payouts as part of its 2001 Gelding Plus program. Jo Anne Carollo took home $5,000 in Gelding Plus money on A Rainy Day Plan in Open competition at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity. Photo courtesy of UNI Photography Open to both Regular and Breeding Stock Registry horses, the program gives Paint gelding owners and breeders added opportunities to earn cash and increase the market value of their horses. APHA paid out $45,000 in prize money last year at select shows, and earmarked $60,000 for top-placing geldings at several futurities around the country this year. Along with winning the Non-Pro Futurity on Plan To Win, Jo Anne Carollo's good fortune at the Snaffle Bit Futurity got even better when she earned $5,000 in Gelding Plus money on her other futurity entry, A Rainy Day Plan. With Carollo in the saddle, A Rainy Day Plan was the highest-advancing Paint Horse gelding in Open competition. The two horses, which are half-brothers, are both geldings. Plan To Win, however, wasn't gelded until three months prior to the futurity, making him ineligible for the award because he was already 3 years old when he was gelded. Carollo bred, raised and trained the two geldings and owns their sire and dams. They are sons of A Master Plan, who, as a 3-year-old, earned an APHA Amateur Working Cow Horse World Championship with Carollo in 1995. Later, trainer Ron Emmons earned two Working Cow Horse World Championships with him in the Open competition.

Although she earned her championship on Plan To Win, Carollo said it could have gone to either horse.

"A Rainy Day Plan's as good a fence horse as I've ever been on," Carollo said. "We've shown the horses two times and both times I showed A Rainy Day Plan first and learned from my mistakes on him. So, I think if I had shown Plan To Win first, it might have been turned around because I think [A Rainy Day Plan] is as good of a horse."

Carollo and her husband, Jim, live in Atascadero, Calif., and both are active competitors in the NRCHA.

In the Non-Pro competition, Carol Roberts of Ojai, Calif., earned a $5,000 Non-Pro Gelding Plus award on Will He Boogie, a breeding stock son of Like A Diamond. The pair missed making the finals of the Non-Pro by falling one slot below the cutoff.

In Non-Pro competition, Carol Roberts of Ojai, Calif., earned her $5,000 Gelding Plus award on Will He Boogie. Photo courtesy of UNI Photography

More Gelding Plus money to be awarded this year
In addition to the Gelding Plus payouts at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, APHA will award $5,000 to the owners of the highest-advancing Paint geldings in the Open and Non-Pro divisions at the following futurities:
… National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity-3-year-olds
… National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity-3-year-olds
… Barrel Futurities of America (BFA) World Barrel Futurity-4-year-olds

The program awarded $20,000 during the National Snaffle Bit Association-approved event, The Southern Belle Invitation, held July 27-29, where APHA awarded money in four classes. The highest-advancing Paint Horse geldings in the 3-Year-Old Open and Non-Pro divisions of Western Pleasure and Hunter Under Saddle classes were each awarded $5,000.

To enter this year's Gelding Plus events a horse must be foaled in 1998 and registered as a gelding prior to his 3-year-old year, or gelded and his status change reported to APHA prior to his 3-year-old year. In addition, owners of the horses must be current APHA members and their horses must meet futurity age requirements.

Prepare now for 2002 Gelding Plus payouts
Don't miss out on the chance to earn Gelding Plus prize money in 2002 at the NSBA, NRCHA, NRHA, BFA and NCHA futurities. It's easy to participate in the Gelding Plus program, and enrollment is free.

Enrollment is automatic and applies to horses in the Regular or Breeding Stock registries. To qualify for Gelding Plus payouts in 2002:
… The horse must have been foaled in 1999 and registered as a gelding prior to his 3-year-old year, or gelded and his status change reported to APHA prior to his 3-year-old year. Owners of horses foaled in 1999 must notify APHA of their horse's gelding status prior to December 31, 2001.
… Owners of the horses must be current members of APHA.

Note: Because the BFA World Barrel Futurity is for 4-year-olds, horses foaled in 1998 and meeting the reporting requirements are eligible to compete in that event in 2002.

For more information on the Gelding Plus Program, visit APHA's Gelding Plus Web site at apha.com/geldingplus.