The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) continues to grow in memberships, foal registrations, futurities and horses in the 2004 World's Championship Horse Show as the third quarter results are released for the fiscal period ending September 30, 2004.

ASHA now has over 8,000 members for the first time in the association's history. Now with 8,057 members, the ASHA increased membership 8% from the end of the 2003 third quarter total of 7,433 members.

Alan F. Balch, ASHA Executive Secretary, said the increase in memberships means more people are showing their enthusiasm for the breed.

"More members means more people are showing and breeding Saddlebreds," Balch said. "It also means our Youth Clubs and Charter Clubs are thriving as well."

The end of the third quarter saw a significant increase in foal registrations. Foal registrations, through September 30, 2004, are up 18%. At the end of the third quarter in 2003, 1,605 foals were registered. There have been 1,900 foal registrations processed through the end of the 2004 third quarter. Foal registrations are on target to top 3,000 at the end of the year.

"Increased foal registrations occur when people are excited about the marketability of our breed and look forward to competing with America's premier show horse," Balch said. "We're looking forward to these youngsters joining the ranks of horses in many performance divisions, as sport horses and for pleasure."

Transfers within ASHA have remained steady through the third quarter, showing a slight increase. Transfers are a strong indication of commerce in the breed. Transfers usually make a notable increase in the fourth quarter as a result of the Tattersalls Sale, October 28-30, 2004, at the Red Mile in Lexington.

Prize monies in futurities at the 2004 Kentucky State Fair World's Championship Horse Show in Louisville were at an all-time high of $251,744. That's an 8% increase from the 2003 total of $231,809. Futurities are paid out in three divisions of National Three-Year-Old Futurity, Kentucky Futurity and Amateur Kentucky Futurity. Four futurity participants received over $20,000 in winnings. Sue Nifong won $24,269; Blythewood Farms, $23,776; Dale Musselman, $22,870; and Sandra Corney and Hallston Manor, $20,874. Nifong, of Winston-Salem, NC, has been the top Futurities winner at the last two World's Championship Horse Shows.

The 2004 Kentucky State Fair World's Championship Horse Show saw a 13% increase in Saddlebred horses being shown. The show saw a total of 1,735 American Saddlebeds at the Championship Horse Show in Louisville, KY, August 22-27. The 2003 World's Championship Horse Show had 1,542 American Saddlebreds. American Saddlebreds made up 84% of the horses at that show this year.