As a means to conclude the program, the American Quarter Horse Association Incentive Fund will not accept foal nominations past 2018 and, effective immediately, will no longer accept stallion nominations.

“The AQHA Incentive Fund was a landmark program for the equine industry, having paid out more than $80 million in its lifetime,” said AQHA Chief Show Officer Pete Kyle. “The fund was so successful that it became a model for many others. However, multiple factors in the past decade contributed to the Incentive Fund’s decline.”

Ultimately, a lack of participation led the AQHA Executive Committee, at its July 2017 meeting, to approve the incentive program’s termination. The conclusion of the program will allow time and resources to move to the research and development of new potential incentive programs for competitors and breeders.

With no new stallion nominations coming in, the Incentive Fund should conclude in a few years.

“For owners and nominators wondering when the last payout will be made, we are looking closely at the financial reports for the Incentive Fund and will make a decision about that very soon,” said AQHA Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer Trent Taylor. “Preliminary examination indicates it will likely pay through the 2020 show season.”

Depending on the breeding and foaling year, stallion and foal nominators can apply for a nomination refund as follows:

• Stallion nominators for 2017 breeding season – option of refund or nominator may opt to remain in the Incentive Fund as it winds down
• 2017 foal nominators – option of refund if the nominator is still the recorded owner of the foal or the nominator may opt to remain in the Incentive Fund as it winds down
• Nomination payments for stallions or foals made prior to 2017 are non-refundable, as such payments have already been allocated/distributed for payout years

Refunds must be applied for by Sept. 30.

As stated above, 2018 foals may be nominated but only if the sire was nominated for the 2017 breeding season and such stallion nominator does not request a refund.

“To anyone who has ever nominated a foal or stallion, owned or shown an Incentive Fund horse, thank you for supporting the program,” Kyle said. “It was your support that made this the greatest incentive fund program in the equine industry.”

For questions regarding the Incentive Fund and its termination, read the AQHA Incentive Fund Q&A and Incentive Fund timeline.

To request a refund, contact Brianna Charles at 806-378-4535 or bcharles@aqha.org.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHAnews on Twitter and visit www.aqha.com/news.