APHA continues lucrative Breeders Trust payouts American Paint Horse Association pays out record $711,636 through special incentive program

FORT WORTH-The American Paint Horse Association Breeders Trust, an incentive program for the breeders and owners of competitive Paint Horses, recently awarded $711,636 to 1,829 people-a record payout for any one year since the program started awarding money in 1997.

Zippos Sensation, owned by Lynn and Andrea Simons of Aubrey, Texas, was the stallion whose foals earned the most APHA Breeders Trust money for the 2001 competition season. Thirty-four foals sired by the stallion earned a total of $26,053. (Photo by Darrell Dodds, APHA) .

.To date, APHA has paid out $2,033,832 through Breeders Trust. The most recent payout represents a 7.3 percent increase over last year's disbursement of $663,264.50 and a 336 percent increase over the first payout of $163,217 five years ago.

Smooth Sippin Scotch, owned by Sharon M. Horn, D.V.M., of Shaverton, Pa., was the top-earning horse, with $13,743 in Breeders Trust money awarded.

The stallion whose foals earned the most money was Zippos Sensation, owned by Lynn and Andrea Simons of Aubrey, Texas. Thirty-four foals sired by the horse earned a total of $26,053.

Through the Breeders Trust, a person may "subscribe," or enroll, a stallion in the program for an annual fee. Offspring resulting from breedings to that stallion may then be "nominated," or enrolled in the program, for a specific fee. Enrollment money, including interest accrued in the APHA Breeders Trust Fund, is later paid out to these stallion subscribers, as well as to the nominators and owners of the stallion's offspring, based on the number of points earned by those horses at APHA-approved races and shows each year.

Depending on the success of the nominated horses, payments to their owners and nominators, as well as to the subscriber of the horse's sire, may continue throughout the animal's competitive life.
Following are highlights of the program:

-- Stallions, which must be enrolled by November 30 of the year prior to the
start of the breeding season, are subscribed annually for their highest-advertised breeding fee.

-- 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 offspring 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.

Recent changes and improvements

-- Starting with payments in March 2003 for the 2002 show and race season, the percentage of the payout to stallion subscribers doubles. The recorded owner of the stallion's offspring-with ownership determined by who owns the horse on December 31 of the show and race season-receives 70 percent of the dividend, the stallion subscriber receives 20 percent, and the nominator of the stallion's offspring receives 10 percent.

-- Subscribers of stallions standing for their first breeding season now have until March 31 to enroll their horse without penalty. The November 30 deadline remains in effect for all other stallions.

-- Racehorses are now included in the program. Points earned at all APHA-approved races are now eligible for the Breeders Trust payout.

-- The stallion subscription re-enrollment form has been condensed to make re-enrollment easier.

-- Anyone can now subscribe a stallion to the Breeders Trust for a specific year, if that person obtains the stallion owner's permission. The subscriber then receives the money earned from the subscription for that particular breeding season.

-- The minimum private treaty, or "does not stand to public" fee, on which stallion subscription fees are based, has been increased to $700, effective for the 2002 breeding season.

For more information on APHA's Breeders Trust, including deadlines, visit http://www.apha.com/breederstrust, or call (817) 222-6416.

More about APHA
Since its founding 40 years ago, APHA has registered more than 650,000 horses. Currently, American Paint Horses are being registered at APHA's Fort Worth, Texas, headquarters at a rate of about 57,000 horses each year. The association serves nearly 100,000 members, who are located in every U.S. state, throughout Canada, and in 40 other countries around the world. Paint Horses can be found in 48 nations.

APHA employs 160 people and has an operating budget of $15 million for activities worldwide. Among the many qualities that make Paint Horses desirable are their sound conformation, versatile athletic ability, intelligence, calm temperament, willing disposition and beautiful coat color patterns.
For more information about the American Paint Horse and APHA, visit http://www.apha.com/, or call (817) 834-2742, extension 788.