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There are other great stories to tell too, such as that of the LG Legacy Project that features horses off the track, paired with older youth, and is a competition that serves to mentor those kids into being better horsemen. The 2022 Champion, Saylor Smethers was paired with Favorite Hot Ko Ko, sired by Favorite Cartel, bred by Dr.
Ed Allred and provided to the program by Brenda Reiswig’s Diamond R Ranch. What a fantastic opportunity, not only for the next generation of horse trainers, but also for the horses themselves.
So, what can we at AQHA do to
help facilitate such second-career opportunities for racing Quarter Horses?
It’s pretty easy: financial incentive. At present, I am working with Lance Graves in a joint project to offer a Bank of America AQHA Racing Challenge Bonus side-pot
at the Lance Graves International Barrel Racing Championship held at the Lazy
E Arena. I really like this idea, for the following reasons:
• A program such as this would encourage the opportunity for racehorses to have a second career, and bring extra value to horses that are Challenge enrolled.
• There is growth potential for a program such as this to spread to other premier barrel races and improve the ‘added value’ of having a Challenge enrolled horse.
This, in turn, will incentivize enrollments into the program.
Details are still being discussed, but so far the idea has met with no opposition. We have some things to work out, but assuming all aspects come together, look for a related press release on the matter soon.
In closing, I love how the American Quarter Horse lends itself to multiple disciplines by organically transitioning from one event to the next with ease and skill. My hopes are to foster such opportunities for racehorses and afford them a life well-lived (and well-loved) as they learn to showcase their talents in new endeavors.
AQHA RACING UPDATE
In my humble opinion, our breed’s propensity for a horse to navigate different disciplines throughout its competitive career is what makes the American Quarter Horse most endearing. I have seen the same horse navigate racing, halter, and even all-around youth events in different chapters of his life.
The 2022 LG Legacy Project participants Saylor
Whitfield with Oscar La Vista provided by Fran
Jet provided by Dan-Tiara Darling/Darling Farms Racing, Cutter Hall with Dilly Dally Dash provided by Gary Walker Racing Stables, Cody Hollingsworth, Mark Bugni, Liana DeWeese and Sydney Hollingsworth.
Smethers with Favorite Hot Ko Ko provided by Diamond R Ranch/Brenda Reiswig, Laney Cavenaugh/Clint Crawford Racing, Lance Graves, Braydon Thompson with DF Fabulous
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