2014 Tom Powers Futurity is Sold Out at 950 Stalls, Despite Extreme Rain

By: Brittany Bevis

“Rain, rain, go away; come again another day,” is the mantra being repeated around the show grounds by both competitors and show management in Berrien Springs, Michigan as the 2014 Tom Powers Triple Challenge Futurity gears up to start on Thursday.

Thankfully, a few days still remain before the Futurity starts, and show manager and Futurity namesake, Mr. Tom Powers, has assured us that they are doing everything possible to ready the outdoor arenas and dry out the pens before competition begins.

“All we need is the weather to cooperate just a little bit,” he says. “We’re pumping everything. We even have the fire department here. It’s sprinkling just a bit now, and, if it gives us a little break, we’ll be ok. It’s supposed to dry up.”

The good news is that the Futurity is completely sold-out. Stalls reserved are at the 950 mark as competitors continue to file in over the next two days. Powers confirms that the reservation count is up over last year from 85 stalls.

“The Super Sires class is looking great, and the Stakes class will be impressive,” he says. “The [Yearling Stakes Sale] is up by 30 horses to almost 100 horses this year. We’re very happy about it, all we need is the weather to cooperate just a little bit.”

Concluding today is the AQHA/NSBA Jeff Bujack Quarter Horse show that began on June 22nd. The Futurity will begin on June 26th and continue through the 29th with a wide variety of special events, slot classes, sales, and fundraisers.

On Saturday, horse professionals will be encouraged to “take it all off” for the Bridleless Western Pleasure Calcutta that will benefit the NSBA Crisis Fund. Established in 2002 and modeled after a similar program in the National Cutting Horse Association, the NSBA Crisis Fund was created with the intention to distribute financial relief to members of the horse industry, as demonstrated by need, following an unexpected disaster or serious illness. Taking place in conjunction with the Calcutta will be a Barbecue benefit party.

Also on Saturday is the second annual Western Pleasure Super Sires 3-Year-Old Non-Pro classes, which will present $10,000 to the winners and pay out ten places. In order to be eligible to compete in either the 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Open Western Pleasure or 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Limited Western Pleasure, horses must have been sired by one of the following WPSS stallions: A Sudden Holiday, A Touch Of Sudden, Blazing Hot, Extremely Hot Chips, Gettin Impulsive, Good I Will Be, Hotroddin Zippo, How Bout This Cowboy, Hubba Hubba Huntin, Nite Moves, One N Only, Presidential Order, Too Sleepy To Zip, or VS Code Blue.

For those stallion owners looking to get in on this innovative program, one, coveted, stallion slot will be auctioned off by Alan Parker Auctions immediately following the two WPSS classes on June 28th. Any western pleasure stallion, regardless of breed, with offspring that have accumulated less than $150,000 in total lifetime earnings (according to EquiStat as of April 30, 2014) are eligible to bid on the slot. For more information about the Western Pleasure Super Sires program, visit www.westernpleasuresupersires.com.

Also, on Saturday, the 2-Year-Old Maiden Stakes western pleasure will be held, followed by the Yearling Stakes Sale. The Maiden Stakes offers a guaranteed $55,000 purse, and there is an open and limited division. If the winners are riding in Harris saddles, the open division winner will receive an extra $3,000 and the limited division winner will receive $1,000. The anticipated payout is as follows.

Open division

1st- $25,000

2nd- $10,000

3rd- $5,000

4th- $2,000

Limited division

1st- $7,000

2nd- $3,000

3rd- $2,000

4th- $1,000

Judges for the Futurity will be Christa Baldwin, John Briggs, Rick Christy, and Mike Hawkins. Click here to view a showbill for the Tom Powers Futurity. Stay tuned for more photos and results coming from the show!