The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) has totally revamped its International Arabian Breeders Sweepstakes (Sweepstakes) program to rally excitement surrounding the breeding and showing of Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses.

Sweepstakes was initiated in 1983 and has served a broad spectrum of the Arabian horse industry, providing almost $4 million in annual prize money at regional and national shows and financial incentives to stallion owners. The new program expands Sweepstakes role in servicing breeders and those who compete at the local levels.

Highlights of the new program include:
- Substantial Breeder Incentives to both sire and dam owners;
- Payouts at local, regional and national shows and distance rides;
- Institution of two prize money programs;
- Payouts to Sport Horse Nationals; and
- Program restructuring that guarantees both long-term program viability and enough flexibility to add classes and larger payouts as the program grows.

Entry Categories
A Breeding Entry is an in utero foal nominated the year it is conceived. The Breeding Entry must be by a Nominated Sire or out of a Nominated Dam.

An Original Entry is a registered Arabian, Half-Arabian or Anglo-Arabian that is entered into the Sweepstakes program after it is born in order to earn prize money in designated Sweepstakes classes.

A Nominated Sire is an Arabian stallion enrolled in the Sweepstakes program for the purpose of siring eligible Breeding Entries. A Non-Arabian Nominated Sire is a stallion that is either a Half-Arabian or other breed enrolled in the Sweepstakes program for the purpose of siring eligible Breeding Entries.

A Nominated Dam is an Arabian or Anglo-Arabian mare enrolled in the Sweepstakes program for the purpose of breeding eligible Half-Arabian or Anglo-Arabian Breeding Entries.

Two Prize Money Programs
The traditional way that horses earn prize money is through an Allocated Payout to designated classes at U.S. and Canadian National shows and 18 regional shows. AHA pays Sweepstakes prize money to eligible horses (entered as either Breeding or Original Entries) that place Top Five (regionals) or Top Ten (nationals). Changes in the Allocated Payout include a modified designated class list, the addition of payouts at the Sport Horse Nationals and a new percentage formula for calculating prize money.

A new Points Payout has been included that is based on points earned by eligible horses in designated classes at local, regional and national shows and distance rides throughout the calendar year. This payout requires an annual enrollment fee of $100 and is the only payout available to local shows and distance rides.

Substantial Breeder Incentives
There are two ways in which breeders will earn payback from the offspring of horses they've bred.

A Nominated Sire owner will continue to receive 5% of prize money earned by a sire's offspring that places Top Five or Top Ten in a designated class at a regional or national show. Additionally, a Nominated Sire owner will also receive 5% of the prize money earned by his offspring through the accumulation of points in designated classes at local shows and rides and regional and national shows. This payout will be paid regardless of whether a horse's current owner pays the $100 annual Points Payout enrollment fee.

The person who nominates a Breeding Entry will now receive 10% of the prize money earned by a Breeding Entry throughout its lifetime through the accumulation of Points in designated classes at local shows and rides and regional and national shows. Points Payout is paid in designated classes and distance rides at AHA-recognized competitions (except Arabian Community Shows). The payout for points will be paid