In just three years the Brad Borton Memorial Fund has awarded over $28,000 in cash and prizes to the Top 10 highest placing competitors in the Limited Non-Pro Western Longe Line class at the Tom Powers Futurity, thanks to the generous donations from family members, friends and members of the horse show community.

InStride Edition founder and publisher Brad Borton passed away in 2018, at the age of 60, after a courageous battle against cancer. The Brad Borton Memorial Limited Non-Pro Longe Line pays tribute to Brad’s love for the Longe Line class and his commitment to inspiring breeders and owners to showcase their young pleasure prospects. Brad was a firm believer that the further down a class paid, the better chance there was of inspiring competitors to continue to show. For that reason, the Brad Borton Memorial Class each year awards lucrative cash and prizes as far down the placings list as the fund permits, which in past years has been all the way to 10th place.

The Brad Borton Memorial Limited Non-Pro Western Longe Line class is held at the Powers Futurity because Tom himself, introduced the Longe Line class in the late 1990s and because it was Brad’s favorite horse show.

“It means so much to our entire family to be able to keep Brad’s memory alive in this way,” said Corrine Borton, his wife of 37 years. “Brad loved working with the babies and even in the years he himself was not competing, he looked forward to watching as the newest bright stars started their show careers at the Tom Powers Futurity.”

This year’s class will be held on Friday, July 2. The Tom Powers Futurity runs from June 30 to July 4, at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio. 

Only exhibitors not currently listed on the NSBA Open Non-Pro Longe Line list are eligible and the class is run concurrently with the Open Division of the Non-Pro Western Longe Line, which means Limited Non-Pro competitors must also enter the Open Division of the Non-Pro Western Longe Line at a cost of $650 for the Open Division plus $235 for the Limited Division, up to the day prior to competition. Since the May 1 payment deadline has been extended to June 1, the cost to enter the Open Division of the class is just $500 for the open division of the class and $185 for the Limited Division, if entries are received by June 1, which is also the deadline for stalls and camping.

All winners in the Brad Borton Memorial Limited Non-Pro Longe Line are awarded cash and prizes as they exit the arena on show day.

“Brad always encouraged new people to participate in horse shows and thought the Longe Line event was a perfect way to showcase your breeding program,” Corrine explained. “He also felt strongly that the way to encourage participation was to pay down the placings as far as possible so that is what we try to do.”

Last year’s winner Robert Herman, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, took home $1,500 in cash plus a beautiful memorial trophy, donated by Tom & Dominique Powers for showing She Blue Them Away to a win in the class. Even last place in the class was awarded $720 plus a fully loaded arena bag.

Donations of either cash or products can be mailed to the Brad Borton Memorial Fund,  c/o Lenora Sheppard, 532 Church Street, Sewell, NJ 08080.

Donations can also be made at https://www.gofundme.com/f/yqprj-the-brad-borton-memorial

“EVERY dollar and item donated will go DIRECTLY to the highest placing Limited Non-Pro Longe Line exhibitors in the Memorial class,” Corrine said. “That way we can make a reality of Brad’s vision to “pay down as far as possible” and encourage new exhibitors to enjoy their horses and enjoy the Longe Line class that Brad loved so dearly.To enter the Brad Borton Memorial Longe Limited Non-Pro Western Longe Line visit the Tom Powers Futurity website at www.tompowersfuturity.com.