It’s starting to fill up at the Berrien County fairgrounds in Michigan as competitors travel from all over to compete at one the most prestigious futurities in the country – The Tom Powers Triple Challenge.

Tara Anderson is in Berrien Springs to band and braid for competitors. A Lancaster, Pennsylvania resident, Anderson has been attending the Powers Futurity either as an exhibitor or to band and braid since the mid 1990s.

She estimates she will band or braid over 100 horses before the show is over.

“This show is fun with great horses, good people and unpredictable weather,” she says.

Stall rentals have swelled to over 925 this year with the addition of the Super Sires 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure classes being featured at the futurity this year and the Yearling Stakes Sale, now in its third year.

Heavy rain is hampering move-ins and camper accommodations but manager Tom Powers says officials from the local fire department are on hand to assist in pumping water from arenas and low lying areas.

Local officials reported over two inches of rain in a span of 90 minutes on Monday, just as many were arriving and more rain soaked the fairgrounds again on Tuesday morning.

The Jeff Bujack Quarter Horse Show, which started on Sunday, was forced indoors today. Equitation, Western Riding, Trail, Western Pleasure and Horsemanship classes are being judged by Mike Carter, Chris Jeter and John Tuckey.

Wednesday is an off day with the Maturity Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle getting futurity action off to a start on Thursday morning. Also featured on Thursday will be the Color Longe Line classes and several Western Pleasure classes. Judging this year’s futurity will be Christa Baldwin, John Briggs, Rick Christy, and Mike Hawkins.

Friday morning will be devoted to the Non-Pro and Open Western and Hunter Longe Line classes followed by several Hunter Under Saddle classes and then the afternoon is devoted to Western Pleasure classes for Open and Non-Pro competitors.

Saturday will feature the No Bridle Western Pleasure Class to benefit the National Snaffle Bit Association’s Crisis Fund and the Western Pleasure Super Sires 3-Year-Old Non-Pro classes (open and limited divisions). The two class winners will receive $10,000 and the program will pay 10 places in each division. To be eligible to compete, horses must be sired by one of the stallions enrolled in the Super Sires program.

The featured event on Saturday will be the presentation of the Maiden 2-Year-Old Stakes Class with a guaranteed purse of $55,000. Only horses that were sold through the Yearling Stakes Sale last year are eligible to compete in this year’s class. The winner of the Open Division will take home $25,000 and $7,000 is up for grabs to the winner of the Limited Division. In addition, Harris Leather will present bonus checks ($3,000 for the top placing Open Rider and $1,000 to the highest placing limited rider) to those competing in a Harris saddle.

At the conclusion of the Stakes Class this year’s Yearling Sale, presented by Alan Parker Auctions, will be held in the indoor arena. Last year gross sales were reported at $565,400. The sale average was $9,268. This year 88 yearlings have been consigned to the sale. Purchases can be made in person, on the phone or online through Proxibid (https://alanparkerauctions.proxibid.com/asp/AuctionsByCompany.asp?ahid=3209)

To view the catalog click here: http://alanparkerauctions.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/2014-Tom-Powers-Final-1.pdf

The futurity will continue Sunday with 3-Year-Old Novice Hunter Under Saddle followed by Youth Hunter Under saddle, 2-Year-Old Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure, Walk-Trot, Novice Non-Pro Western Pleasure, 2-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure and 50& Over Western Pleasure.

Many futurity classes are sanctioned by the NSBA. For a complete show bill click here: http://tompowersfuturity.com/showbills/2014%20Futurity%20Flyer.pdf

Click Here to check out the candid photos from the 2014 Tom Powers Futurity

Check back here at www.instrideedition.com for daily coverage and photos from the 2014 Tom Powers Futurity.